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Laurel River Lake Fishing Report

Updated Mon, Nov 9, 2026 from live gauge and weather data

Laurel River Lake in the Daniel Boone National Forest: clear, deep water with walleye, smallmouth and spotted bass under KDFWR size limits.

4/5
Good. Solid day ahead.Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up.
Water temp
~63 F est.
Air / High
34 / 63 F
Wind
SSW 2 mph

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

Satellite view
Monday
9
November 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.

4/5Good. Solid day ahead.Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up.

Laurel River Lake feels the season turning: shorter days, grouping fish. Today brings clear skies, wind SSW around 2 mph, falling pressure near 1020 hPa and a high of 63. Water sits around 63 F for the season (estimated). With the new moon, the solunar majors run 11:18 PM-1:18 AM and 11:39 AM-1:39 PM: the windows to build the day around.

The plan, species by species

CrappieExcellent

Pre-spawn fish move toward shallow coves, and Iowa DNR points to wading as an effective way to reach them in spring; minnows or small jigs under a float.

WalleyeExcellent

Spring: post-spawn fish scatter and can be slow for a couple of weeks. Fall: one of the best windows, with minnows on jigs and three-way rigs as the water cools toward ice-up.

Rainbow troutExcellent

This band overlaps Vermont's 54-66°F stream preference: fish feed across riffles, runs and pocket water, and in lakes WDFW says spring and fall bring them near the surface.

Brown troutExcellent

Close to Vermont's 53-66°F optimum, browns feed more freely; in fall, pre-spawn fish move toward tributaries and gravel, so fish streamers and keep off the redds.

Largemouth bassGood

In spring, pre-spawn bass push shallow as the water climbs through the mid-50s; in fall they feed actively until the water cools into the low 50s, then drop back toward deeper structure.

Smallmouth bassGood

Spring pre-spawn and fall: Iowa DNR notes the larger bass come up to shallow structure, where a shallow-running minnow bait or a spinnerbait just under the surface works.

White bassFair

The spring run happens in this band: tributaries, shoals and the upper ends of reservoirs as the water reaches about 55°F.

Tomorrow: Warmer at 68 F. The solunar majors shift about 50 minutes later.Next report: Tue, Nov 10, 6:30 AMHow this report is made →

Before you go

Kentucky requires a fishing licence from age 16, from $23.00 for residents. What a Kentucky licence costs and where to buy it →

Chasing largemouth bass here? Check the size and bag limits with KDFWR before you keep anything. The season dates for Kentucky, read off the agency, are on the Kentucky seasons page.

Water and weather

Live readings.

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.

5060708090JanMarMayJulSepNovNov, ~63 F now

Right now

Latest readings

Air temp34 F
High / Low63 / 34 F
WindSSW 2-7 mph
Pressure1020.4 hPa, falling
Sky / Rain7% cloud, 0%
Sunrise / Sunset07:09 / 17:31
MoonNew Moon, 0%
Water temp (seasonal)~63 F est.

Bite planner

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

5 AM8 AM11 AM2 PM5 PM8 PMsunrisesunsetPRIMEPRIME

Which day to fish Laurel River Lake this week

Today is the pick of the week on Laurel River Lake, at 4 out of 5.

Best day this week: today, Nov 9 — good at 4/5, falling pressure, usually the best window of a week.

Today, Nov 9 — Good

Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up.

Solunar majors
11:18 PM-1:18 AM and 11:39 AM-1:39 PM
Minor period
7:17 AM-8:17 AM
Sun
07:09 to 17:31
Moon
New Moon, 0% lit
Sky and wind
Clear, 5 mph
Rain chance
0%

Forecast-based scores, less reliable further out: how the score is built.

