Lake life. Public waters. The stories that matter.
Mark Bixler and Drew Morgan won the September 22 college tournament with five bass weighing 21 pounds, 2 ounces. Their club earned $2,000 and qualification for the 2027 national championship.
MLF’s September 21 preview announces the LBL Division’s October 3–4 season finale in Gilbertsville. The fishing outlook emphasizes finding baitfish and adjusting to lower water levels.
Steve McCadams’s September 11 report describes low current and warm water slowing the catfish bite. Crappie anglers were finding fish around structure in roughly 11–14 feet of water. Conditions reflect the report date.
Steve McCadams’s September 4 report describes crappie near structure in 11–14 feet and seasonally falling water. Boaters were advised to follow marked channels and avoid shallow shortcuts. Conditions reflect the report date.
Nine recruits began training September 8 at the academy’s new permanent home at Green River Lake State Park. The September 10 announcement describes a state-park facility lease and the recruits’ academy and field-training program.
The Corps describes inspections and repairs inside Barkley Lock’s drained chamber during major scheduled maintenance. The September 15 announcement anticipated reopening October 1; that was a planned date, not confirmation of reopening.
The Corps announced that the Emma Kate assist boat is helping vessels navigate after upstream guard-wall damage. The September 8 notice describes commercial tow assistance and recreational passage between commercial lockages.
A September 25 report describes temporary navigation measures and work on permanent repairs after damage to the upstream guard wall. The Corps is coordinating with TVA, which owns the Tennessee River locks; final repair designs and funding were still being developed.
Fishermen found Jerry Skaggs’s body at Madisonville City Park Lake on September 22. Firefighters recovered him. Police reported no suspected foul play and described an apparent accident while awaiting an autopsy.
WKYT reports that a grand jury ruled Marly Kinney’s death accidental. The 19-year-old was found in June; the September decision found no basis for criminal charges in her death.
A September 16 rescue-team account describes the September 8–9 search for a fisherman missing in a remote part of Cave Run Lake. A Kentucky State Police aircraft located him, and a boat team brought him to emergency medical personnel.
A September 18 preview follows Murray State’s fishing team as it prepares for the September 22 Kentucky Lake event. The tournament offers qualifying places for the 2027 national championship.
Wolfe County Search & Rescue reported its participation in the September 13 Friends of the Red River cleanup. Volunteers removed 45 bags of trash, eight tires and a battery.
A Mercer Circuit judge denied Cody Casey’s request to reduce his bond following the fatal July 4 boat collision. Casey has pleaded not guilty. Related civil claims, including allegations of negligence and asset transfers, remain unresolved.
Trigg County tourism director Beth Sumner reported strong visitor interest at the Western Waterlands booth. The September 6 report highlights Land Between the Lakes, Lake Barkley State Resort Park and western Kentucky travel attractions.
Kentucky Fish & Wildlife’s September 8 recap covers rules already effective in June, including engine cutoff switch use when required, motor restrictions on small lakes, flotation-device standards and wake-related safety requirements. These are enacted rules, not new proposals.
Kentucky & Tennessee Marina Associations announcements