Reformatory Lake in Oldham County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  The Oldham County entry here is Reformatory Lake, in Kentucky. The setting is farm and woodlot on every side. Roughly 58 acres: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. Roughly 1.4 miles of bank means you can walk to a fresh area when one goes quiet. Buckner lies 0.9 miles from the water. After that come La Grange at 3.2 miles and Crestwood at 5.3 miles. The boundary is close enough to be worth checking before you fish.

• Where to Fish on Reformatory Lake

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. Look for where the old bank line still shows under the surface. The old creek line under the surface is the feature worth finding. Records held for Oldham County cover fantail darter, longear sunfish, rainbow darter, bluegill and white sucker. The county list is broader than any single water. At Reformatory Lake light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July near 76°F and January near 31°F on the long-run figures. Neither winter nor summer shuts things down for long. In a normal year the cover is thin and short-lived. Autumn steadies things again once the heat lets go. It sets the rhythm of the year at Reformatory Lake. After a storm, the water clears from the edges inwards.

• Tackle & Baits

  Our records carry no access rule either way. There is a car park half a mile from the bank. There is a jetty half a mile off, worth knowing on a busy day. Mapping records toilets within half a mile. Bluegill and other panfish take small jigs or worms under a float near any cover. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Lake Lotawata at 1.9 miles is the sensible second choice. Nothing here settles the position at Reformatory Lake for certain.