Species guide

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

Largemouth bass illustration

Largemouth bass

Best: the spring pre-spawn and the fall feed

A warm-water sunfish of lakes, reservoirs, ponds and slow river backwaters that holds tight to cover: weeds, logs, rock ledges and docks. In Texas, TPWD surveys rank it "by far" the freshwater fish anglers most want to catch. In spring, pre-spawn bass push shallow as the water climbs through the mid-50s; in fall they feed actively until the water cools into the low 50s, then drop back toward deeper structure.

Crappie illustration

Crappie

Best: the spring spawn; summer around docks, brush and the thermocline

Two slab-sided panfish, the white crappie and the black crappie, that gather around submerged timber, brush piles, docks and bridge pilings in lakes, reservoirs and slow river backwaters. Texas Parks and Wildlife counts crappie as the state's most popular panfish. Pre-spawn fish move toward shallow coves, and Iowa DNR points to wading as an effective way to reach them in spring; minnows or small jigs under a float.

White bass illustration

White bass

Best: the spring run up the tributaries, then summer surface schools

A silvery temperate bass of rivers and large reservoirs, also called sand bass, that schools in open water after shad and runs up tributaries to spawn in early spring. The spring run happens in this band: tributaries, shoals and the upper ends of reservoirs as the water reaches about 55°F.

Smallmouth bass illustration

Smallmouth bass

Best: spring and fall, when bigger fish come shallow

A bronze-brown black bass of clear, cool streams and rocky lakes, with dark vertical bars instead of a side stripe. Michigan DNR says its southeastern coast, from Port Huron to Lake Erie, is known nationally for both the size and the number of its smallmouth. Spring pre-spawn and fall: Iowa DNR notes the larger bass come up to shallow structure, where a shallow-running minnow bait or a spinnerbait just under the surface works.

Walleye illustration

Walleye

Best: spring and late fall, around dawn, dusk and night

A cool-water perch of large lakes, reservoirs and rivers whose reflective eyes are built for low light, so it feeds most at night and in murky water. The Missouri Department of Conservation ranks it among the continent's most important freshwater game fish. Spring: post-spawn fish scatter and can be slow for a couple of weeks. Fall: one of the best windows, with minnows on jigs and three-way rigs as the water cools toward ice-up.

Rainbow trout illustration

Rainbow trout

Spring and fall in most lakes; rivers fish year-round while the water stays cool

A cold-water trout native to Pacific drainages from Alaska to Baja California, now stocked in most states and fished in rivers, tailwaters and lakes. This band overlaps Vermont's 54-66°F stream preference: fish feed across riffles, runs and pocket water, and in lakes WDFW says spring and fall bring them near the surface.

Brown trout illustration

Brown trout

Spring along Great Lakes shorelines; low light and overcast days in rivers; fall spawning runs

A European trout first stocked in the US in 1883 and now fished in rivers and lakes nationwide; it tolerates warmer water than other trout, and mature stream fish feed mostly at night. Close to Vermont's 53-66°F optimum, browns feed more freely; in fall, pre-spawn fish move toward tributaries and gravel, so fish streamers and keep off the redds.

When to come: the Laurel River 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
White bass
Smallmouth bass
Walleye
Rainbow trout
Brown trout
SlowPeak

Water temperature through the year

Typical surface temperature for this water type; today is around 63 F (estimated, not a reading).

5060708090JanMarMayJulSepNovNov, ~63 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 Laurel River Lake today, and we feature the best catch of the week.

Water log, last days

Auto-logged from live data
Sun, Nov 8

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Crappie led the card at excellent. High of 61 F, wind to 6 mph.

Sat, Nov 7

3/5 Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day. Brown trout led the card at excellent. High of 57 F, wind to 6 mph.

Fri, Nov 6

3/5 Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day. Brown trout led the card at excellent. High of 61 F, wind to 9 mph.

Where roughly, what depth, what bait. Skip anything you want to keep secret.
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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

KDFWR special regulations: largemouth 15 in.; smallmouth 18 in., 2 a day; walleye 14 in., 6 a day; crappie 9 in., 15 a day. Spotted bass, white bass and trout under statewide rules.

