Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 9, March 1, 2024
RELATES TO:
KRS
150.010,
150.170,
150.175,
150.340,
150.620,
150.990
NECESSITY, FUNCTION, AND CONFORMITY:
KRS
150.025(1) authorizes the
department to promulgate administrative regulations to establish seasons for
the taking of fish and wildlife, to regulate limits and methods of take, and to
make these requirements apply to a limited area.
KRS
150.470(1) authorizes the
department to promulgate administrative regulations for limits and size limits
for fish. This administrative regulation establishes fish size limits, daily
limits, and possession limits for fishing.
Section
1. Statewide Limits and Requirements.
(1) A person taking fish from public or
private waters using traditional fishing methods shall observe the daily limits
and size limits established in paragraphs (a) through (l) of this subsection,
except as established in Sections 2 through 7 of this administrative regulation
or pursuant to
301 KAR 1:180:
(a) Black bass daily limit, six (6).
1. Largemouth bass and smallmouth bass size
limit, twelve (12) inches.
2.
Kentucky bass and Coosa bass, no size limit;
(b) Rock bass daily limit, fifteen (15); no
size limit;
(c) Sauger, walleye,
and any hybrid thereof daily limit, singly or in combination, six (6); size
limit, fourteen (14) inches;
(d)
Muskellunge daily limit, one (1); size limit, thirty (30) inches;
(e) Chain pickerel daily limit, five (5); no
size limit;
(f) White bass and
hybrid striped bass daily limit, singly or in combination, fifteen (15); size
limit, no more than five (5) fish in a daily limit or ten (10) fish in a
possession limit shall be fifteen (15) inches or longer;
(g) Striped bass daily limit, five (5); size
limit, fifteen (15) inches;
(h)
Crappie daily limit, twenty (20); no size limit;
(i) Trout.
1. No culling statewide.
2. Rainbow trout daily limit, eight (8); no
size limit.
3. Brown trout daily
limit, one (1); size limit, sixteen (16) inches.
4. Brook trout, catch and release
only.
5. Cutthroat trout daily
limit, one (1); size limit, twenty (20) inches;
(j) Redear sunfish daily limit, twenty (20);
no size limit;
(k) Paddlefish daily
limit, two (2); no size limit; and
(l) Catfish daily limit is unlimited; no size
limit, except that only one (1) trophy catfish of each species may be harvested
daily.
(2) The
possession limit shall be two (2) times the daily limit, except as established
in Section 2 of this administrative regulation.
(3) A person shall release grass carp caught
from a lake owned or managed by the department.
(4) A person shall release any:
(a) Lake sturgeon; or
(b) Alligator gar.
(5) A person shall release fish:
(a) Below the minimum size limits established
by this administrative regulation;
(b) Within a protected slot limit established
by this administrative regulation; or
(c) Of a particular species if a person
already possesses the daily limit for that species.
(6) A person shall not possess more than one
(1) daily limit of processed or unprocessed fish while:
(a) Fishing;
(b) On the shoreline; or
(c) On the water.
(7) A fishing tournament organizer or
representative, excluding a tournament angler, may possess more than the daily
limit of tournament caught fish:
(a) At the
weigh-in site;
(b) At the release
site; or
(c) While transporting
live fish from a remote weigh-in site back to the water body of origin for
release.
(8) A fishing
tournament organizer or representative, excluding a tournament angler, may
possess more than the daily limit of unprocessed tournament caught fish that
expired at the sites established in subsection (7) of this section for
subsequent disposal by one (1) of the methods established in paragraphs (a)
through (c) of this subsection:
(a) Bagged,
sealed, and placed in a garbage dump;
(b) Donated to a charity for the purpose of
human consumption; or
(c)
Transferred to a conservation officer or another agent of the
department.
(9) A person
shall not remove the head or tail of any fish for which a size limit or daily
limit exists while:
(a) Fishing;
(b) On the shoreline; or
(c) On the water.
(10) A person may possess sport fish below
the size limit or beyond the possession limit if the person:
(a) Obtains the fish from a licensed fish
propagator or other legal source; and
(b) Retains a receipt or other written proof
that the fish were legally acquired.
(11) A person shall release all caught trout
unless the person:
(a) Has a valid trout
permit;
(b) Is exempted from trout
permit requirements pursuant to
KRS
150.170(2); or
(c) Is fishing in a licensed pay lake stocked
with trout by the lake operator.
(12) A person fishing in an artificial
bait-only area shall not attach any of the items established in paragraphs (a)
through (h) of this subsection to the artificial bait:
(a) An insect;
(b) Minnow;
(c) Fish egg;
(d) A worm;
(e) Corn;
(f) Cheese;
(g) Cut bait; or
(h) A similar organic bait substance
including dough bait and putty or paste-type bait designed to attract fish by
taste or smell.
(13) The
fishing season shall be open year-round.
Section 2. Exceptions. All other provisions
of this administrative regulation shall apply to the bodies of water listed in
this section, with the exceptions established in subsections (1) through (75)
of this section.
(1) Bad Branch, Letcher
County. A person shall only fish with artificial bait with a single
hook;
(2) Barkley Lake.
(a) Largemouth bass and smallmouth bass size
limit, fifteen (15) inches.
(b)
Crappie size limit, ten (10) inches;
(3) Barren River and tributaries upstream
from confluence with the Green River, including Barren River Lake. Smallmouth
bass size limit, fifteen (15) inches;
(4) Barren River Lake.
