Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley Tournaments
Event calendar and winners for Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley, Kentucky.
- 5upcoming
- 3results
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Every Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley line traces to a circuit schedule, result release or standings table linked beside it.
Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley rules of play as the hosts word them: invitational pro event; championship for qualifiers; three-day pro and co-angler.
Host pages linked in each row; retrieved November 2026.
Small print the Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley hosts posted
Toyota Series Plains Division at Kentucky Lake (2027-04-01 to 2027-04-03): water as posted: Kentucky Lake; format: three-day pro and co-angler; check-in at Buchanan, Tennessee.
KHSAA Reg 1 (2027-04-24 to 2027-04-24): the host names both lakes; format: KHSAA high school bass regional (school teams); Barkley/Kentucky Lakes as printed; boats leave from Kuttawa; Row date printed without a year on the page titled "2027 SAF Tournament Schedule and Results"; year taken from that title.
MLF KY HS Open (2027-05-01 to 2027-05-01): water as posted: Kentucky Lake; format: high school bass event open to SAF members from any state; takeoff town: Gilbertsville; Row date printed without a year on the page titled "2027 SAF Tournament Schedule and Results"; year taken from that title.
MLF Kubota Heavy Hitters at Kentucky-Barkley Lakes (2027-05-22 to 2027-05-27): the host names both lakes; format: invitational pro event (Bass Pro Tour big-fish all-star); takeoff as posted: Calvert City.
Phoenix BFL North Central All-American at Kentucky-Barkley Lakes (2027-10-28 to 2027-10-30): the host names both lakes; format: championship for qualifiers (Guntersville, Michigan, Southern Illinois and Wisconsin divisions); team or solo; town printed: Calvert City.
Details as printed on each host page linked in the tables; retrieved November 2026.
Released Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley winners, day not given
For these 11 winners the host printed when the story ran, not when the field fished; weights stand as printed, unaveraged.
| Event | Winner | Weight as printed | Format | Date note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bass Pro Tour Lowrance Stage 5 at Kentucky Lake Presented by Mercury | Jacob Wheeler | 46 scorable bass weighing 110 pounds, 13 ounces in the final-day Championship Round (MLF catch-weigh-release scoring) | four-day Bass Pro Tour event, every scorable bass counts | Release dateline Calvert City, Ky. (June 8, 2025) names Sunday's Championship Round; start date not printed. A companion release (https://anglerschannel.com/?p=139884) calls it a four-day tournament hosted by Kentucky Lake CVB and Calloway County Tourism Commission. |
| Phoenix BFL LBL Division final (event 5), Kentucky-Barkley Lake | Dustin Vaal | two-day total of 10 bass weighing 35 pounds, 5 ounces (35-5) | two-day boater, five-bass limit each day | Release dated Sept. 29, 2025; event days not printed. |
| Turtlebox Bassmaster Open at Kentucky Lake/Lake Barkley presented by Battery Tender | Clint Knight | three-day total of 62 pounds, 2 ounces | three-day pro | Release dated May 23, 2026 (final day); the release does not print the start day. Dateline Paris, Tenn.: Tennessee-side launch. |
| Phoenix BFL LBL Division event 3, Kentucky and Barkley Lakes | Levi Kohl | five bass totaling 19 pounds, 11 ounces (19-11) | one-day boater, five-bass limit | Release dated May 18, 2026; event day not printed. |
| Phoenix BFL LBL Division event 2 (2025), Kentucky-Barkley Lakes | Levi Kohl | five-bass limit weighing 22 pounds, 13 ounces (22-13) | one-day boater, five-bass limit | Release dated May 12, 2025 (dateline Gilbertsville, Ky.); the release says the event was fished "Saturday" but prints no event date. |
