Thread topic hopping - but kinda following the crowd.
We spent so much time boating while our kids were growing up. Our goal was to boat on as many lakes in KY and surrounding states as possible before the kids finished high school.
I fish a little but mostly the family swims, skis, wakeboards, cruises, and tubes.
In order of my preference and a list that some of you might want to try..
- Laurel Lake (KY) clear calm water, no development, primitive boat in only camping
- Norris Lake (TN) superb water, easy to avoid crowds, lots of fabulous rental houses for big families and good ski water
- Dale Hollow (KY) just wow, clear, easy to find good water
- Fontana Lake (NC) up in the NC mountains, cool water falls.
- Rough River Lake (KY) narrow and not as clear, have weekdays to yourself, bass, crappie, fun state park lodge
- Cumberland (KY) big, good ski coves, poker run boats/girls, main channel has more chop and big boats, easy to catch hybrid stripers
- Ohio River Cincinnati, Hooters by boat, restaurants, ski forever without turning around, fireworks, concerts
- Cave Run (KY) not as clear, tougher to find smooth water.
- East Fork (OH) smaller, dedicated swim zones, so my cleaner than the Ohio for the kids to swim, decent skiing early morning
- Nolin Lake (KY) twin for Rough River
- Lake Erie (OH) Walleye and Perch charters, rough for my small boat
- Kentucky and Barkley (KY) like a river, not as clear, big lakes, damns are cool to see, 2500 acres of Land Between the Lakes
- Barren River (KY) Similar to Nolin and Rough River
- Ceasar Creak (OH) popular on weekends on weekends, probably good for PWCs
- Brookville Lake (IN) - bath tub rough, don't bother