It’s a fishing day

Kentucky Lake fishing conditions · Tennessee

Now until 5 pmWalleye

The bite peaks at 100.

Log a trip here
Right now: 96 for walleye, go · inside the best windowTap or drag along the water to move through the next 36 hours

Walleye, hour by hour

Each float is an hour. The deeper it rides, the better the bite. The strip underneath runs daylight, dusk and dark; the red rule marks the best window. Click any hour to read it.

  1. 963 pm
  2. 100
  3. 86
  4. 866 pm
  5. 72
  6. 72
  7. 729 pm
  8. 76
  9. 76
  10. 72Sun
  11. 72
  12. 72
  13. 723 am
  14. 72
  15. 72
  16. 766 am
  17. 72
  18. 72
  19. 729 am
  20. 76
  21. 76
  22. 8612 pm
  23. 82
  24. 82
  25. 823 pm
  26. 76
  27. 72
  28. 726 pm
  29. 72
  30. 72
  31. 729 pm
  32. 72
  33. 76
  34. 76Mon
  35. 72
  36. 72
Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out

Right now · best window

Water
No reading

Walleye range 50–72°

Wind
5 mph

From the north

Flow
1.03 cfs

steady · -2% in 24 h

Light
Daylight

Sunset 4:51 pm

Sky
Partly Sunny

No rain expected

Air
57°F

NWS hourly forecast

Barometer
Falling

Measured, last 3 hours

Moon
5% lit

Waning crescent

What’s biting

Each species is scored against its own water-temperature range and tide preference, then wind, weather and warnings. The rules are Tennessee regulations for these waters.

Walleye

Walleye

Sander vitreus

100GoNow until 5 pm

Water

No water reading here right now. Walleye bite in 50–72° water, best near 62°.

Why

Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. Walleye feeds aggressively in low light. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 10–40 ft down.

Keep

16" minimum · 5 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Tennessee: 16" minimum, 5 walleye a day. Sauger and sauger hybrids are a separate 10 a day with a 15" minimum.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Tennessee

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Nov–Apr, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on walleye

Smallmouth Bass

Smallmouth bass

Micropterus dolomieu

88GoNow until 5 pm

Water

No water reading here right now. Smallmouth bass bite in 55–78° water, best near 68°.

Why

Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Settled river level — clearer water, easier wading. Holds 3–30 ft down.

Keep

15" minimum · 5 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. No smallmouth under 15"; 5 black bass a day combined.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Kentucky Lake (Tennessee)

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Feb–Dec, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on smallmouth bass

Largemouth Bass

Largemouth bass

Micropterus salmoides

82Worth the tripNow until 5 pm

Water

No water reading here right now. Largemouth bass bite in 55–85° water, best near 72°.

Why

Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 3–25 ft down.

Keep

15" minimum · 5 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. No largemouth under 15"; 5 black bass a day combined.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Kentucky Lake (Tennessee)

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Mar–Dec, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on largemouth bass

Crappie

Crappie

Pomoxis spp.

82Worth the tripNow until 5 pm

Water

No water reading here right now. Crappie bite in 50–80° water, best near 65°.

Why

Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 3–20 ft down.

Keep

10" minimum · 20 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. 10" minimum, 20 crappie a day.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Kentucky Lake (Tennessee)

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Mar–May, Oct–Dec, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on crappie

Channel Catfish

Channel catfish

Ictalurus punctatus

82Worth the tripNow until 5 pm

Water

No water reading here right now. Channel catfish bite in 60–85° water, best near 75°.

Why

Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 5–30 ft down.

Keep

no daily limit

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Tennessee: no limit on catfish 34" and under; only 1 catfish over 34" may be kept a day.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Tennessee

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Mar–Nov, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on channel catfish

Common Carp

Common carp

Cyprinus carpio

82Worth the tripNow until 5 pm

Water

No water reading here right now. Common carp bite in 52–86° water, best near 72°.

Why

Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 1–15 ft down.

Keep

no daily limit

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Tennessee: nongame species, common carp included, have no creel or length limit. Silver, bighead and black carp may not be possessed or transported alive.

Verified Oct 18, 2026 · Tennessee

Last checked 20 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Apr–Nov, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on common carp

The water

  • Water temperatureNo reading
  • River1.03 cfs · steady · -2% in 24 h
  • Barometer30.16 inHg, falling

Sun, moon & solunar

  • Sunset today4:51 pm
  • Sunrise tomorrow6:21 am
  • MoonWaning crescent, 5% lit
  • Minor solunarToday 3:20 pm–4:20 pm
  • Major solunarTonight 9:50 pm–11:50 pm
  • Minor solunarTomorrow 5:30 am–6:30 am

Solunar tables are a popular heuristic. A peer-reviewed test found they don’t predict catch on their own, so here they only nudge the score when the tide or moon already agree. How the score works

Fishing report

Tennessee TWRA report, Oct 11

Names crappie, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, walleye, which people fish for here. It covers the whole state, so it may not describe these waters.

Read it at Tennessee TWRA

Licenses and rules: state fishery agencies · fish-consumption advisories

About this spot

The vast Tennessee River impoundment on the western Tennessee line — one of the South's legendary crappie fisheries, with largemouth and smallmouth bass, catfish, and sauger.

Nearby

The closest public spots we cover, with the same 36 hours of floats.

Pickwick Lake80 mi · AlabamaBest now until 6 pm
82Worth the trip
J. Percy Priest Lake84 mi · TennesseeBest now until 7 pm
100Go
Wheeler Lake119 mi · AlabamaBest now until 7 pmFrost Advisory
57Marginal
Tims Ford Lake124 mi · TennesseeBest now until 7 pm
96Go

Questions people ask

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Kentucky Lake?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Kentucky Lake you need the appropriate state fishing license. See the agency's current rules: the state agency website

What fish are commonly targeted at Kentucky Lake?

Kentucky Lake is listed on this site for 6 commonly-targeted species: Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, Channel Catfish, and 2 more. Which species is currently in season and which is scoring highest today is shown in the per-species ranking on this page.

When is the best time to fish at Kentucky Lake?

It depends more on the species and the day's conditions than on a fixed "best hour." Water temperature, weather, and — at tidal locations — the stage of the tide drive activity most. The per-species ranking on this page scores every target species at Kentucky Lake against today's live conditions, so the fish near the top are your best bets right now; check back as conditions change through the day.

What kind of access does Kentucky Lake have?

Kentucky Lake has multiple access types — pier, shoreline, and at least one public boat ramp.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Kentucky Lake?

state agency regulations apply at Kentucky Lake. Size limits, creel limits, and seasonal closures are listed per species on each species page. Always confirm against the agency source linked from each regulation block — emergency closures can take effect mid-season.

Is Kentucky Lake tidal water?

No. Kentucky Lake is non-tidal — water level varies with rainfall, seasonal flow, and (where applicable) upstream dam releases rather than tidal exchange.