Fishing in Kentucky

Fishing in Kentucky

PiscaMaps covers 1,427 public fishing venues across Kentucky in 4 regions — 411 lakes and reservoirs and 1,008 rivers. The largest is Kentucky Lake, at 55,025 acres. Ohio River is the longest mapped river, running 892 km. South Central & Green River has the most venues on file, with 548. 90 venues are documented trout waters.

The most commonly recorded species across Kentucky's public waters are Channel Catfish, Bluegill, Largemouth Bass, Flathead Catfish, Spotted Bass, Longear Sunfish, White Bass and Black Crappie — the exact mix varies by water type and region. 268 venues have a real boat ramp on file, 134 have nearby camping, and 474 have mapped parking — sourced from OpenStreetMap and recreation.gov's federal facilities database (RIDB) where available.

Fishing Regions in Kentucky

Kentucky's public fishing venues are spread across 4 regions on PiscaMaps:

Species Recorded in Kentucky

The most frequently recorded species across Kentucky's public venues on PiscaMaps:

Fishing Licence in Kentucky

Anyone 16+ needs a Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife Resources fishing licence — resident annual is about $23, non-resident annual about $60, and short-term (1-day / 7-day / 15-day) licences are sold. A trout permit (~$10, resident and non-resident alike) is required to fish for or keep trout anywhere in the state. Kentucky residents 65+ (and disabled residents) can buy a discounted Senior/Disabled combination licence; residents born before 1 Jan 1961 may fish without a licence. Buy from KDFWR at fw.ky.gov. A Kentucky fishing licence covers navigable rivers. The Ohio River is fished on a Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois or West Virginia licence within the marked reciprocal zone. A trout permit is required on the Cumberland tailwater and the stocked trout streams.

Frequently Asked Questions

• How many public fishing venues are there in Kentucky?+
  PiscaMaps covers 1,427 public fishing venues across Kentucky in 4 regions — 411 lakes and reservoirs and 1,008 rivers. The largest is Kentucky Lake, at 55,025 acres. Ohio River is the longest mapped river, running 892 km. South Central & Green River has the most venues on file, with 548. 90 venues are documented trout waters.
• Do I need a fishing licence in Kentucky?+
  Anyone 16+ needs a Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife Resources fishing licence — resident annual is about $23, non-resident annual about $60, and short-term (1-day / 7-day / 15-day) licences are sold. A trout permit (~$10, resident and non-resident alike) is required to fish for or keep trout anywhere in the state. Kentucky residents 65+ (and disabled residents) can buy a discounted Senior/Disabled combination licence; residents born before 1 Jan 1961 may fish without a licence. Buy from KDFWR at fw.ky.gov. A Kentucky fishing licence covers navigable rivers. The Ohio River is fished on a Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois or West Virginia licence within the marked reciprocal zone. A trout permit is required on the Cumberland tailwater and the stocked trout streams.
• Are there boat ramps and camping near Kentucky's fishing lakes?+
  268 venues have a mapped boat ramp and 134 have nearby camping on PiscaMaps, sourced from OpenStreetMap and the federal RIDB database.

Notable Lakes & Reservoirs in Kentucky

Rivers in Kentucky

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