Welcome to kayak fishing! If you fish from a kayak, you can access more places on the lake, creek, or river. You will also need some gear for kayak fishing, like a lifejacket, a waterproof flashlight, a first aid kit, rope, a dry bag, and a float plan. A float plan is when you tell someone where you are going to be fishing and what time you should be back.

Here are the differences between a recreational kayak and a fishing kayak. Fishing kayaks have spots for fishing poles to attach, but recreational kayaks do not. Fishing kayaks are more stable than recreational kayaks. Fishing kayaks have a lot more room for fishing gear, whereas recreational kayaks have little room. Fishing kayaks are also heavier than recreational kayaks.

Here are some good places to fish from a kayak in Kentucky: Elkhorn Creek in Frankfort, Lake Jericho in Henry County, General Butler State Park and Camp Kysoc in Carroll County. Here are some fish you can catch while fishing in a kayak: Bluegill, Crappie, Large Mouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Channel Catfish, Longear Sunfish, Rock Bass, and many more species! You can read more about kayak fishing on the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife website.

Thank you for reading my post, and I hope you find a good day to go fishing!

I was fishing March fifth, my sister’s birthday. I was at a friend’s farm pond.

To start out, fishing was slow. I tried everything in my tackle box, but they were refusing to bite. So eventually I threw a deep water crankbait. Then when the weather warmed up to 75 degrees, the fish started biting.

After a while, my rod bent all the way over. I was sure this thing was five pounds, but he could be acting bigger than he is. After thirty seconds of fighting the fish, I got him up on shore. I weighed him, and he was a two pounder. I was surprised! I was sure that thing was five pounds, but I am not complaining. That is the biggest largemouth bass that I have ever caught.

Then I caught six more, but none of them were the size of the first one. It was a great day for fishing and I caught six more than my dad. I can’t wait to go back again soon!

Hi! Are you curious about what to put in your first tackle box? Well, I will tell you what to put inside your first tackle box.

The first thing you will need in your beginner’s tackle box will be five or six bobbers for bluegill and crappie. The next thing you will need will be at least ten to fifteen sinkers in you tackle box. One of the most important things you will need is some small bluegill hooks. You can get these at a sporting goods store near you.

You will also need these items in your tackle box: needle nose pliers, a small stringer, some small crankbaits, and a box of fishing line. As you fish more, you will need a bigger tackle box to put your baits in.

Spring will be here soon, so hopefully you can catch some fish.

General Butler State Resort Park, Carroll County, KY

Best Time to Fish: The best time to fish is from late February to August. That is when the bluegill, the crappie, the bass, and the catfish are biting.

Best Places to Fish:

The key places to fish at Butler are the boat dock, the dam, the campground. The dam is a good place to catfish.

Catfish are tricky. In fact, I have never caught one. But I know a lot about them. For starters if you want to catch one, it is best to fish at night. The catfish come to the shallows to feed on dead fish. You also want to fish in the summertime for them. The bait you use for catfish is a lot of different things, like night crawlers, crawfish, chicken livers, and more. You also want to use twenty-pound test for catfishing. Otherwise, they could break your line.

The first fish of the year at Butler was a crappie which I caught using a crappie jig with a bobber set at about a foot and a half deep. The fish was caught February 2022.

With spring around the corner, I hope to see you at Butler!

Fishing in winter is harder than fishing in summer, mainly because the fish are deeper in the lake. It is colder at the top. That is why they are on the bottom.

The fish that you catch in winter are mainly Smallmouth Bass and Largemouth Bass. The baits you use in winter are usually a plastic worm on the bottom. In winter, you want your bait to go as slow as possible. When you feel a tug, set the hook and reel in your big bass!

Where is your favorite winter fishing spot?

Using the right bait helps you catch more fish. Keep reading to learn which baits are best for different fish!

Topwater Baits

Topwater baits are used for bass. They should be used in fall. The bass love them, and it is fun to see them explode on the top of the water. These lures might include frogs and mice.

Crank Baits

Crank baits are my favorite type of bait they are so easy to use. There are many different crankbaits. They are used to catch bass crappie and even catfish. Here is how you use a crank bait. You cast it out reel it back in over and over until you catch something.

Spinner Baits

Spinner baits are used for bass fishing and crappie fishing. They have a little blade on them that vibrates when you reel them. The vibrating attracts attention. The fish will get curious and bite the bait. If you do get a bite, it is most likely a largemouth bass.

Now I hope you catch some good bass on these baits, so good luck and good fishing!

There are several common species you can expect to catch in Kentucky. They are in every lake and are easy to catch.

Bluegill

The most common species you will ever catch is Bluegill. They are fun to catch, and I would recommend them if you have just started fishing. The best and easiest way is to use a bobber, hook, sinker, and red worms. Try to find a fins lake or state park near you.

Crappie

Another fun fish to catch is the Crappie. This fish is similar to Bluegill but is a little harder to catch they tend to be caught on a bait called a crank bait. You can look this up online. 

Smallmouth and Largemouth Bass

I hope you are ready to learn about bass. There is so much to learn! These two species are very common at Lake Cumberland and all the lakes in Kentucky. They tend to be caught near wood and metal. They most of the time eat fish and frogs. Look these baits up if you don’t know what they are. Crank baits, spinner baits, swim baits, top water baits, and more are used to catch these fish, but these are the basics. Kentucky is known for trophy bass, so catch a big one!

I hope you find a good day to go fishing. Have fun!                            

The invasive species of Kentucky cause trouble for other fish, mussels , and aquatic plants. These three species — Asian Carp, Zebra mussels, and Hydrilla — are taking over.

The first invasive species is the Asian Carp. There are three species: Bighead, Silver and Grass. One couple can produce over 1,000,000 eggs! Silver carp can even jump. They are overpopulated.

The second invasive species is the Zebra mussel. These mussels can attach themselves to solid objects. They destroy freshwater mussels. They are long with a zebra like pattern.

The third invasive species is Hydrilla. The Hydrilla chokes down fish and overpopulates. It is a plant and is hard to fish and boat in.

All three species live in the Ohio River. They all cause trouble for other fish and plants. They were all brought by humans. I hope you have enjoyed this information. To learn more, contact the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife.