Click image for panoramic view.
I finally made it down to the tailwaters of Barkley Dam on the Cumberland River. For the month of February, it was an unseasonably warm Sunday, great day to be out and about. I was in hopes of picking up a few sauger beneath the dam but I came up empty, thank goodness McDonald's is just down the road a bit. There was one "gate" open (see pic above), a bit too turbulent in my opinion. I had heard that fellows were catching some nice sauger using "Christmas tree rigs", dangling jigs and minnows, fishing from boats. Fishing from the rocks along the shoreline can be productive, especially for white bass, aka "stripes" during the Summer months. I have caught lots of bluegill along the rocks too, usually in the less turbulent eddies during the Spring. Of course fishing for catfish is probably the most popular activity beneath the dam, rockfish are popular too.
There are some nice picnic facilities at the Barkley Dam facility, a launch ramp too. Kentucky Lake dam also offers an equally nice access to the tail waters of the dam on the Tennessee River, just a few mile from Barkley. Both dams are must see attractions, both also offer free powerhouse tours.
