Bullock Pen Lake Depth Map & Fishing Spots (KY)

Hatch outlook

Willow fly (summer mayfly)Active window

Typical here: Apr 1 – Oct 31 · recurring broods all summer — the heart of it is June–July, famously around July 4th on the Tennessee River lakes; any one hatch lasts days to ~3 weeks

dunhatches at dusk — clouds of bugs just before dark, continuing into the night — after hatching they fly to shoreline foliage — trees near lighted docks get covered; the feeding zone is the water under bug-loaded overhanging bushes and willows
spinnerthe following days: mating, egg drop and spent flies falling from the overhangs — the bream bite under the bushes runs as long as the bugs do

A two-level event: bream stack under the bug trees, and the big bass stack under the bream. Fish the same bushes twice — small for bream, big for the bass just outside them.

Crickets or small poppers under a float tight to the bug-covered bushes for bream; beetle spins and hair jigs just under the surface; for the bass, run a bluegill-pattern topwater or squarebill down the outside edge of the overhangs.

The event happens over under and just outside overhanging willows and bushes on steep banks; trees near lighted docks after dark

Next on this water

Fall shad migration · baitfishSep 1 – Dec 15 · in ~3 days

Spring crawfish emergence · forageFeb 15 – May 15 · in ~6 months

Shad spawn · baitfishMar 15 – Jun 15 · in ~7 months

Bluegill spawn (bream-bed bass) · forageMay 1 – Jul 31 · in ~8 months

Recommendations come from depth structure and seasonal species behavior. Treat them as a starting point, not a guarantee. Contours here are interpolated from real agency depth surveys (state DNR / USACE). Never use for navigation. Always check local regulations.

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Recent catches at Bullock Pen Lake

Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.

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Fishing Bullock Pen Lake: what the data says

134-acre lake near Crittenden. The lake tops out around 40 ft. The depth chart is built from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the humps, channels and drop-offs you see are measured, not guessed. Below is the species-by-species picture, pulled from the same data the map uses.

On the chart, Bullock Pen Lake draws 162 acres inside 5.4 miles of shoreline. With a shoreline index of 3, this water is all arms and coves — edge habitat well beyond its acreage. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 57% of the surface — that's where the groceries are. The basin spans about 1.5 mi end to end and 0.9 mi across at its widest. The water lies in Boone County. For a second option, Boltz Lake lies 7 mi south.

Largemouth Bass fishing at Bullock Pen Lake

The spring pattern is a shallow one: largemouth bass in 2 to 10 ft. As the season builds they drop to 8 to 20 ft, wintering in 15 to 35 ft. Top water on the chart: Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in the 5 ft range, prime in spring. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait gets it done.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	2 to 10 ft	dawn & dusk	Shallow bay flat (5 ft)	Spinnerbait, Chatterbait
Summer	8 to 20 ft	dawn & dusk	Break off the point (7 ft)	Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait
Fall	4 to 15 ft	midday & dawn	Main-lake point (11 ft)	Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait
Winter	15 to 35 ft	midday	Deep basin (38 ft)	Blade bait, Jigging spoon

Crappie fishing at Bullock Pen Lake

Start shallow in spring: crappie sit in 2 to 8 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 10 to 25 ft, and winter fish settle into 15 to 35 ft. The spot to know is Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in about 5 ft of water that rates prime for crappie in spring. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. Throw a jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) until the fish tell you otherwise.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	2 to 8 ft	midday & dawn	Shallow bay flat (5 ft)	1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub
Summer	10 to 25 ft	dawn & dusk	Break off the point (7 ft)	Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled)
Fall	8 to 20 ft	dawn	Break off the point (7 ft)	Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2")
Winter	15 to 35 ft	midday	Deep basin (38 ft)	Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon

Bluegill fishing at Bullock Pen Lake

In spring, bluegill run shallow here, mostly 1 to 6 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 4 to 15 ft, and winter fish settle into 10 to 25 ft. Shallow bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 5 ft, rated prime for spring bluegill. Time it for early morning and the evening. You won't need more than a small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig most summer days.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	1 to 6 ft	midday & dusk	Shallow bay flat (5 ft)	1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings)
Summer	4 to 15 ft	dawn & dusk	Shallow bay flat (5 ft)	Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig
Fall	6 to 18 ft	midday	Shallow bay flat (5 ft)	Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped
Winter	10 to 25 ft	midday	Deep basin (38 ft)	Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon

Channel Catfish fishing at Bullock Pen Lake

The spring pattern is a shallow one: channel catfish in 3 to 12 ft. As the season builds they drop to 8 to 25 ft, wintering in 20 to 40 ft. Top water on the chart: Deep basin, a deep basin in the 38 ft range, prime in winter. Time it for after dark and the evening.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at
Spring	3 to 12 ft	dusk	Shallow bay flat (5 ft)
Summer	8 to 25 ft	night & dusk	Break off the point (7 ft)
Fall	10 to 30 ft	dusk	Break off the point (7 ft)
Winter	20 to 40 ft	midday	Deep basin (38 ft)

Notable structure

Structure-wise the chart holds 6 features, led in depth by Deep basin at roughly 38 ft.

Deep basin: deep basin, around 38 ft
Main-lake point: point, around 11 ft
Secondary point: point, around 10 ft
Break off the point: drop-off, around 7 ft
Shallow bay flat: weed flat, around 5 ft
Back-bay flat: weed flat, around 3 ft

Public access & boat ramps

Bullock Pen Lake — ramp

Access data: Kentucky Fish & Wildlife — Fishing Access Sites. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.

Bullock Pen Lake fishing regulations

Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Kentucky waters are set by the Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife — and special regulations can apply to Bullock Pen Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.

Check the official Kentucky fishing regulations →

Common questions

How deep is Bullock Pen Lake?

Bullock Pen Lake is about 40 ft (12 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart here comes from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the contours reflect measured depths.

What fish are in Bullock Pen Lake?

Anglers target largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill, channel catfish on Bullock Pen Lake.

Where is the best fishing spot on Bullock Pen Lake?

Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 5 ft of water that rates prime for largemouth bass in spring. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by species and season.

When is the best time to fish Bullock Pen Lake?

For largemouth bass, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.

What are the fishing regulations for Bullock Pen Lake?

Fishing on Bullock Pen Lake is regulated by the Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife. Check the official Kentucky regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.

Nearby waters

Boltz Lake 7 mi · Williamstown Lake 10 mi · Ohio River - Markland Pool 12 mi, OH/KY · A.J. Jolly Lake 16 mi · Corinth Lake 21 mi · Kincaid Lake 21 mi · Licking River (Lower) 21 mi · Elmer Davis Lake 24 mi · Benjy Kinman Lake 28 mi · East Fork Lake (Harsha Lake) 32 mi, OH · Winton Woods Lake 33 mi, OH · Whitewater River 38 mi, IN/OH

See how Bullock Pen Lake stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Kentucky · best crappie lakes in Kentucky · best bluegill lakes in Kentucky · best channel catfish lakes in Kentucky

Browse all Kentucky fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: state fisheries survey programs. How we build these maps. Fish here with a sonar unit that logs? Send us your depth data and we'll improve this chart, credited to you. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.