Access

KDFWR ramps: Craigs Creek, Flatwoods, Grove Marina, Hightop, Holly Bay Marina, Holly Bay (campers only), Laurel Bridge (KY 312) and Marsh Branch; bank access at the tailwater, Fishing Point and Long Bend.

About this water

Laurel River Lake, Daniel Boone National Forest, Laurel and Whitley counties, Kentucky; Forest Service shoreline, Corps of Engineers dam.

Fishing Laurel River Lake: the full guide

A forest lake

The Forest Service describes Laurel River Lake as 5,600 acres of clear, deep water with nearly 200 miles of shoreline. It administers the lake and shore, while the Corps of Engineers runs the dam and the picnic area and swimming beach at the spillway. KDFWR gives other sizes: 5,768 acres on its lake page and 5,830 acres in its 2026 Fishing Forecast.

What KDFWR's 2026 forecast says

The forecast reports good numbers of 17- to 21-inch walleye with some to 23 inches, an increasing smallmouth population with fish to 20 inches, and spotted bass improving across all sizes, best in the mid and lower lake and around Craigs Creek. Crappie are mostly black crappie of 10 to 12 inches, helped by surplus fish stocked in 2022 and 2023; the upper Laurel River arm near the city dam is the forecast's pick for crappie and largemouth.

Size limits

KDFWR's special regulations for the lake: largemouth 15 inches; smallmouth 18 inches with a limit of 2; walleye 14 inches with a limit of 6; black or white crappie 9 inches with a limit of 15. Spotted bass, white bass and rainbow and brown trout follow statewide rules.

Bank fishing

KDFWR lists bank access at the tailwater below the dam, and the Forest Service maintains Fishing Point and the Long Bend Fishing Site near the dam, with a paved trail at Fishing Point. The Forest Service notes that fishing is not allowed from the Craigs Creek ramp itself.

Common questions

How big are the walleye?

KDFWR's 2026 forecast reports good numbers of 17- to 21-inch fish and some to 23 inches. The minimum size is 14 inches and the limit is 6.

Is there bank fishing?

Yes, at KDFWR's tailwater access below the dam and at the Forest Service's Fishing Point and Long Bend sites near the dam.

What is the smallmouth limit?

Two a day, each at least 18 inches, under KDFWR's special regulations for Laurel River Lake.

Is fishing good at Laurel River Lake right now?

Check the daily report at the top of this page: it is regenerated every morning from live data. Today's read: Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up.

Nearby waters

Lake Cumberland28 miNorris Lake49 miClinch River52 miHerrington Lake60 miGreen River Lake62 miCherokee Lake63 mi

Where this page's numbers come from

Weather and pressure
Open-Meteo forecast model
Queried at 36.9600, -84.2200 in this water's own timezone. A model, not an observation.
Moon and solunar windows
Calculated on this site
Astronomical calculation from these coordinates and the date, not a third-party feed. How much weight it deserves.
Pages checked
The facts in the written guide were checked against these pages, from the agencies and operators that manage the water, on October 6, 2026. Anything we could not verify was taken out.
The written guide on this page
Pablo Ruiz Quintero
How this page was made. The daily report is computed by our scoring engine from live readings; nobody types it. The written text was drafted with AI assistance from the official pages listed above, and its facts were checked against those pages by automated verification on October 6, 2026; anything that could not be verified was taken out. Pablo Ruiz Quintero sets every guideline, the data-verification system and the minimum standards a page must meet to be published, reviews page structure and approves what goes live; the responsibility is his, and the AI carries out the work. We work this way because it is how one person can keep every page current with named sources. Errors are published in the verification log; the full policy is in the editorial policy.

Readings refresh on a 30-minute window. The full method, with every figure and its source, is on how our reports are made. Something wrong here? Tell us and it goes in the log with the date.