It’s a fishing day

Lake Barkley fishing conditions · Kentucky

Sit it outno largemouth bass window clears the bar in 36 hours

Largemouth bass is the best bet here today.

Freeze Warning until Sunday 8 am
Log a trip here
Right now: 49 for largemouth bass, sit it outTap or drag along the water to move through the next 36 hours

Largemouth bass, 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. 493 pm
  2. 47
  3. 47
  4. 476 pm
  5. 33
  6. 33
  7. 339 pm
  8. 33
  9. 33
  10. 33Sun
  11. 33
  12. 33
  13. 333 am
  14. 33
  15. 33
  16. 336 am
  17. 33
  18. 33
  19. 339 am
  20. 33
  21. 35
  22. 3512 pm
  23. 35
  24. 35
  25. 353 pm
  26. 35
  27. 33
  28. 336 pm
  29. 33
  30. 33
  31. 339 pm
  32. 33
  33. 33
  34. 33Mon
  35. 33
  36. 33
Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out

Right now

Water
No reading

Largemouth bass range 55–85°

Wind
3 mph

From the north

Light
Daylight

Sunset 4:49 pm

Sky
Partly Sunny

No rain expected

Air
55°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 Kentucky regulations for these waters.

Largemouth Bass

Largemouth bass

Micropterus salmoides

49Sit it outNo window clears the bar

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. Holds 3–25 ft down.

Keep

15" minimum · 6 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. No largemouth under 15"; 6 black bass a day combined.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Kentucky Lake, Lake Barkley and Lake Cumberland

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 largemouth bass

Smallmouth Bass

Smallmouth bass

Micropterus dolomieu

49Sit it outNo window clears the bar

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. Holds 3–30 ft down.

Keep

15" minimum · 6 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. No smallmouth under 15"; 6 black bass a day combined.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley

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 smallmouth bass

Crappie

Crappie

Pomoxis spp.

49Sit it outNo window clears the bar

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. Holds 3–20 ft down.

Keep

10" minimum · 20 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. No crappie under 10"; 20 a day.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Kentucky Lake, Lake Barkley and Lake Cumberland

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

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

Channel Catfish

Channel catfish

Ictalurus punctatus

49Sit it outNo window clears the bar

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. Holds 5–30 ft down.

Keep

no daily limit

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Kentucky: no limit on channel catfish under 28"; only 1 a day 28" or longer.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Kentucky

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

Blue Catfish

Blue catfish

Ictalurus furcatus

49Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

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

Why

Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. Holds 10–60 ft down.

Keep

no daily limit

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Kentucky: no limit on blue catfish under 35"; only 1 blue catfish a day 35" or longer. Barren River Lake is 15 blue and channel catfish a day, only 1 over 25".

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Kentucky

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Year-round, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on blue catfish

Common Carp

Common carp

Cyprinus carpio

49Sit it outNo window clears the bar

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. Holds 1–15 ft down.

Keep

no daily limit

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Kentucky: fish not on the statewide size and creel list, carp included, are rough fish. Rough fish have no size or creel limits unless a special regulation applies.

Verified Oct 18, 2026 · Kentucky

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
  • Barometer30.18 inHg, falling

Sun, moon & solunar

  • Sunset today4:49 pm
  • Sunrise tomorrow6:23 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

No current report covers these waters.

We only show reports an agency has published, with their date. Kentucky Fish & Wildlife has the state’s fishing pages.

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

About this spot

Kentucky Lake's Cumberland River twin, joined by a canal across Land Between the Lakes — largemouth and smallmouth bass, crappie, and outstanding catfish.

Nearby

Public spots within 40 miles, with the same 36 hours of floats.

Questions people ask

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

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

What fish are commonly targeted at Lake Barkley?

Lake Barkley 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 Lake Barkley?

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 Lake Barkley 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 Lake Barkley have?

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

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Lake Barkley?

state agency regulations apply at Lake Barkley. 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 Lake Barkley tidal water?

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