| Phoenix BFL LBL Division event 2, Kentucky-Barkley Lake | Eli Lubbehusen | five bass totaling 22 pounds, 14 ounces | one-day boater, five-bass limit | Release dated March 30, 2026 (dateline Buchanan, Tenn.; hosted by Henry County Tourism Authority): Tennessee-side launch. |
| Phoenix BFL LBL Division event 1, Kentucky-Barkley Lake | Drew Morgan | five bass weighing 23 pounds, 10 ounces (23-10) | one-day boater, five-bass limit | Release dated March 2, 2026 (dateline Gilbertsville, Ky.); the release does not print the event day. |
| Phoenix BFL LBL Division event 4, Kentucky-Barkley Lake | Zach Hedges | three-bass limit weighing 13 pounds, 1 ounce (13-1) | one-day boater, three-bass limit | Release dated June 8, 2026; event day not printed. |
| Phoenix BFL LBL Division event 3 (2025), Kentucky-Barkley Lakes | Clint Knight | three-bass limit weighing 15 pounds | one-day boater, three-bass limit | Release dated June 16, 2025 (dateline Gilbertsville, Ky.); the release says the event was fished "Saturday" but prints no event date. |
| Phoenix BFL LBL Division event 4 (2025), Kentucky-Barkley Lakes | Clint Knight | three-bass limit weighing 13 pounds, 9 ounces | one-day boater, three-bass limit | Release dated July 14, 2025 (dateline Gilbertsville, Ky.); the release says the event was fished "Saturday" but prints no event date. |
| Toyota Series Plains Division at Kentucky-Barkley Lakes (2025) | Fisher Anaya | 62 pounds, 14 ounces total (24-8 on the final day) | three-day pro/co-angler | Dateline Gilbertsville, Ky. (April 10, 2025); start date not printed. |
Host releases linked in each row; retrieved November 2026.
Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley trail stops and pro fields
The Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley file holds 5 scheduled events, 5 of them upcoming, and 3 published results. The Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley schedule comes from Major League Fishing (MLF), Kentucky High School Athletic Association (KHSAA), run with SAF and MLF, Major League Fishing (MLF) / Student Angler Federation (SAF) and King Kat Tournament Trail. Boats gather at Gilbertsville, Calvert City and Buchanan, Tennessee on event mornings, per the circuit pages.
Next on the board: Toyota Series Plains Division at Kentucky Lake (2027-04-01).
What hosts have lined up on Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley
| Date | Event | Organizer | Takeoff | County |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2027-04-01 | Toyota Series Plains Division at Kentucky Lake | Major League Fishing (MLF) | Buchanan, Tennessee | |
| 2027-04-24 | KHSAA Reg 1 | Kentucky High School Athletic Association (KHSAA), run with SAF and MLF | Kuttawa | Lyon County |
| 2027-05-01 | MLF KY HS Open | Major League Fishing (MLF) / Student Angler Federation (SAF) | Gilbertsville | Marshall County |
| 2027-05-22 | MLF Kubota Heavy Hitters at Kentucky-Barkley Lakes | Major League Fishing (MLF) | Calvert City | Marshall County |
| 2027-10-28 | Phoenix BFL North Central All-American at Kentucky-Barkley Lakes | Major League Fishing (MLF) | Calvert City | Marshall County |
Read from organizer pages, November 2026.
Dated Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley winners
| Date | Event | Winner | Winning weight | One-day five-bass (lb) | Big fish | County |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-09 | Toyota Series Plains Division at Kentucky Lake | Matteo Turano | three-day total 64-2 (Day 3: 18 pounds, 10 ounces) | Marshall County | ||
| 2025-09-06 | Phoenix BFL Super Tournament (Illini Division), Kentucky Lake | Justin Berger | 10 bass weighing 34 pounds, 9 ounces over two days | Marshall County | ||
| 2025-06-07 | King Kat Tournament Trail, Kentucky Lake-Tennessee River-Cumberland and Ohio Rivers (Grand Rivers) | Mike Mitchell, Rick Sexton and Chris Stout (team) | 76.73 (total weight as printed; unit not printed) | Livingston County |
Only host-posted champions, each linked.
Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley for a weekend angler with no entry
Each lake has its own page: Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley.
KDFWR acreage for Kentucky Lake: 55,025 acres in Kentucky (117,874 acres in all), in Calloway County, Livingston County, Lyon County, Marshall County and Trigg County. Tennessee Valley Authority owns Kentucky Lake, by the KDFWR layer. KDFWR acreage for Lake Barkley: 39,496 acres in Kentucky (49,083 acres in all), in Livingston County, Lyon County and Trigg County.
Army Corps of Engineers owns Lake Barkley, by the KDFWR layer. Hosts rarely split Kentucky Lake from Lake Barkley, so one event page covers the pair; a row names one lake only when the host did. KDFWR maps 85 boat ramps along the shore. Anglers 16 and older need a Kentucky fishing license; the 2026 guide prints $24.31 for the resident annual license and $58.14 for nonresidents. Kentucky anglers licensed in Kentucky may fish all Tennessee waters on the portion of Kentucky Lake from Eggner’s Ferry Bridge (U.S. 68 and KY 80) in Kentucky south to the Governor Ned McWhorter Bridge (U.S. 79 and TN 76) in Tennessee without buying a Tennessee fishing license. This includes all embayments and tributaries on this portion of the lake. Tenessee anglers: please note that Blood River is not included in the bordering waters zone and will require a Kentucky non-resident fishing license to fish. Anglers shall abide by the regulations of the state by which they are licensed, except that when fishing from the bank, anglers shall follow the regulations of the state in which they are fishing. The guide's border-water section names no reciprocal agreement for Lake Barkley; its Tennessee portion follows Tennessee license rules, while the Kentucky Lake agreement covers only the Eggner's Ferry to Ned McWhorter Bridge stretch of Kentucky Lake. Some posted takeoffs are on the Tennessee side of the lake.
Kentucky Lake surface reading
USACE Nashville District reading at Kentucky Lock and Dam for Kentucky Lake, November 10, 2026 21:00 UTC.
USACE Nashville District via USACE Access to Water (location page), latest values at retrieval November 10, 2026. Provisional.
Lake Barkley surface reading
USACE Nashville District reading at Barkley Lock and Dam for Lake Barkley, November 10, 2026 18:00 UTC.
USACE Nashville District via USACE Access to Water (location page), latest values at retrieval November 10, 2026. Provisional.
KDFWR waterbody page for Kentucky Lake, read November 10, 2026.
KDFWR waterbody page for Lake Barkley, read November 10, 2026.
What the Kentucky guide lets you keep on Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley
| Fish | Daily | Minimum size |
|---|---|---|
| Largemouth Bass | 6* | 12" |
| Smallmouth Bass | 6* | 12" |
| Kentucky (Spotted) Bass | 6* | none |
| Coosa Bass | 6* | none |
| Rock Bass | 15 | none |
| Muskellunge | 1 | 30" |
| White & Hybrid Striped Bass | 15** | none** |
A possession limit is two times the daily limit for all fish species with a daily limit, excluding previously processed fish.
2026 Kentucky Fishing & Boating Guide (Regulations Summary March 2026 to February 2027, updated September 2026; KDFWR PDF), read November 10, 2026.
Rules for Kentucky Lake on the KDFWR page
| Fish | Rule as printed | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Largemouth Bass | Must be 15 inches or over, Statewide creel limits apply | |
| Smallmouth Bass | Must be 15 inches or over, Statewide creel limits apply | |
| Black Crappie | Must be 10 inches or over – limit 20 Crappie, Black or White, per angler | |
| White Crappie | Must be 10 inches or over – limit 20 Crappie, Black or White, per angler | |
| Redear Sunfish | Statewide Regulations Apply | |
| Striped Bass | Statewide Regulations Apply | |
| White Bass | Statewide Regulations Apply | |
| Sauger | Must be 14 inches or over, Limit 6 per angler |
KDFWR waterbody page for Kentucky Lake, read November 10, 2026.
