Kentucky Lake has over 100 species of
fish to include Slab Crappie, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Stripe
Bass, Catfish, Bluegill and Sauger fishing that is second to none. It is common
to see and hear about trophy fish coming from our waters. There is something for every
fisherman from the expert angler with professional gear, to the kid on the bank with a
cane pole. The World Record Catfish was caught in Kentucky Lake in 1971, weighing
in at an unbelievable 115 pounds.
Fishing Guide Service Referrals Available!
Fishing
It's what has earned Kentucky Lake a reputation that few bodies of water
can match. A world-class fishery that attracts bass, crappie, largemouth
bass & smallmouth bass, panfish, sauger, white bass and catfish anglers
from around the globe, Leatherwood Resort & Marina is right in the center
of the action.
Kentucky
Lake itself is a 160,00 acre impoundment that boasts 2,380 miles of
breathtaking shoreline. Countless bays, inlets and point with a 170,000
acre nature reserve on the Eastern shore make angling here one of the most
awe-inspiring sightseeing trips you will ever fish.
Tennessee's warmer climate means a longer growing season that results in
big and aggressive bass and panfish. Huge numbers of lunker black bass and
crappie are main ambition of anglers that regularly harvest quality, as
well as quantity, gamefish. Having seven-pound Kentucky Lake largemouth
going spastic on your line is a real treat, no matter what type of fish
you normally see - and we've got plenty of them!
Fishing
at Leatherwood Resort & Marina is generally good year around with the
primary season spanning from March to November. Prime time fishing begins
in mid-March and extends throughout the normal season.
Mid-March to Mid-May is crappie season. A world-class crappie fishery that
attracts anglers from around the globe, limit catches are routing with 1
to 2 pound crappie common with 3 pound slabs mixed in for fun. Hoisting a
daily stringer of 30 crappie for the camera is a frequent occurrence on
the lake, as many guests of Leatherwood Resort & Marina can attest.
At this time
of year as the water level rises to summer pool from Spring rain, crappie
start migrating towards the back bays from primary points off the main
lake. As the water warms in the shallower coves and backbays, crappie can
be found around buckbrush, rock piles and flooded bush as they start to
spawn. Crappie can be taken on any assortment of jigs, minnows and small
spinners. Darker colors tend to have better luck as the lake is stained,
but aggressive fish will even hit shad raps and light color plastics
Mid-April usually sees the peak of spawning activity, but with the warm
El-Nino Winter, the seasons may start a few weeks earlier than normal,
unless a prolonged cold-spell settles in. Regardless of Spring's arrival,
taking slabbies on a 1/4 oz. jig with an ultralight is pure heaven. There
is a 10" limit on crappie on Kentucky Lake, but those are just the small
ones.
Early
April finds the small mouth completing its spawning season, and generally
fishing some of the deeper rock banks and walls off secondary points is a
good bet, but some are still found on beds in 4-8 feet of water around
stone humps, gravel pits and stumps. The rocky points are great holding
grounds for aggressive smallmouth. Pop a crawfish plastic or firetiger
spinner in there and chances are good you will whoop with joy as a really
ticked-off smallie is dancing on the end of your line. The smallmouth on
Kentucky Lake are good color and size, averaging 4 to 7 pounds. Smallmouth
have been by the most part, overlooked by lake anglers concentrating on
the crappie and largemouth populations.
As the water warms during April, Largemouth and Kentucky spotted move from
holding around the deeper primary and secondary points towards shallow
structure to spawn. As the water temperature nears sixty-four degrees, the
bass can be found moving to and from the beds along creek channels toward
the back bays and calm inlets in woody cover. Look for new plant growth in
the back-bays under the wood cover. Crank and spinnerbaits are your
primary tools here to quickly work the water to find them, but don't leave
out skirted jigs, silver minnows or use a Carolina rig, as largemouth tend
to feed on the huge population of shad in the lake. The size limit is 15"
for largemouth and smallmouth on Kentucky Lake in Tennessee.
Hunting If
hunting is your sport, you're in luck. The area abounds with deer, turkey,
squirrel, quail, rabbits, wood duck, raccoon, ducks, and geese.
Waterfowl
hunting is especially big since Kentucky Lake is on a major migration
flyway, but ample deer and turkey populations make these season popular
also.
Hunting
season lengths vary from year to year in Tennessee, but opening dates are
firm. Just call for information on license fees and dates.
Kentucky Lake has over 100 species of
fish to include Slab Crappie, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Stripe
Bass, Catfish, Bluegill and Sauger fishing that is second to none. It is common
to see and hear about trophy fish coming from our waters. There is something for every
fisherman from the expert angler with professional gear, to the kid on the bank with a
cane pole. The World Record Catfish was caught in Kentucky Lake in 1971, weighing
in at an unbelievable 115 pounds.
Fishing
Kentucky
Lake itself is a 160,00 acre impoundment that boasts 2,380 miles of
breathtaking shoreline. Countless bays, inlets and point with a 170,000
acre nature reserve on the Eastern shore make angling here one of the most
awe-inspiring sightseeing trips you will ever fish.
Fishing
at Leatherwood Resort & Marina is generally good year around with the
primary season spanning from March to November. Prime time fishing begins
in mid-March and extends throughout the normal season.
At this time
of year as the water level rises to summer pool from Spring rain, crappie
start migrating towards the back bays from primary points off the main
lake. As the water warms in the shallower coves and backbays, crappie can
be found around buckbrush, rock piles and flooded bush as they start to
spawn. Crappie can be taken on any assortment of jigs, minnows and small
spinners. Darker colors tend to have better luck as the lake is stained,
but aggressive fish will even hit shad raps and light color plastics
Mid-April usually sees the peak of spawning activity, but with the warm
El-Nino Winter, the seasons may start a few weeks earlier than normal,
unless a prolonged cold-spell settles in. Regardless of Spring's arrival,
taking slabbies on a 1/4 oz. jig with an ultralight is pure heaven. There
is a 10" limit on crappie on Kentucky Lake, but those are just the small
ones.
Early
April finds the small mouth completing its spawning season, and generally
fishing some of the deeper rock banks and walls off secondary points is a
good bet, but some are still found on beds in 4-8 feet of water around
stone humps, gravel pits and stumps. The rocky points are great holding
grounds for aggressive smallmouth. Pop a crawfish plastic or firetiger
spinner in there and chances are good you will whoop with joy as a really
ticked-off smallie is dancing on the end of your line. The smallmouth on
Kentucky Lake are good color and size, averaging 4 to 7 pounds. Smallmouth
have been by the most part, overlooked by lake anglers concentrating on
the crappie and largemouth populations.
If
hunting is your sport, you're in luck. The area abounds with deer, turkey,
squirrel, quail, rabbits, wood duck, raccoon, ducks, and geese.
Hunting
season lengths vary from year to year in Tennessee, but opening dates are
firm. Just call for information on license fees and dates.