Thread: Elmer Davis Lake

Article is a year old. I wonder if their efforts paid off

I don't know.
I'm about 10 miles from there but I don't know anyone who fishes it.
Hoping somebody may have been there.

I haven't been to Elmer in a few years. I'm in N.KY so it's only a 35-40 minute trip for me but we've never done that good there, going back 6 years now. We've tried catching those panfish with no luck. I've caught some decent crappie out of there, but not enough to make it worth my time to drive past the river to get to Elmer.

Couple years back I drove a few miles past Elmer and put in at pool #2 at the Ky. River in Gratz. Didn't do great but caught some nice crappie and lots of small/mid-size bass. It was a very enjoyable and scenic trip to motor 2 miles up to the overflow and float back and fish. I'd like to try that again. I've heard you can put a decent size boat in at Benji Kinman now but haven't tried. I'd also like to know if Elmer has become a better fishery in this last year.

mbk

Originally Posted by mbk

I haven't been to Elmer in a few years. I'm in N.KY so it's only a 35-40 minute trip for me but we've never done that good there, going back 6 years now. We've tried catching those panfish with no luck. I've caught some decent crappie out of there, but not enough to make it worth my time to drive past the river to get to Elmer.

Couple years back I drove a few miles past Elmer and put in at pool #2 at the Ky. River in Gratz. Didn't do great but caught some nice crappie and lots of small/mid-size bass. It was a very enjoyable and scenic trip to motor 2 miles up to the overflow and float back and fish. I'd like to try that again. I've heard you can put a decent size boat in at Benji Kinman now but haven't tried. I'd also like to know if Elmer has become a better fishery in this last year.

mbk

I'm shouting distance from Benji Kinman. I'm on the Owen County side of the river. Yeah you can drop a boat in there but its trolling only.
You've been missing it.
They stocked trout in the 6 acre lake across from Benji.
They say the crappie there are stunted though.

I fish the Kentucky River all the time.
Decent size fish but not enough to get excited.

Just found this on fish and game site.
They either shocked it or just trying to drum up business.

2017 fishing forecast for Elmer Davis

Bluegill
Fair/Good
Good numbers of fish between 6-8 inches; many around beaver lodges and boat docks.
Bluegill population expected to improve with the eradication of the gizzard shad.

Channel catfish
Good
Catchable-size fish stocked last year; fish over 15 inches possible.

Crappie
Fair/Good
Most around 9-11 inches.

Largemouth bass
Good/Excellent
Plenty of bass under 12- to 15-inch protected slot limit with good numbers in the slot.
Good numbers of bass greater than 15 inches. Weed beds are back. Trophy-size bass are possible.

Redear sunfish
Good
Good numbers of fish between 6-8 inches near weed beds or on spawning beds in upper parts of creek arms. “Shellcrackers” greater than 10 inches are present. Redear sunfish population is expected to improve with the eradication of the gizzard shad.

Warmouth
Fair
Nice-size fish present, usually around weed beds. Locally known as “redeye” or
“rockbass”.

To all, was at the lake this year a couple times, not fishing, but spent about two hours each trip talking to several coming off the lake this late spring/summer. Nobody was doing much. I guess they dropped the lake significantly the previous year to work on something. Talked to one local who lived within 5 miles of the Lake and he's basically given up fishing there until things improve. He said it's been really bad the last couple years for any type of fishing. Hopefully, they will do some stocking and/or put some more restrictions on the size and creel limits until this lake makes some kinda comeback. I recently moved back to KY, used to fish this lake 20 years ago and it was excellent for bluegill fishing at this time. Hope they find a way to get it back. Currently, looks like a waist of time to fish there until something improves.