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Best flathead catfish lakes in Kentucky

20 Kentucky waters list flathead catfish (official records or labelled estimates), 8 mapped with survey or official-chart depth data. Ranked below by size and depth-data quality, leading with the waters in our reviewed search catalog — open any water to see exactly where to fish it: depth contours, scored spots with plain-English reasons, seasonal windows and bait picks. Solitary giant that lairs in log jams and deep holes by day and prowls at night — live bait only.

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. Ohio River — McAlpine Pool — 60 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Sauger, CrappieWhy #3: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 11 public access sites, 4 carry-in or shore-oriented
4. Ohio River — Markland Pool — 80 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Sauger, CrappieWhy #4: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 13 public access sites
5. Ohio River — Meldahl Pool — 57 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Sauger, CrappieWhy #5: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 10 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
6. Ohio River — Greenup Pool — 50 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Sauger, CrappieWhy #6: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 7 public access sites
7. Cave Run Lake — 90 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, White Bass, CrappieWhy #7: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 21 public access sites, 2 carry-in or shore-oriented
8. Ohio River — Newburgh Pool — 62 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Sauger, Crappie, Channel CatfishWhy #8: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 6 public access sites
9. Ohio River — J.T. Myers Pool — 49 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Sauger, Crappie, Channel CatfishWhy #9: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites
10. Ohio River — Cannelton Pool — 60 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Sauger, CrappieWhy #10: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 3 public access sites
11. Licking River (Lower) — 25 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Sauger, Channel CatfishWhy #11: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 7 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
12. Buckhorn Lake — 59 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #12: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 5 public access sites
13. Kentucky River (Palisades) — 25 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Sauger, Channel CatfishWhy #13: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 17 public access sites, 3 carry-in or shore-oriented
14. Taylorsville Lake — 60 ft max · Largemouth Bass, White Bass, Saugeye, CrappieWhy #14: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 4 public access sites
15. Yatesville Lake — 50 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #15: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 4 public access sites
16. Herrington Lake — 249 ft max · Largemouth Bass, White Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #16: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 9 public access sites
17. Dewey Lake — 45 ft max · Largemouth Bass, White Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #17: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 5 public access sites
18. Carr Creek Lake — 60 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #18: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 3 public access sites
19. Salt River — 15 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Channel Catfish, White Bass & Hybrids, Flathead CatfishWhy #19: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 2 public access sites
20. Beaver Lake — 45 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #20: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site

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When to fish flathead catfish in Kentucky

• Spring 5–20 ft — Pre-spawn fish feed hard near wood cover and hole edges.
• Summer 8–30 ft — Day = log-jam lairs and deep holes. Night = shallow flats and bar edges with big live bait.
• Fall 10–35 ft — Fish concentrate near wintering holes — the year's best big-fish window.
• Winter 20–45 ft — Stacked and sluggish in the deepest holes.

Also in Kentucky: best largemouth bass lakes · best smallmouth bass lakes · best walleye lakes · best sauger lakes · best crappie lakes · best bluegill lakes · best channel catfish lakes · best rainbow trout lakes · best muskellunge lakes · best white bass & hybrids 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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