Rules for Lake Barkley on the KDFWR page
| Fish | Rule as printed | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Largemouth Bass | Must be 15 inches or over, Statewide creel limits apply | |
| Smallmouth Bass | Must be 15 inches or over, Statewide creel limits apply | |
| Black Crappie | Must be 10 inches or over – limit 20 Crappie, Black or White, per angler | |
| White Crappie | Must be 10 inches or over – limit 20 Crappie, Black or White, per angler | |
| Redear Sunfish | Statewide Regulations Apply | |
| White Bass | Statewide Regulations Apply | |
| Striped Bass | Statewide Regulations Apply | |
| Sauger | Must be 14 inches or over, Limit 6 per angler |
KDFWR waterbody page for Lake Barkley, read November 10, 2026.
Kentucky license and regulations
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Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley launches on the KDFWR access map
- Kenlake State Park Boat Ramp on Kentucky Lakeboat ramp, paved, multiple lanes, courtesy dock, marina, Marshall County
- Fenton Lake Access on Kentucky Lakeboat ramp, paved, multiple lanes, courtesy dock, Trigg County
- White Beach Ramp on Kentucky Lakeboat ramp, paved, single lane, courtesy dock, Calloway County
- Town & Country Boat Ramp on Kentucky Lakeboat ramp, paved, single lane, courtesy dock, marina, Marshall County
- Harry Lee Waterfield Park Boat Ramp on Kentucky Lakeboat ramp, paved, multiple lanes, Marshall County
- Sportsman Anchor Resort on Kentucky Lakeboat ramp, paved, single lane, courtesy dock, marina, Marshall County
- Jonathan Creek/US 68 Boat Ramp on Kentucky Lakeboat ramp, paved, multiple lanes, courtesy dock, Marshall County
- Cedar Knob Boat Ramp on Kentucky Lakeboat ramp, paved, single lane, courtesy dock, marina, Marshall County
- Redd Hollow (LBL) Boat Ramp on Kentucky Lakeboat ramp, paved, single lane, Trigg County
- Little Jonathan Creek – KY 80 Ramp on Kentucky Lakeboat ramp, paved, single lane, courtesy dock, Marshall County
- Sugar Bay – LBL Boat Ramp on Kentucky Lakeboat ramp, paved, single lane, Trigg County
- Newburg Landing on Kentucky Lakeboat ramp, unpaved, single lane, Calloway County
- Paradise Resort on Kentucky Lakeboat ramp, paved, single lane, courtesy dock, marina, Calloway County
- Cozy Cove Boat Ramp on Kentucky Lakeboat ramp, paved, single lane, courtesy dock, marina, Marshall County
- Hickory Hill Boat Ramp on Kentucky Lakeboat ramp, paved, single lane, courtesy dock, marina, Marshall County
- Shawnee Bay Resort on Kentucky Lakeboat ramp, paved, single lane, courtesy dock, marina, Marshall County
- Jones Creek Ramp on Kentucky Lakeboat ramp, paved, single lane, Trigg County
- Devil's Elbow – LBL Boat Ramp on Lake Barkleyboat ramp, paved, multiple lanes, courtesy dock, Trigg County
- Southern Comfort Resort on Kentucky Lakeboat ramp, paved, single lane, courtesy dock, marina, Marshall County
- Irvin Cobb Boat Ramp on Kentucky Lakeboat ramp, paved, multiple lanes, courtesy dock, marina, Calloway County
- Bacon Creek – LBL Boat Ramp on Lake Barkleyboat ramp, paved, single lane, Trigg County
- Boatwright Ramp on Kentucky Lakeboat ramp, unpaved, single lane, Calloway County
- Kentucky Beach Resortboat ramp, paved, single lane, courtesy dock, marina, Calloway County
- Ford Bay Boat Ramp on Lake Barkleyboat ramp, unpaved, single lane, Trigg County
The Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley circuit list
County pages around Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley fields
- Lyon County
- Marshall County
- Livingston County
Kentucky contest gear for Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley
Crankbaits and jigs
For ledges and stumps
Casting rod combos
For ledge cranking
Fluorocarbon
For clear highland lakes
Livewell care
For a clean weigh-in
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Event pages away from Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley
- Barren River Lake0 events
- Cave Run Lake2 events
- Green River Lake2 events
- Lake Cumberland2 events
