Water is moderate to very fertile with a light brownish color. A thermocline can develop during late summer, especially during drought years, at 12 to 15 feet. Depletion of dissolved oxygen occurs only in creek channels and bays. Depending upon annual rainfall, secchi disk readings (a measure of transparency) can range from 2 to 3.5 feet.

Lake Barkley forms the eastern boundary of the Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area. To the east, on either side of the Kentucky/Tennessee border, is Fort Campbell Military Reservation. This is the home of the famed 101st Airborne Division. Recreational traffic can be heavy. All sizes of craft travel the lake. Commercial tows move barges along the main channel in route to ports further up the Cumberland River. All federal and state boating regulations are in effect. A fishing license is required for the state in which an angler is fishing. No reciprocal agreement exists between Kentucky and Tennessee. Check current length and creel limits published in each states regulations.

Size and Depth: About 57,900 acres with a maximum depth of about 68 feet. The average depth is about 12 feet.

Shoreline: Very irregular and about 1,004 miles in length. Mostly high clay banks, but some sandstone cliffs exist. There are also limited areas of limestone and chert. Development is confined to the eastern side. The western side forms a boundary of the Land Between The Lakes National Recreation Area.

Cover: In recent years, submergent species including Eurasian milfoil, dramatically declined as normal annual high water events increased turbidity and reduced sunlight penetration. The spread of the exotic Eurasian milfoil peaked in the mid-1990's after several years of reduced rainfall and increased water clarity. Although chemical spraying was used by the Tennessee Valley Authority around docks, resorts and swimming areas, Kentucky and Tennessee biologists agree that vegetation depletion, especially the main lake milfoil beds, occurred because of the return of average pool levels and higher, more turbid water conditions. Other species present in very minor amounts include coontail, southern naiad, spineyleaf naiad and American pondweed. Emergent waterwillow is evident throughout the lake, in association with buttonbush, in the backs of coves. Brush piles and stakebeds have been placed in the backs of coves by private parties and the state.

Bottom: 70 percent clay and gravel, 10 percent muck (located in the backs of bays) and 15 percent broken or layered bedrock. The remaining 5 percent include stumps and man-made features like old roadways and bridges.

Featured Species: Largemouth Bass, Channel Catfish, White Crappie, White Bass, Bluegill, Longear Sunfish.

Other Species: Blue Catfish, Flathead Catfish, Striped Bass (Rockfish), Hybrid Striped Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Spotted Bass (Kentucky Bass), Sauger, Black Crappie, Redear Sunfish, Warmouth, Yellow Bass, Freshwater Drum, Bullhead, Grass Pickerel.

Largemouth bass numbers have stabilized. Relative weights (an index of condition) show they are very healthy. A high percentage of the population is over the minimum length limit of 14-inches. Bass over 8-pounds and many in the 3-to 6-pound range are available. Smallmouth bass populations in this portion of Barkley Lake are of minor importance. High spawning success and good recruitment in recent years will greatly improve the number of harvestable crappie. A portion of this success may be due in part to a decline in the abundance of gizzard shad and increase in the number of threadfin shad. Adult gizzard shad become competitive with other species for forage. The tailwater fishery below the Barkley Dam offers excellent opportunities for striped bass, hybrid striped bass and blue catfish. The stripers range from 5- to 9-pounds while blue catfish weighing over 50-pounds are taken every year.

During spring, sauger and white bass migrate up Little River and Eddy Creek. Striped bass, hybrid striped bass and blue catfish move up the Cumberland River and congregate in the tailwaters of the Barkley Dam.

Numerous fish attractors have been placed throughout the lake, mostly in coves, by the states and private individuals. The placement of "secret" brush piles by private parties is a Barkley Lake tradition. The states and Tennessee Valley Authority have placed hardwood, conifer brush piles and stakebeds in bays and coves. The brush piles are located in deeper water while crappie spawning stakebeds have been placed in shallow, muck-bottomed bays. Additionally, tree plantings are part of the fish attractor program, and consist of bald cypress, tupelo gum and willow varieties. They are also located in the back ends of coves and bays, often in association with stakebeds. Deep water sites are marked with two buoys - one placed at each end of the brush pile. Stakebeds are marked with one white pole extending above the surface in the center of the sites. Previously, Tennessee Valley Authority managers confined weed eradication to access sites, beach areas and near resorts and marinas. Commercial harvesting of carp, buffalo and freshwater drum is permitted in an effort to help control the abundance of these species.

