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Best bluegill lakes in Kentucky

41 Kentucky waters hold bluegill, 18 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.

1. Kentucky Lake — 75 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Sauger, CrappieWhy #1: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 44 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
2. Lake Barkley — 60 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Sauger, Crappie, BluegillWhy #2: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 39 public access sites
3. Lake Cumberland — 200 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #3: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 57 public access sites, 4 carry-in or shore-oriented
4. Dale Hollow Lake — 130 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #4: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 5 public access sites
5. Rough River Lake — 60 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #5: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 12 public access sites
6. Cave Run Lake — 90 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #6: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 15 public access sites, 2 carry-in or shore-oriented
7. Nolin River Lake — 85 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #7: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 8 public access sites
8. Green River Lake — 80 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #8: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 13 public access sites, 3 carry-in or shore-oriented
9. Laurel River Lake — 280 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #9: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 8 public access sites
10. Barren River Lake — 75 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #10: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 10 public access sites, 2 carry-in or shore-oriented
11. Grayson Lake — 60 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #11: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 5 public access sites
12. Taylorsville Lake — 60 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Saugeye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #12: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 4 public access sites
13. Paintsville Lake — 100 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #13: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 5 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
14. Yatesville Lake — 50 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #14: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 4 public access sites
15. Buckhorn Lake — 60 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #15: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 5 public access sites
16. Lake Beshear — 28 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #16: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
17. Guist Creek Lake — 40 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Saugeye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #17: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
18. Herrington Lake — 249 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #18: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 9 public access sites
19. Fishtrap Lake — 84 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #19: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 3 public access sites
20. Kincaid Lake — 34 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #20: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
21. Dewey Lake — 45 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #21: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 5 public access sites
22. Lake Malone — 35 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #22: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 3 public access sites
23. Cedar Creek Lake — 60 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #23: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 5 public access sites, 2 carry-in or shore-oriented
24. Carr Creek Lake — 60 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #24: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 3 public access sites
25. Elmer Davis Lake — 55 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #25: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites

…plus 16 more Kentucky waters holding bluegill.

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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

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