Shelby Lake Fishing in Shelby County, Kentucky

• Overview

  Shelby Lake sits within Shelby County in Kentucky. It lies 728 feet above sea level. The town to know is Shelbyville, 1.5 miles out. Simpsonville is 7.5 miles away, with Eminence at 9.7 miles. Also worth knowing: Guist Creek Lake some 4.7 miles off, Eminence Lake 11 miles away, Henry County Rod and Gun Club Lake some 12 miles off, Hickory Hill Lake 14 miles away and Crystal Lake some 14 miles off. No boundary runs near, so the county rules hold throughout.

• Where to Fish on Shelby Lake

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. A reservoir gives you a hard edge, a shelf, and not much else. Rip-rap along the wall holds fish that the open bank never does. Across Shelby County, recorded fish include brown bullhead, channel catfish, fantail darter and flathead catfish. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. On Shelby Lake a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 76°F in July and bottom out at 31°F in January. The freeze here is occasional rather than annual. It should never be assumed safe, whatever the month says. Late winter often fishes better here than midsummer does. It holds true on Shelby Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. You can launch from a ramp around half a mile away. A parking area is marked roughly 150 yards out. There is a jetty half a mile off, worth knowing on a busy day. A picnic spot sits half a mile from the bank. A toilet block sits half a mile away. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Should this one be busy, Guist Creek Lake is 4.7 miles off. Treat Shelby Lake as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.