For all species, there are basically two seasons-- spawning and the rest of the year. The spring spawning season corresponds with a rise in water levels from winter pool to summer pool. Abundant shoreline buttonbush (buck brush) becomes the primary habitat during this period. During the rest of the year, vegetation, stumps and rapid changes in bottom contour are important angling locations. Keep in mind that different species spawn at different times. Usually the white bass spawn first, then the black bass and crappie. Catfish spawn a little later. Bluegill often start to spawn early and continue into summer.

Forage: In terms of abundance, gizzard shad comprise the bulk of the forage base, but threadfin shad are of greater importance because they only grow to about 4-inches in length. Other species include emerald shiner, golden shiner, brook silverside, bullhead minnow and silver chub. Young-of-the-year of all species, especially bluegill, are heavily utilized. Crayfish, snails, small mussels and insects are all part of the food chain.

Stocking: There is no stocking as all species are self-sustaining. Striped bass and hybrid striped bass introduced into the Ohio River have moved into the Cumberland and collect below the Barkley Dam. Some have moved through the navigational locks and are now present in Lake Barkley.

Bass: During the spawning season, which may run from late April to early June, largemouth bass are taken from water less than 4 feet deep. The backs of coves and slowly tapering shorelines are key locations. Look for buttonbush (buck brush) to hold the most fish. Position the boat very close to the buck brush, then use a flipping or pitching rod to get a jig n' pig very close to the submerged portion of each bush. Black/blue, black/red and black/chartreuse jigs work very well. Some anglers also do well with 4-to 6-inch plastic worms or Saltcraws rigged Texas-style. After spawning, bass tend to move out of the buck brush into stumps and deadfalls or milfoil, if it is present. Some fish may only move a few yards while others move many miles. From June on into late September, concentrate on secondary points within coves. Start with those points on the side closest to the creek channel. White or chartreuse spinnerbaits cast along deadfalls will catch active fish. A good method for fishing stumps in 6 to 15 feet of water employs a long Carolina rig (4 feet of leader) and a 7- to 10-inch lizard or worm. Plum/blue glitter seems to be an effective color on Barkley. In late fall, deep-diving crankbaits and Rat-L-Traps fished along main lake points begin to take fish. As the water continues to cool, this pattern improves, peaking in January/February.

Crappie: Although many crappie anglers won't fish without minnows, small jigs catch just as many fish, and probably larger ones during spring. For casting, a 1/16-ounce tube jig is perfect. Good colors include white, chartreuse, pink or any combination of these colors. Beginning in June, crappie move into 7 to 15 feet of water. As summer progresses, they may suspend over deeper water, often 7 to 15 feet below the surface. A popular bait at this time is an 1/8-ounce leadhead jig and 3-inch white or chartreuse Twister Tail. After fall turn-over, crappie can move into even deeper water, but the jig/Twister is still effective. White bass can be taken with crappie baits but when a "jump" (surface feeding) is discovered, try baits that employ a spinner blade. Lures like Mepps spinners, Rooster Tails, RoadRunners and BeetleSpins are perfect choices. Run the bait just under the surface through the "jump." When the whites go deep, Hopkins Spoons or Little George-type lures are necessary.

Stripers and Hybrid Stripers: Stripers and hybrid striped bass are often caught incidentally by white bass anglers from the same locations. But some areas, like the tailwaters below the dam and main lake channel bends, are fished specifically for hybrids. Below the dam, try a long Carolina rig with at least a 1-ounce weight and a minnow imitator like a Cordell Red Fin, Rebel Minnow, or original Rapala. Cast and retrieve the rig from 5 to 15 feet deep over the channel, regardless of the depth. If a "jump" occurs, work the same baits on the surface. In the lake, troll deep-diving crankbaits or spinners along outside bends. Concentrate on areas at the top of the break. A "jump" can occur at anytime, but chances are better toward evening. Have a spare rod ready with a surface bait. The use of a gas motor near a "jump" tends to move fish down from the surface, so use an electric motor instead.