Pan Bowl Lake (Panbowl Lake) is the in-town fishing lake for Jackson, Kentucky – a 98-acre lake right in the heart of Breathitt County, formed when an oxbow of the North Fork of the Kentucky River was cut off and dammed. Long and narrow, renowned for its largemouth bass, and easy to reach in the eastern Kentucky mountains, it’s a community favorite for bank and boat anglers alike. This guide is part of our growing Kentucky Lakes Database.
Pan Bowl Lake at a glance
- Surface area: ~98 acres; long and narrow (about 7 miles end to end)
- Depth: a former river-channel lake (oxbow), with deeper water in the old channel
- Elevation: in the Cumberland Plateau of eastern Kentucky
- Location: Breathitt County, in/at Jackson
- Built: formed in 1963 when the panbowl-shaped North Fork bend was dammed during KY-15 construction
- Top fish: largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill, channel catfish, sunfish
An oxbow lake in the mountains
Pan Bowl is unusual: it was once a panbowl-shaped bend (oxbow) of the North Fork of the Kentucky River, cut off and dammed in 1963 during the construction of KY-15. That gives it a long, narrow, river-like shape and a former river channel that runs deeper than the shallow margins – good structure for bass. As exact maximum-depth figures aren’t widely published, anglers fish the old channel for the deeper water and the many shallow, brushy edges for cover.
Fishing Pan Bowl Lake
Pan Bowl is renowned for largemouth bass and also supports crappie, bluegill, channel catfish and other sunfish. A Kentucky fishing license is required; check any special regulations. The lake’s location right in Jackson makes it a popular, accessible fishery, with bank fishing, piers and docks as well as boat access. Work the channel edges and brushy banks for bass and crappie.
Boating, access and recreation
Boat ramps, piers and docks plus extensive bank-fishing access make Pan Bowl easy to fish, and its in-town setting means full services are close at hand. It’s a fishing and paddling lake; there’s no developed swim beach, so swimming is limited. The surrounding eastern-Kentucky mountains and the town of Jackson give it a friendly, community feel.
Water level
As a dammed river bend, Pan Bowl’s level can respond to rainfall and river conditions – it can rise after heavy mountain rain. Check current conditions before launching.
Getting there and what’s nearby
Pan Bowl Lake is in Jackson, Breathitt County, eastern Kentucky, along KY-15/the North Fork. Buckhorn Lake and the Daniel Boone National Forest are within the region.
Know before you go
- Fishing license: a Kentucky license is required.
- Bass lake: renowned for largemouth – fish the old river channel and brushy banks.
- In town: easy access right in Jackson with bank fishing and ramps.
Frequently asked questions
What fish are in Pan Bowl Lake?
Largemouth bass (the headliner), crappie, bluegill, channel catfish and sunfish.
How was Pan Bowl Lake formed?
It was created in 1963 when a panbowl-shaped bend (oxbow) of the North Fork of the Kentucky River was cut off and dammed during KY-15 construction.
Where is Pan Bowl Lake?
In Jackson, Breathitt County, eastern Kentucky, along KY-15.
Related: explore the small lakes of Kentucky, or head back to the Kentucky Lakes Database.
Explore more Kentucky lakes: the largest lakes in Kentucky and the deepest lakes in Kentucky.