Travel Features

A Fishing Trip Gone... Well, Not as Planned

September 9, 2025 | Lakin' It with Lydia

Fishing is a huge part of the Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley experience, and this past weekend, I decided to give it a try. Since I'm not exactly a fishing expert, I teamed up with Luis and Elise from the Friends of Land Between the Lakes for a little expedition. Our spot was a cool riprap berm, basically a rocky causeway stacked between Honker Lake and Lake Barkley, giving us the unique opportunity to fish two different lakes in one place.

As it was my first fishing trip of the year, I had to grab a quick permit. A pro tip: do this online before you head out, as cell service can be spotty! I got my Kentucky license at fw.ky.gov, but for those fishing in Tennessee, you can get yours at gooutdoorstennessee.com.

We didn't see any here, but it's important to know about the PVC pipes you’ll find set up around the lakes. They are often mistaken for trash cans, but they are actually for recycling old fishing line! Using them is a simple way to help keep the lakes clean and safe, as fishing line is a huge hazard to wildlife like birds and otters.

After trying both sides of the berm, we were ready to give up. But just as we were packing up, I felt some resistance on my line! After a little struggle, I reeled in my big catch: a whole bunch of water plants! I may not have caught a fish, but I can still say I was the only one to catch anything that day. It was a perfect day out on the water, and I can't wait to go again—maybe with a real expert this time!

Here is my fishing location:


And here is my experience in video format:

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