Dewey Lake is the centerpiece of Jenny Wiley State Resort Park in the eastern Kentucky mountains near Prestonsburg – an 1,100-acre reservoir on Johns Creek wrapped in steep, forested hills and rich in Appalachian history and music. With a lodge, a marina, a popular outdoor theatre and the long Jenny Wiley hiking trail, it blends a lake getaway with mountain culture.
This guide covers Dewey Lake: the fishing, Jenny Wiley State Resort Park, and what’s nearby. It’s part of our growing Kentucky Lakes Database.
Dewey Lake at a glance
- Surface area: ~1,100 acres; ~52 miles of forested shoreline
- Location: Floyd County, eastern Kentucky (near Prestonsburg)
- Built: Dewey Dam on Johns Creek, completed 1949 (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers)
- Top fish: largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill, catfish
Fishing Dewey Lake
Dewey is a pleasant mountain fishery with largemouth bass along the wooded banks and coves, plus crappie, bluegill and catfish. A Kentucky fishing license is required. The narrow, fingered lake is easy to fish from a small boat or kayak, with steep shorelines and quiet creek arms.
Jenny Wiley State Resort Park
Jenny Wiley State Resort Park – named for the frontier pioneer whose 1789 capture-and-escape story is local legend – anchors the lake with the May Lodge, cottages, a campground, a marina and the Jenny Wiley Theatre, a respected outdoor and indoor performing-arts venue. The park is the trailhead for the long-distance Jenny Wiley Trail, and a sky-lift once carried visitors up Sugar Camp Mountain for the views. It’s a complete mountain-resort destination with a strong dose of Appalachian heritage.
Getting there and what’s nearby
Dewey Lake is near Prestonsburg in eastern Kentucky, about 2 hours east of Lexington off US-23, the “Country Music Highway.” Paintsville Lake and the mountain towns of the Big Sandy valley are close by.
Know before you go
- Fishing license: a Kentucky license is required.
- Plan the park: check the Jenny Wiley Theatre schedule and lodge availability.
- Best seasons: spring and fall for bass and crappie, summer for the resort, theatre and boating.
Frequently asked questions
What state park is on Dewey Lake?
Jenny Wiley State Resort Park, with the May Lodge, cottages, a campground, a marina and the Jenny Wiley Theatre.
What fish are in Dewey Lake?
Largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill and catfish.
Where is Dewey Lake?
In eastern Kentucky near Prestonsburg, about 2 hours east of Lexington off US-23.
Related: explore more of the largest lakes in Kentucky, or head back to the Kentucky Lakes Database.
Explore more Kentucky lakes: the largest lakes in Kentucky and the deepest lakes in Kentucky.
