Fishing at Laurel River Lake
The lake provides excellent fishing for black bass (largemouth, smallmouth, and Kentucky), rainbow trout, walleye, bluegill, and catfish. Night fishing for trout is popular during the summer. Fishing licenses can be purchased at the county clerk’s office, marinas, and many local stores.
Fishing Tips
Smallmouth
Spring
Fish will be moving shallow as the water warms. Fish leadhead jigs with grubs, sassy shad, or gitsits. Fish crankbaits when fish are shallow, top water after spawn.
Summer
Fish will move deep as the water warms. Best fishing is at night with black lights, around weeds and close to creek and river channels. Fish spinnerbaits with pork, fly and rind, and soft plastic baits. (Hoot-N-Nanny) some top water early and late.
Fall
Fish will move shallow as the water cools back down. Shale banks and 45 degree banks will hold the most fish. Leadhead jigs with grubs, crankbaits, and Silver Buddy, works best.
Winter
Smallmouth move deep as the water gets cold. River and creek channels or fast drop-offs should be close to where you are fishing. Silver Buddy, tail-spinner, spin-rite, Fly and Rind, and jig and pig will be the best baits.
Largemouth & Spots
Spring
Cast backs of creeks and hollows close to cover with crankbaits, spinnerbaits, jig and pig, and plastic worms.
Summer
Throw surface and bussbaits early and late during the day. Night fishing in the weeds or on bluff banks with jig and pig, plastic worms and spinnerbaits.
Fall
Same as spring when fish are shallow. Vertical jig with spoons under large schools of shad when deep.
Winter
Fish bluff banks with Silver Buddy, and jig and pig. When shad are suspended, vertical jig with spoons.
Walleye
Spring
Under windy conditions cast crankbaits and grubs shallow. When water is calm troll
crankbaits 12 to 20 feet deep.
Summer
During the day troll walleye rigs and crankbaits 15 to 30 feet deep on flats. Big fish caught at night vertical jigging spoons on drop-offs.
Fall
Calm day, vertical jig spoons, extremely deep on flats or long points. Windy days, cast Silver Buddy 20 to 40 feet deep on points.
Winter
Fish live bait, very slow around river, and creek channels or vertical jig spoons on steep drops.
Trout
Spring
Troll or cast spoons, spinners, or shad type crankbaits shallow.
Summer
Day: Downrig spoons or Rapalas 30 to 70 feet deep for Rt 70 to 90 feet for Lt.
Night: Fish corn or worms, at the dam or along the bluff banks.
Fall
Troll or cast spoons or Rapalas around the huge schools of shad for Rt.
Downrig 40 to 70 feet with spoons for Lt.
Winter
Troll shad crankbaits 10 to 20 feet for Rt.
Spoons 20 to 70 feet for Lt.
Important Links
Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources
Has information on licensing, regulations, record fish list, events and education.
Kentucky Fishing Reports