On the east side of Kentucky Lake, the Twin Lakes access ramp is not far from Trace Road. Picnic areas and camping are available at this location.

This huge lake has a maximum depth of 118 feet and an average depth of 15 feet. The average depth of the river channel is 62 feet, with nice catfish holes throughout. The dam's powerhouse is also a good catfish location. Here, catfish will hold near the mouths of discharge and inlet channels, as with other powerhouses on the Ohio River.

BARREN RIVER LAKE
This south-central Kentucky reservoir provides nearly 10,000 acres of top-quality catfishing during summer pool. In Allen and Barren counties, Barren River Lake contains a variety of catfish habitat and is well known to the catfish anglers of this region. If you're searching for relatively smaller waters with big fish, Barren River Lake meets those criteria well.

According to the statewide Fishing Forecast, Barren Lake holds a good population of channel and flathead cats. A good spawn of flathead catfish was observed in 2004. The best fishing period is in June, when spawning occurs along rock outcrops and back in smaller coves. The Fishing Forecast also notes that bank lines or jug-fishing can produce good catches, especially at night.

According to the 2004 data, it was estimated that 18,057 catfish were caught at Barren River Lake. Of this total, 14,824 (or 82 percent) were channel catfish. No blue catfish were reported, and flatheads made up the remaining 18 percent (3,230). Of all the catfish caught, 84 percent were harvested.

These harvested catfish weighed a total of 35,178 pounds. The average channel catfish was 15 inches long and weighed less than 1 pound. Flathead catfish averaged 23.1 inches and weighed 5.24 pounds.

Reservoirs such as Barren River Lake hold numerous catfish hideouts. Old channels are catfish magnets. A good depthfinder is valuable in locating such channels. The main channel serves as a major highway for the catfish, and intersecting creek channels act as secondary routes for the big fish.

Humps can also be extremely productive in reservoirs. A depthfinder as well as a contour map can help locate the humps. Humps with rocks, timber and brush, with deep water nearby, are your best bets.

Catfish are also drawn to riprap, which holds shad, crayfish and other forage for the cats. These are also good spawning areas for the fish. Riprap near bridges and dams are usually productive catfish sites. As with all reservoirs, it's important to know the seasonal movement of catfish from one region of the lake to another.