18 public waters in the Eastern Kentucky region — 1 lakes/reservoirs and 17 rivers. Every one is public water fishable on a Kentucky licence.
See every public fishing venue in Kentucky on the map, with boat ramps, camping, parking and full rules for each one.
Paintsville Lake (996 acres) sits in Johnson and Morgan Counties, Kentucky, managed by Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife Resources. An Eastern Kentucky mountain reservoir (Fishtrap, Dewey, Paintsville, Grayson, Yatesville, Buckhorn, Carr Creek, Martins Fork) — largemouth and Spotted Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel Catfish and Walleye, with Muskellunge in several and stocked Rainbow Trout in the cold headwaters of Paintsville and Grayson. Steep, forested, narrow lakes.
Levisa Fork runs 208 km through Pike, Floyd, Johnson and 1 more county in Kentucky, managed by Commonwealth of Kentucky (public / navigable water): An Eastern Kentucky river (Big Sandy, Levisa Fork, Russell Fork, Tug Fork, Red Bird River, the forks of the Kentucky) — smallmouth, largemouth and Spotted Bass, Rock Bass, Muskellunge, channel and Flathead Catfish and Walleye. Russell Fork through the Breaks is also Kentucky's whitewater river.
Pike, Floyd and Johnson Counties, Kentucky — Johns Creek is a 40 km stream, managed by Commonwealth of Kentucky (public / navigable water): A warmwater Kentucky river or large creek — largemouth and Spotted Bass, channel and Flathead Catfish, Bluegill and Longear Sunfish, White Bass, and Rock Bass in the rockier reaches. Access at KDFWR sites, bridges and county landings.
Paint Creek runs 22 km through Johnson and Morgan Counties, Kentucky, managed by Commonwealth of Kentucky (public / navigable water): A Kentucky stocked or wild Trout stream — rainbow and Brown Trout stocked on a rotation October to spring in the Daniel Boone National Forest and elsewhere, with a handful of streams (Bad Branch, Rock Creek, Dog Slaughter) holding wild or catch-and-release fish. A Trout permit is required.
Rockhouse Fork (20 km) flows through Martin and Johnson Counties, Kentucky, managed by Commonwealth of Kentucky (public / navigable water). A warmwater Kentucky river or large creek — largemouth and Spotted Bass, channel and Flathead Catfish, Bluegill and Longear Sunfish, White Bass, and Rock Bass in the rockier reaches. Access at KDFWR sites, bridges and county landings.
Hood Creek runs 14 km through Lawrence and Johnson Counties, Kentucky, managed by Commonwealth of Kentucky (public / navigable water): A warmwater Kentucky river or large creek — largemouth and Spotted Bass, channel and Flathead Catfish, Bluegill and Longear Sunfish, White Bass, and Rock Bass in the rockier reaches. Access at KDFWR sites, bridges and county landings.
Open Fork Paint Creek (13 km) flows through Morgan and Johnson Counties, Kentucky, managed by Commonwealth of Kentucky (public / navigable water). A warmwater Kentucky river or large creek — largemouth and Spotted Bass, channel and Flathead Catfish, Bluegill and Longear Sunfish, White Bass, and Rock Bass in the rockier reaches. Access at KDFWR sites, bridges and county landings.
Upper Laurel Creek (12 km) flows through Johnson, Lawrence and Morgan Counties, Kentucky, managed by Commonwealth of Kentucky (public / navigable water). A warmwater Kentucky river or large creek — largemouth and Spotted Bass, channel and Flathead Catfish, Bluegill and Longear Sunfish, White Bass, and Rock Bass in the rockier reaches. Access at KDFWR sites, bridges and county landings.
Johnson County, Kentucky — Toms Creek is a 12 km stream, managed by Commonwealth of Kentucky (public / navigable water): A warmwater Kentucky river or large creek — largemouth and Spotted Bass, channel and Flathead Catfish, Bluegill and Longear Sunfish, White Bass, and Rock Bass in the rockier reaches. Access at KDFWR sites, bridges and county landings.