- Ohio River (Central)1 event
Lakes, tailwaters and floatable creeks around Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley, pictured
Photo: LouisvilleUSACE, CC BY 2.0
Photo: David Wilson, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Land Between the Lakes KY\/TN, Public domain
Photo: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District, CC BY-SA 2.0
Kentucky water near Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley tournament stops, on camera
Photo: Land Between the Lakes KY\/TN, Public domain
Photo: Thomas McGehee Photography, CC BY 2.0
Photo: David Wilson, CC BY 2.0
Photo: LouisvilleUSACE, CC BY 2.0
Questions Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley competitors bring up
What count of events does Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley carry here?
5 on the Kentucky sheet, 5 still pending, with 3 published results.
Which Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley date is next?
Toyota Series Plains Division at Kentucky Lake on 2027-04-01.
What weight leads a Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley event?
This water has no dated one-day five-bass winner on file yet.
Which hosts book Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley?
Major League Fishing (MLF), Kentucky High School Athletic Association (KHSAA), run with SAF and MLF, Major League Fishing (MLF) / Student Angler Federation (SAF) and King Kat Tournament Trail.
Which town do Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley fields launch from?
Takeoff towns the hosts printed: Gilbertsville, Calvert City and Buchanan, Tennessee.
Who won the most recent dated field on Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley?
Matteo Turano took Toyota Series Plains Division at Kentucky Lake (2026-04-09) with three-day total 64-2 (Day 3: 18 pounds, 10 ounces).
Which license lets an angler fish in a Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley field?
Anglers 16 and older need a Kentucky fishing license; the 2026 guide prints $24.31 for the resident annual license and $58.14 for nonresidents. Kentucky anglers licensed in Kentucky may fish all Tennessee waters on the portion of Kentucky Lake from Eggner’s Ferry Bridge (U.S. 68 and KY 80) in Kentucky south to the Governor Ned McWhorter Bridge (U.S. 79 and TN 76) in Tennessee without buying a Tennessee fishing license. This includes all embayments and tributaries on this portion of the lake. Tenessee anglers: please note that Blood River is not included in the bordering waters zone and will require a Kentucky non-resident fishing license to fish. Anglers shall abide by the regulations of the state by which they are licensed, except that when fishing from the bank, anglers shall follow the regulations of the state in which they are fishing. The guide's border-water section names no reciprocal agreement for Lake Barkley; its Tennessee portion follows Tennessee license rules, while the Kentucky Lake agreement covers only the Eggner's Ferry to Ned McWhorter Bridge stretch of Kentucky Lake. Some posted takeoffs are on the Tennessee side of the lake.
How does a team sign on for a Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley field?
Each circuit handles its own entries; the event name in each row opens that host page with the fee and deadline.
How would a club submit a Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley event?
The Add a tournament button up top accepts the date, and a host link lets it be verified.
Scout Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley before the field arrives
The lake page carries KDFWR ramps, limits and the agency notes.
Know a tournament that is not listed?
Send it here with a link to the organizer’s event page or schedule. Weekly and monthly ones only need to go in once. If that page shows the name and the date (or the day of the week), it goes on this page right away. If not, we check it by hand within a week.
We keep what you send so we can check the event. Your email is never published.