Kentucky Lake fishing conditions · Tennessee

Now until tomorrow 2 pmLargemouth bass

The bite peaks at 58.

Right now: 58 for largemouth bass, marginal · inside the best windowTap 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.

582 am
58
58
585 am
58
58
588 am
58
58
5811 am
58
58
582 pm
58
58
585 pm
58
58
588 pm
58
58
5811 pm
58Tue
58
582 am
58
58
585 am
58
58
588 am
58
58
5811 am
58
58

Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out

Water: No reading
Wind: 0 mph
Flow: 0.78 cfs
Light: Dark
Sky: Patchy Fog
Air: 50°F
Barometer: Steady
Moon: 100% lit

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.

Largemouth bass

Micropterus salmoides

58MarginalNow until tomorrow 2 pm

Water

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

Why

Holds 3–25 ft down.

Keep

5 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Tennessee statewide: no minimum length, 5 black bass a day combined. Most big reservoirs set their own minimum: Kentucky Lake, Chickamauga, Percy Priest, Tims Ford and Dale Hollow are 15" on largemouth.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Tennessee

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

Crappie

Pomoxis spp.

58MarginalNow until tomorrow 2 pm

Water

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

Why

Holds 3–20 ft down.

Keep

10" minimum · 15 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Tennessee statewide: 10" minimum, 15 crappie a day; Region 1 waters without their own rule are 30 a day with no minimum. Kentucky Lake is 10" and 20 a day; Percy Priest is 10" and 30 a day.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Tennessee

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

Channel catfish

Ictalurus punctatus

58MarginalNow until tomorrow 2 pm

Water

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

Why

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

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

Common carp

Cyprinus carpio

58MarginalNow until tomorrow 2 pm

Water

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

Why

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 8 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

Smallmouth bass

Micropterus dolomieu

50Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

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

Why

River up 42% in 24h — turning off-color. Holds 3–30 ft down.

Keep

5 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Tennessee statewide: no minimum length, 5 black bass a day combined. Reservoir rules: Kentucky Lake 15"; Percy Priest and Tims Ford 18"; Chickamauga no minimum but only 1 over 16"; Dale Hollow protects smallmouth from 16 to 21" and allows 2 a day.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Tennessee

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

Walleye

Sander vitreus

50Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

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

Why

River up 42% in 24h — turning off-color. 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

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

The water

Water temperatureNo reading
River0.78 cfs · rising · +42% in 24 h
Barometer30.36 inHg, steady

Sun, moon & solunar

Sunrise today7:09 am
Sunset today6:03 pm
MoonFull, 100% lit
Minor solunarToday 7:10 am–8:10 am
Major solunarToday 11:50 am–1:50 pm
Minor solunarToday 5:40 pm–6:40 pm

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.

WaterReservoir
AccessPier, shore and ramp
RulesTennessee
WhereBenton County · 36.1000, -88.1000

Nearby

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

Kentucky Lake48 mi · KentuckyBest now until tomorrow 2 pm

64Marginal

Lake Barkley56 mi · KentuckyBest now until tomorrow 2 pm

58Marginal

Pickwick Lake80 mi · AlabamaBest today 6 am to tomorrow 2 pm

58Marginal

J. Percy Priest Lake84 mi · TennesseeBest now until tomorrow 2 pm

76Worth the trip

Wheeler Lake119 mi · AlabamaBest today 10 am–6 pm

68Marginal

Tims Ford Lake124 mi · TennesseeBest now until tomorrow 2 pm

64Marginal

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.