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Cave Run Lake Fishing Report

Updated Fri, Sep 4, 2026 from live gauge and weather data

Kentucky’s muskie capital: Cave Run stacks toothy fish in 8,000 acres of Daniel Boone forest water.

1/5
Tough. Pick your battles.Post-front sun and slick water make them sulk.
Gauge
8.62 ft
Air / High
98 / 98 F
Wind
W 7 mph

Sources: USGS gauge 03249500, Open-Meteo, solunar calculated for these coordinates.

Satellite view
Friday
4
September 2026

Today's Fishing Report

Generated this morning from live readings: gauge, weather model, sun and moon. A fresh report is published here every morning.

1/5Tough. Pick your battles.Post-front sun and slick water make them sulk.

Cave Run Lake stays in its summer rhythm: early magic, midday siesta, evening reprieve. Today brings a mixed sky, wind W around 7 mph, rising pressure near 1013 hPa and a high of 98. Water sits around 84 F for the season (estimated). With the last quarter, the solunar majors run 5:39 AM-7:39 AM and 5:39 PM-7:39 PM: plan around them and beat the heat.

The plan, species by species

Catfish (blue, channel)Fair

Anchor on 20-30 ft baited holes with punch bait or cut shad. They keep biting through the heat when everything else quits.

Largemouth bassSlow

Topwater at first light on points and seawalls, then slide out to 12-25 ft brush and points with a Carolina rig, deep crank or drop shot. The bite is dawn, dusk or deep.

White bassSlow

Early schooling action over humps; slabs and small spinners under the birds.

CrappieSlow

Straight down on bridge pilings and deep brush at 15-25 ft. Minnows outfish jigs in hot water; move until the graph shows them stacked.

Tomorrow: Similar at 97 F with a rain chance. The solunar majors shift about 50 minutes later.Next report: Sat, Sep 5, 6:30 AMHow this report is made →

Water and weather

Live readings from Licking River at Farmers (inflow).

No live gauge on this water

Conditions here are modeled from weather, season and the nearest stations. Water readings appear when a USGS gauge is available.

5060708090JanMarMayJulSepNovSep, ~84 F now

Right now

Latest readings

Air temp98 F
High / Low98 / 74 F
WindW 7-12 mph
Pressure1013.3 hPa, rising
Sky / Rain26% cloud, 2%
Sunrise / Sunset07:06 / 19:59
MoonLast Quarter, 50%
Water temp (seasonal)~84 F est.

Bite planner

Hour-by-hour bite forecast for today. Tap a bar to see why.

5 AM8 AM11 AM2 PM5 PM8 PMsunrisesunset

Next 7 days

Tap a day for the detailed outlook.

Fri Sep 4 · Overcast, 98/74 F, wind 10 mph, rain 2%

Fair or better. A 10 mph breeze puts a working chop on the banks it hits: fish the wind-blown side.

Species guide

The species that matter on Cave Run Lake: seasons, structure and how to fish each one. Today's ratings live in the report above.

Largemouth bass illustration

Largemouth bass

Best: spring and fall

The headline act on most American reservoirs. Relates to cover: docks, brush, grass edges and points. Topwater at first light on points and seawalls, then slide out to 12-25 ft brush and points with a Carolina rig, deep crank or drop shot. The bite is dawn, dusk or deep.

Crappie illustration

Crappie

Best: Nov-Mar

Brush piles, bridge pilings and standing timber. The fish fry favorite. Straight down on bridge pilings and deep brush at 15-25 ft. Minnows outfish jigs in hot water; move until the graph shows them stacked.

Catfish (blue, channel) illustration

Catfish (blue, channel)

Good year-round

The most reliable bite on most southern waters. Blues run big; channels fill the cooler. Anchor on 20-30 ft baited holes with punch bait or cut shad. They keep biting through the heat when everything else quits.

White bass illustration

White bass

Best: Mar-May run

River-run spawners and open-water schoolers. Fast limits when you find them. Early schooling action over humps; slabs and small spinners under the birds.