In Johnson, Morgan and Magoffin Counties, Kentucky, Little Paint Creek is a 11 km river or creek, managed by Commonwealth of Kentucky (public / navigable water). A Kentucky stocked or wild Trout stream — rainbow and Brown Trout stocked on a rotation October to spring in the Daniel Boone National Forest and elsewhere, with a handful of streams (Bad Branch, Rock Creek, Dog Slaughter) holding wild or catch-and-release fish. A Trout permit is required.
In Lawrence and Johnson Counties, Kentucky, Brushy Creek is a 12 km river or creek, managed by Commonwealth of Kentucky (public / navigable water). A warmwater Kentucky river or large creek — largemouth and Spotted Bass, channel and Flathead Catfish, Bluegill and Longear Sunfish, White Bass, and Rock Bass in the rockier reaches. Access at KDFWR sites, bridges and county landings.
Johnson and Lawrence Counties, Kentucky — Lower Laurel Creek is a 11 km stream, managed by Commonwealth of Kentucky (public / navigable water): A warmwater Kentucky river or large creek — largemouth and Spotted Bass, channel and Flathead Catfish, Bluegill and Longear Sunfish, White Bass, and Rock Bass in the rockier reaches. Access at KDFWR sites, bridges and county landings.
Jennys Creek (11 km) flows through Johnson County, Kentucky, managed by Commonwealth of Kentucky (public / navigable water). A warmwater Kentucky river or large creek — largemouth and Spotted Bass, channel and Flathead Catfish, Bluegill and Longear Sunfish, White Bass, and Rock Bass in the rockier reaches. Access at KDFWR sites, bridges and county landings.
In Johnson County, Kentucky, Mudlick Creek is a 10 km river or creek, managed by Commonwealth of Kentucky (public / navigable water). A warmwater Kentucky river or large creek — largemouth and Spotted Bass, channel and Flathead Catfish, Bluegill and Longear Sunfish, White Bass, and Rock Bass in the rockier reaches. Access at KDFWR sites, bridges and county landings.
Big Mine Fork (9 km) flows through Magoffin, Johnson and Morgan Counties, Kentucky, managed by Commonwealth of Kentucky (public / navigable water). A warmwater Kentucky river or large creek — largemouth and Spotted Bass, channel and Flathead Catfish, Bluegill and Longear Sunfish, White Bass, and Rock Bass in the rockier reaches. Access at KDFWR sites, bridges and county landings.
Left Fork Blaine Creek runs 8 km through Lawrence, Johnson and Morgan Counties, Kentucky, managed by Commonwealth of Kentucky (public / navigable water): A warmwater Kentucky river or large creek — largemouth and Spotted Bass, channel and Flathead Catfish, Bluegill and Longear Sunfish, White Bass, and Rock Bass in the rockier reaches. Access at KDFWR sites, bridges and county landings.
Franks Creek runs 8 km through Johnson and Lawrence Counties, Kentucky, managed by Commonwealth of Kentucky (public / navigable water): A warmwater Kentucky river or large creek — largemouth and Spotted Bass, channel and Flathead Catfish, Bluegill and Longear Sunfish, White Bass, and Rock Bass in the rockier reaches. Access at KDFWR sites, bridges and county landings.
Stafford Fork (6 km) flows through Martin and Johnson Counties, Kentucky, managed by Commonwealth of Kentucky (public / navigable water). A warmwater Kentucky river or large creek — largemouth and Spotted Bass, channel and Flathead Catfish, Bluegill and Longear Sunfish, White Bass, and Rock Bass in the rockier reaches. Access at KDFWR sites, bridges and county landings.
Across its mapped waters, Johnson County holds 15 species on PiscaMaps, including Largemouth Bass, Spotted Bass, Channel Catfish, Bluegill, Flathead Catfish, Longear Sunfish, White Bass and Rainbow Trout.
Ramps, put-ins and species for every water — plus the carp layer no other US app has.
Open the Kentucky map Join PiscaMapsOne Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife Resources fishing licence covers every public water in the state — resident annual about $23, non-resident annual about $60, with 1-day, 7-day and 15-day short-term options. A ~$10 trout permit (resident and non-resident) is required to fish for or keep trout anywhere, including the Cumberland River tailwater below Wolf Creek Dam. Kentucky residents born before 1 January 1961 may fish without a licence; residents 65+ and disabled residents can buy a discounted combination licence. Buy at fw.ky.gov.