Not long after its impoundment, Dale Hollow’s reputation as a fishing hotspot started to grow. That reputation reached worldwide proportions way back in 1955, when David Lee Hayes landed the world- record, 11.9375-pound “smallie” from the Kentucky side of the lake. Hayes’ world- record has survived a great deal of scrutiny through the years and stands undisputed as the biggest-ever smallmouth landed.

But don’t think smallmouth bass fishing is the only type Dale Hollow is recognized for, or still heavily visited for. The lake, and the Obey River directly below it, has held multiple records for other species through the years. Dale Hollow once held the state record for lake trout (12 pounds, 13 ounces), while the Obey River below Dale Hollow Dam once produced a state-record rainbow trout (14 pounds, 8 ounces) and brown trout (26 pounds, 2 ounces). Those marks have fallen through the years, but the brown trout and rainbow trout former records.

Dale Hollow still holds the Kentucky muskie title (43 pounds). If you’re looking for big fish, this can be the place. If you want to fish for something else, there’s largemouth and Kentucky bass, walleye, crappie, drum and a variety of other species to choose from.