When to come: the Cave Run Lake calendar

Activity by species and month, and how the water warms through the year. Tap any cell.

Species activity by month

1 = slow, 5 = peak. Current month highlighted.

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Largemouth bass
Crappie
Catfish (blue, channel)
White bass
SlowPeak

Water temperature through the year

Typical surface temperature for this water type; today is around 84 F (estimated, not a reading).

5060708090JanMarMayJulSepNovSep, ~84 F now

Angler reports

Real reports from real anglers, reviewed before publishing. The water log below tracks each day automatically.

No angler reports yet this weekBe the first: your report helps every angler who checks Cave Run Lake today, and we feature the best catch of the week.

Water log, last days

Auto-logged from live data
Thu, Sep 3

3/5 Fair. Fish early or late. Heat pins the bite to the dawn and dusk windows. Catfish (blue, channel) led the card at good. High of 97 F, wind to 7 mph.

Wed, Sep 2

3/5 Fair. Fish early or late. Heat pins the bite to the dawn and dusk windows. Catfish (blue, channel) led the card at good. High of 96 F, wind to 5 mph.

Tue, Sep 1

3/5 Fair. Fish early or late. Heat pins the bite to the dawn and dusk windows. Catfish (blue, channel) led the card at good. High of 95 F, wind to 7 mph.

Where roughly, what depth, what bait. Skip anything you want to keep secret.
Only used to send you this water's report each week. No spam, ever.

Before you go

License

Kentucky requires a valid fishing license for adults. Buy online from the state agency; one-day options exist for visitors.

Regulations

Kentucky license. Muskellunge 36-inch minimum, bass and crappie limits per current KDFWR regulations.

Access

Scott Creek, Longbow, Zilpo and Twin Knobs ramps with Forest Service campgrounds.

About this water

An 8,270-acre Corps reservoir on the Licking River in the Daniel Boone National Forest, Rowan and Bath counties, Kentucky.

Fishing Cave Run Lake: the full guide

The muskie lake

Cave Run Lake covers 8,270 acres on the Licking River in eastern Kentucky, surrounded by the Daniel Boone National Forest. It is known nationally as one of the best muskellunge fisheries in the South: Kentucky stocks and manages it aggressively, and guides here work muskie full time. Largemouth bass, crappie, catfish and bluegill fill out a card that supports fishing all year.

Chasing muskie

Muskie hold the weed edges, points, flats and standing timber, with the upper end near the river providing classic water. Bucktails and large rubber in summer, glide baits and suckers in fall: October through December is the trophy window, and Kentucky’s relatively mild winters keep the season long. Figure-eights at boatside are mandatory: many fish follow before committing.

Bass, crappie and catfish

Largemouth relate to the timber, brush and rock: jigs, spinnerbaits and plastics through the seasons, with spring pushing fish shallow into the coves. Crappie stack in the brush at 10-20 feet, best in spring and fall. Catfish work the flats and channel, and the tailwater below the dam holds fish in the current. The forest setting keeps development minimal.

Morehead-area logistics

Ramps at Scott Creek, Longbow, Zilpo and Twin Knobs serve the lake, with Forest Service campgrounds at several. Morehead is the local town with services, and Interstate 64 runs north of the lake. Water levels vary with flood-control operations, dropping for winter pool. The forest shoreline means limited development and a quiet feel.

Common questions

Why is it called the muskie capital?

Kentucky stocks and manages it as a premier muskellunge fishery, and full-time muskie guides work here year-round.

When is the best muskie window?

October through December for trophies, with summer producing action on bucktails for anglers willing to cast all day.

Is there other fishing?

Yes: largemouth in the timber, crappie in the brush and catfish through the flats, plus a tailwater below the dam.

Is fishing good at Cave Run Lake right now?

Check the daily report at the top of this page: it is regenerated every morning from live data. Today's read: Tough. Pick your battles. Post-front sun and slick water make them sulk.

Nearby waters

Grayson Lake31 miLicking River61 miHerrington Lake69 miTaylorsville Lake94 miLake Cumberland101 miCaesar Creek Lake101 mi
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