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Fishing Kentucky River (Palisades): what the data says
Boonesborough to Frankfort through the limestone Palisades. bass, hybrids and big flatheads in the old lock pools. The river tops out around 25 ft. The contours are modeled from the water's real shoreline and maximum depth. Treat them as a rough guide, and never use them for navigation. What follows comes from the same scoring engine that paints the spots above.
Smallmouth Bass fishing at Kentucky River (Palisades)
Spring smallmouth bass on Kentucky River (Palisades) hold shallow, usually 3 to 12 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 8 to 25 ft, and winter fish settle into 8 to 25 ft. Boonesborough lock tailwater is the standout, a rock pile at roughly 10 ft, rated prime for spring smallmouth bass. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. A drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 8 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 8 to 25 ft | midday | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Largemouth Bass fishing at Kentucky River (Palisades)
In spring, largemouth bass run shallow here, mostly 2 to 10 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 8 to 20 ft, and winter fish settle into 8 to 25 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Channel bar / point (mile 67.8): a point around 10 ft that scores prime in fall. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 8 to 25 ft | midday | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Channel Catfish fishing at Kentucky River (Palisades)
In spring, channel catfish run shallow here, mostly 3 to 12 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 8 to 25 ft, and winter fish settle into 8 to 25 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Outside-bend hole (mile 5.6): a creek channel around 19 ft that scores prime in summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | |
| Summer | 8 to 25 ft | night & dusk | |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | dusk | |
| Winter | 8 to 25 ft | midday |
Flathead Catfish fishing at Kentucky River (Palisades)
Start shallow in spring: flathead catfish sit in 5 to 20 ft that time of year. By summer they slide out to 7 to 25 ft, and by winter most fish are in 8 to 25 ft. The spot to know is Tailout eddy (mile 36.1), a eddy pocket in about 14 ft of water that rates prime for flathead catfish in spring. Plan around after dark and the evening in the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | night & dusk | |
| Summer | 7 to 25 ft | night & dusk | |
| Fall | 7 to 25 ft | night & dusk | |
| Winter | 8 to 25 ft | midday |
White Bass & Hybrids fishing at Kentucky River (Palisades)
In spring, white bass & hybrids run shallow here, mostly 3 to 15 ft. By summer they slide out to 8 to 25 ft, and by winter most fish are in 8 to 25 ft. The spot to know is Lock 8 tailrace, a dam tailrace in about 21 ft of water that rates prime for white bass & hybrids in summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a jigging spoon or a topwater (when schooling) gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Rooster tail / inline spinner, Curly-tail jig (white/chartreuse) |
| Summer | 8 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Jigging spoon, Topwater (when schooling) |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Small blade bait, Jigging spoon |
| Winter | 8 to 25 ft | midday | Jigging spoon, Blade bait (vertical) |
Common Carp fishing at Kentucky River (Palisades)
In spring, common carp run shallow here, mostly 2 to 10 ft. They move out to 3 to 15 ft in summer and finish the year down in 8 to 25 ft. Tailout eddy (mile 36.1) is the standout, a eddy pocket at roughly 14 ft, rated prime for winter common carp. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | |
| Summer | 3 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | |
| Fall | 5 to 18 ft | midday | |
| Winter | 8 to 25 ft | midday |
Kentucky River (Palisades) also holds longnose gar (1 to 12 ft in summer), freshwater drum (7 to 25 ft in summer), sauger (8 to 25 ft in summer), rock bass (5 to 20 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Notable structure
- Palisades bluff holes: drop-off, around 22 ft
- Lock 8 tailrace: dam tailrace, around 21 ft
- Dam 9 tailrace: dam tailrace, around 21 ft
- Lock 7 tailrace: dam tailrace, around 21 ft
- Kentucky River Lock & Dam 6 tailrace: dam tailrace, around 21 ft
- Lock Number 5 tailrace: dam tailrace, around 21 ft
- Lock and Dam Number 4 tailrace: dam tailrace, around 21 ft
- Lowhead weir tailrace: dam tailrace, around 21 ft
- Dam tailrace: dam tailrace, around 21 ft
- Kentucky River Dam Number 10 tailrace: dam tailrace, around 21 ft
- Main-channel hole (mile 8.1): creek channel, around 20 ft
- Main-channel hole (mile 89.0): creek channel, around 20 ft
- Outside-bend hole (mile 5.6): creek channel, around 19 ft
- Outside-bend hole (mile 13.4): creek channel, around 19 ft
Common questions
How deep is Kentucky River (Palisades)?
Kentucky River (Palisades) is about 25 ft at its deepest point. The contours here are modeled from the water's real shape and maximum depth, so treat them as a rough guide.
What fish are in Kentucky River (Palisades)?
Anglers target largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, sauger, channel catfish, white bass & hybrids, flathead catfish, freshwater drum, common carp, longnose gar, rock bass on Kentucky River (Palisades).
Where is the best fishing spot on Kentucky River (Palisades)?
Boonesborough lock tailwater is the top-rated area: a rock pile in about 10 ft of water that rates prime for smallmouth bass in spring. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
When is the best time to fish Kentucky River (Palisades)?
For smallmouth 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.
Nearby waters
Herrington Lake · Elkhorn Creek · Beaver Lake · Cedar Creek Lake · Corinth Lake · Elmer Davis Lake
See how Kentucky River (Palisades) stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Kentucky · best smallmouth bass lakes in Kentucky · best sauger lakes in Kentucky · best channel catfish lakes in Kentucky
Browse all Kentucky fishing maps or every water on DepthScout. How we build these maps. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.