Editor’s note: This is the first of two-parts.
Cooler temperatures and rain have signaled the unofficial start of fall fishing.
Small lakes, that typically cool down earlier, are a good fishing option this time of year. Many of these lakes have experienced lower than normal water levels recently, due to localize drought conditions.
Cooler surface water temperatures, and a rise in lake levels, will bring gamefish to the banks from their deepwater summer haunts.
Boltz Lake
The fish populations in Boltz Lake are diverse.
The lake is best known for its excellent sunfish (bluegill and redear) fisheries, with 6-to-9 inchers available, and largemouth bass, with a potential for 20-inch and larger fish.
But, there are also opportunities for blue catfish over 25 inches, and quality-sized 8 to 10-inch white and black crappie, with larger fish possible.
It’s a low population, but harvestable-size Saugeye are also present.
Boltz Lake is rather deep, steep-sided lake, but has plenty of shallow shoreline areas, with some scattered weed beds.
Visible from Intersate-75, Boltz Lake is in Grant County, four miles north of Dry Ridge (Exit 159), reached via Ky. 22, Ky. 467 and Mt. Zion Road.
The 92-acre lake, impounded from Arnolds Creek, a tributary of Eagle Creek, in the Kentucky River basin, has 6.6 miles of shoreline and a maximum depth of 72 feet, with an average depth of 24 feet. Built and owned by the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources (KDFWR), the lake open to fishing in 1958.
The lake was named in memory of A. W. Boltz (1879-1955), Kentucky’s first conservation officer, who also served as 5th District Commissioner for seven years on the Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Commission.
Fish stockings in recent years include: 2,160 channel catfish and 9,200 saugeye in 2023, and 920 blue catfish in 2022.
There is a fishing pier and paved boat launching ramp for any light trailerable recreational boat. There is no fee to launch.
Elmer Davis Lake
Elmer Davis Lake has been a top sunfish lake for decades, with a reputation for producing thick, hand-sized bluegill.
Today, the lake supports three sunfish species. There are excellent numbers of 6 to 8-inch bluegill, with larger fish present, good numbers of 6 to 9-inch redear sunfish, with fish larger than 10 inches present, and an abundant population of 6 to 9-inch warmouth, found around weed beds. Warmouth closely resemble rock bass in coloration and markings.
The lake also supports an excellent largemouth bass fishery, with good numbers of 15-inch fish and larger fish present, channel catfish over 20 inches, and good numbers of 8 to 10-inch white and black crappie.
Flathead catfish are also present in the lake.
Open to fishing in 1960, Elmer Davis Lake is in Owen County, about three miles southwest of downtown Owenton, Ky. on Ky 1670 (Davis Lake Road), off Ky 22.
The 149-acre lake was impounded from North Severn Creek, a tributary to the Kentucky River.
The lake has 5.6 miles of shoreline, with a maximum depth of 59 feet, and an average depth of 21 feet. It was built and is owned by the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources (KDFWR).
Recent fish stockings include: 30,984 redear sunfish in 2023, and 2,800 redear sunfish in 2022.
There are two paved boat launching ramps for any trailerable recreational boat.
One ramp is at the end of Ky. 1670, off Ky. 22, southwest of Owenton. The second ramp is at the dam, on Elmer Davis Road, five miles south of Owenton, off U.S. 127.
There is no fee to launch at either ramp.
There is a fishing pier adjacent to the boat ramp on Ky. 1670 and bank access is available at the dam.
Greenbo Lake
Greenbo Lake has a lot to offer anglers — quality, diverse fisheries, first class accommodations in a state resort park, a scenic lake surrounded by woodlands, and lakeside trails for adventuresome backcountry anglers.
Fish species include largemouth bass, two species of sunfish, two species of trout, and two species of catfish.
The largemouth bass fishery is legendary.
Greenbo Lake has a unique status that earned it a special place in Kentucky angling lore — the only body of water in Kentucky to produce two consecutive state record largemouth bass.
What makes the story truly amazing is that both fish were caught by the same man. Delbert Grizzle, of Flatwoods, caught the bass within eleven months of each other, on September 21, 1965, and August 3, 1966.
Today, the lake is still producing quality largemouth bass, with good numbers over 15 inches, and trophy-size fish over 20 inches are possible.
Trout are a highly sough after species during the fall, winter and early spring.
Rainbow trout have been stocked in the lake since the early 1990s, and brown trout since 2019. Brown trout over 16 inches are possible.
Bluegill, 6 to 8-inches long, are available. The redear sunfish population is low, but fish up to 11 inches are possible
The lake supports good numbers of 2 to 3-pound channel catfish, and flathead catfish up to 40 inches have been reported taken.
Recent stockings include: 2,000 brown trout and 11,500 rainbow trout in 2023, and 3,155 channel catfish, 2,000 brown trout and 11,000 rainbow trout in 2022.
Greenbo Lake is Greenup County. The lake is 11 miles south of Greenup, Ky., off Ky. 1.
Impounded in 1955, the 81-acre impoundment, surrounded by woodlands, is steep sided and has a maximum depth of 60 feet. There is little or no pool fluctuation. The lake is not fed by any streams of substantial size, so the major influx of water comes from runoff after heavy rainstorms.
Greenbo Lake State Resort Park, 3,008 acres on the south side of the wishbone-shaped lake, is reached via Ky. 1711.
Facilities include a lodge, gift shop, restaurant, conference center, 28 miles of hiking, biking and horseback riding trails, a full facilities campground, 10-acre scuba diving refuge, miniature golf, swimming pool for lodge guests and campers, and playground. For information telephone 606-473-7324.
There is one boat launching ramp adjacent to the marina. There is no fee to launch.
There is good bank access at the dam and a fishing pier.
For complete fishing regulations for these lakes and other lakes and streams across the state visit the KDFWR Waterbodies page.
