Best bluegill lakes in Kentucky
39 Kentucky waters hold bluegill, 25 mapped with real state-agency depth surveys. Ranked below by size and depth-data quality — open any water to see exactly where to fish it: depth contours, scored spots with plain-English reasons, seasonal windows and bait picks. The classic panfish. Shallow cover in summer, deeper weed edges otherwise.
- Lake Barkley — 54 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Sauger, Crappie, Bluegill
- Kentucky Lake — 75 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Sauger, Crappie
- Lake Cumberland — 200 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie
- Cave Run Lake — 90 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel Catfish
- Nolin River Lake — 85 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, Bluegill
- Dale Hollow Lake — 130 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie
- Green River Lake — 80 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, Bluegill
- Rough River Lake — 60 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel Catfish
- Barren River Lake — 75 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel Catfish
- Buckhorn Lake — 62 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel Catfish
- Laurel River Lake — 280 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie
- Grayson Lake — 60 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel Catfish
- Taylorsville Lake — 60 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Saugeye, Crappie, Bluegill
- Paintsville Lake — 100 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, Bluegill
- Carr Creek Lake — 57 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, Bluegill
- Yatesville Lake — 50 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel Catfish
- Lake Beshear — 28 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel Catfish
- Cedar Creek Lake — 60 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel Catfish
- Dewey Lake — 45 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel Catfish
- Guist Creek Lake — 40 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Saugeye, Crappie, Bluegill
- Herrington Lake — 249 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel Catfish
- Fishtrap Lake — 84 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel Catfish
- Lake Malone — 35 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel Catfish
- Kincaid Lake — 34 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel Catfish
- Elmer Davis Lake — 55 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel Catfish
…plus 14 more Kentucky waters holding bluegill.
When to fish bluegill in Kentucky
- Spring 1–6 ft — Bedding colonies on sandy shallow flats — sight-fish the light spots.
- Summer 4–15 ft — Weed edges and dock shade; bigger 'gills hold slightly deeper.
- Fall 6–18 ft — Schools tighten on remaining green weeds and first drops.
- Winter 10–25 ft — Soft-bottom basins with invertebrates; finesse presentations.
Also in Kentucky: best largemouth bass lakes · best smallmouth bass lakes · best walleye lakes · best sauger lakes · best crappie lakes · best channel catfish lakes · best rainbow trout lakes · best muskellunge lakes · best white bass & hybrids lakes · best flathead catfish lakes · best blue catfish lakes · best freshwater drum lakes · best common carp lakes · best longnose gar lakes · best rock bass lakes
Bluegill elsewhere: Ontario · Minnesota · Michigan · New Hampshire · Montana · Wyoming · Massachusetts · Washington · North Dakota · Iowa · Indiana · Connecticut · Nebraska · Ohio · Utah · Colorado · South Dakota · New York · Wisconsin · Arizona · Mississippi · Texas · Florida · Illinois · Kansas · Oklahoma · Tennessee · Missouri · Delaware · Alabama · Georgia · West Virginia · Rhode Island · New Jersey · California · Virginia · Hawaii · South Carolina