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Upper Barren River

​​ Upper Barren River begins in southcentral Monroe County just west of Gamaliel and flows west-northwest passing by the small communities of Fountain Run and Holland before entering into Barren River Lake. Upper Barren River is fairly remote and flows through an area that is predominantly surrounded by agricultural land. Unfortunately, this section of the Barren River only contains a limited number of public access points. However, this portion of the river is comprised of abundant riffle/run habitat, narrow, braided channels and shallow pools that help support fishable populations of hybrid striped bass, channel catfish, white bass, smallmouth bass, bluegill and rock bass.

 
 
                               
  

Upper Barren River Access Site to Site Mileages
Put In Access SiteTake Out Access SiteTotal River Miles
Deep FordCoruth Ford14.5
Coruth FordHolland Bridge Ramp5.1
 
                                               
  

Recommended River Levels for Boating/Fishing*
24hr average inflow into Barren River Lake
RatingFlow in cubic feet per second (cfs)
Low<650 cfs
Good1000 cfs
High>1500 cfs
*These ratings are only recommendations. Skill and experience will dictate levels appropriate for each angler.
Resources for River Levels:
U. S. Army Corps of Engineers
(Provides real time outflow and inflow around the state)
24hr average inflow into Barren River Lake

 
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Upper Barren River Public Access Site Descriptions
 

Deep Ford: (Additional Information/Directions)
                                            

Deep Ford crosses upper Barren River nine miles southeast of Fountain Run, KY. To access this site, head east out of Fountain Run on KY-100/Fountain Run Rd for 5 miles, take a right onto state highway 678 for just over a mile and lastly take a left onto Deep Ford road which will take you to the ford crossing. Parking is limited at the ford depending on water levels and bank availability. This site provides good access for small john boats, canoes, and kayaks. Bank fishing is limited to area directly around the ford due to adjacent private property. No amenities exist at this site. Please do not block the ford and respect private property.

Coruth Ford: (Additional Information/Directions)
                                            

Coruth Ford Road crosses upper Barren River just three and a half miles south of Fountain Run, KY. To access this ford, head south out of Fountain Run, KY on KY-100W/ Fountain Run road for 1.5 miles, then turn left onto Dunnsford road for 1.3 miles and lastly turn right on Coruth Ford road until you reach the river. Limited parking is available at the ford crossing depending on water levels and along the roadside. This site provides good access for small john boats, canoes, and kayaks. Bank fishing is limited to area directly around the ford due to adjacent private property. No amenities exist at this site. Please do not block the ford and respect private property.
Holland Bridge Ramp: (Additional Information/Directions) 
                                                

This single lane, concrete ramp is located one and a half miles east of Holland, KY directly below the Holland Road Bridge and six miles west of Fountain Run, KY on KY-100 W/Holland Rd. A large, gravel parking area is available at the ramp site. However, there are no other amenities available at this site. This site is suitable for john boats, canoes, and kayaks. Bank and wading fishing is available at this site, although it is limited to the area surrounding the ramp and directly below Holland Road Bridge.

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Fisheries Overview
 

The following length frequencies are representative of the top 4 species sampled in Upper Barren River from 2018.

Hybrid Striped Bass length frequency graph ​

 

Yellow Bass length frequency graph 

 

Channel Catfish Length frequency graph 

 

White Bass Length frequency graph 

Rock Bass Length frequency graph ​

  
 

 

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