Lake Beshear Fishing Guide, Caldwell County, Kentucky

• Overview

  Set in Caldwell County, Kentucky, this is Lake Beshear. Height above sea level is 430 feet. At some 835 acres it is far too large to cover on foot in a day. The perimeter is close to 16 miles, and wind can be flat in one arm and rough in the next. Start from Dawson Springs, 2.6 miles down the road. It is 45 miles to Clarksville, the nearest city. The county edge is within a short distance of the bank.

• Where to Fish on Lake Beshear

  Our records give 35 ft, so you have a figure to work from. Rip-rap along the wall holds fish that the open bank never does. Look for where the old bank line still shows under the surface. Reported across Caldwell County: spottail darter, redfin pickerel, green sunfish, johnny darter and longear sunfish. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. On Lake Beshear the first feature you find is usually worth a session.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 78°F at the top of summer and 34°F at the bottom of winter. The swings are modest, so patterns change slowly. It should never be assumed safe, whatever the month says. March through May is the strongest run, with October and November a second stretch. Lake Beshear runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  The ground here is public, which usually keeps access simple. No made access appears within a short radius, so plan to park on a verge and walk. A wire trace and a big bright lure handle the pike; deep water asks for a heavier spoon. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Should this one be busy, Pennyrile Lake is 4.5 miles off. Treat Lake Beshear as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.