(a) Crappie size limit, ten (10)
inches.
(b) Largemouth and
smallmouth bass size limit, fifteen (15) inches.
(c) Blue and channel catfish aggregate daily
limit of fifteen (15), only one (1) of which shall be longer than twenty-five
(25) inches.
(d) Barren River Lake
shall extend up:
1. Barren River to the
Highway 100 bridge;
2. Long Creek
to the Highway 100 bridge;
3.
Beaver Creek to the Highway 1297 bridge;
4. Skaggs Creek to the Mathews Mill Road
bridge; and
5. Peter Creek to the
Peter Creek Road bridge;
(5) Beaver Lake, Anderson County.
(a) A person shall not possess shad or use
shad as bait.
(b) Largemouth bass.
There shall be a slot limit between twelve (12) and fifteen (15)
inches;
(6) Beech Fork
Reservoir, Powell County.
(a) Largemouth bass
size limit, fifteen (15) inches.
(b) Bluegill daily limit, fifteen
(15);
(7) Bert Combs
Lake, Clay County.
(a) A person shall not
possess shad or use shad as bait.
(b) Largemouth bass. There shall be a slot
limit between twelve (12) and fifteen (15) inches;
(8) Beulah Lake, Jackson County. Largemouth
bass. There shall be a slot limit between twelve (12) and fifteen (15)
inches;
(9) Boltz Lake, Grant
County.
(a) A person shall not possess shad or
use shad as bait.
(b) Largemouth
bass. There shall be a slot limit between twelve (12) and fifteen (15)
inches;
(10) Briggs
Lake, Logan County. A person shall not possess shad or use shad as
bait;
(11) Buckhorn Lake.
(a) Largemouth bass and smallmouth bass size
limit, fifteen (15) inches.
(b)
Muskellunge size limit, forty (40) inches.
(c) Crappie size limit, nine (9)
inches;
(12) Carnico
Lake, Nicholas County.
(a) Largemouth bass
size limit, fifteen (15) inches.
(b) Sunfish daily limit, fifteen
(15);
(13) Carr Creek
Lake.
(a) Largemouth bass and smallmouth bass
size limit, fifteen (15) inches.
(b) Crappie size limit, nine (9)
inches.
(c) Blue and channel
catfish aggregate daily limit of fifteen (15), only one (1) of which shall be
longer than twenty-five (25) inches;
(14) Carter Caves State Park Lake, Carter
County.
(a) Fishing shall be during daylight
hours only.
(b) Largemouth bass.
There shall be a slot limit between twelve (12) and fifteen (15)
inches.
(c) A person shall not
possess shad or use shad as bait;
(15) Cave Run Lake.
(a) Largemouth bass. There shall be a slot
limit between twelve (12) and fifteen (15) inches.
(b) Smallmouth bass size limit, eighteen (18)
inches.
(c) Muskellunge size limit,
forty (40) inches.
(d) Cave Run
Lake shall extend up:
1. Scott's Creek to the
Highway 801 culvert;
2. Beaver
Creek to the Highway 1274 culvert;
3. North Fork Creek to the confluence of
Craney Creek;
4. Licking River to
the Highway 772 bridge; and
5.
Ramey Creek to include the pool of water north of Highway 801;
(16) Cedar Creek Lake,
Lincoln County. Largemouth bass size limit, twenty (20) inches; daily limit,
one (1);
(17) Chimney Top Creek,
Wolfe County. A person shall only fish with artificial bait;
(18) Clear Fork, tributary of the Gasper
River. A person shall release all sportfish;
(19) Corinth Lake, Grant County.
(a) A person shall not possess shad or use
shad as bait.
(b) Largemouth bass.
There shall be a slot limit between twelve (12) and fifteen (15)
inches;
(20) Cumberland
Lake.
(a)
1.
Largemouth bass size limit, fifteen (15) inches.
2. Smallmouth bass size limit, eighteen (18)
inches.
3. Striped bass size limit,
twenty-two (22) inches; daily limit, two (2).
4. Crappie size limit, ten (10)
inches.
(b) Cumberland
Lake shall extend up:
1. The Cumberland River
to Cumberland Falls;
2. The Big
South Fork to Devil's Jump;
3. The
Rockcastle River to The Narrows; and
4. The Laurel River to Laurel River
Dam;
(21)
Cumberland River upstream from Cumberland Falls and all tributaries. Smallmouth
bass size limit, fifteen (15) inches;
(22) Cumberland River from Wolf Creek Dam
downstream to the Kentucky-Tennessee state line and tributaries, except
Hatchery Creek in Russell County as established in subsections (39) and (40) of
this section.
(a) Brown trout size limit,
twenty (20) inches; daily limit, one (1).
(b) Brook trout size limit, fifteen (15)
inches; daily limit, one (1).
(c)
Rainbow trout. There shall be a slot limit between fifteen (15) and twenty (20)
inches; daily limit, five (5), which shall not include more than one (1) fish
greater than twenty (20) inches.
(d) A trout permit shall be required in order
to fish the Cumberland River below Wolf Creek Dam to the Tennessee state line
including the Hatchery Creek and all other tributaries upstream to the first
riffle.
(e) Chumming shall not be
permitted in the Cumberland River below Wolf Creek Dam to the Tennessee state
line, including the Hatchery Creek and all other tributaries upstream to the
first riffle;
(23)
Cumberland River below Barkley Lake. Fishing is prohibited at the mouth of the
lock chamber, as designated by signs.
(24) Dale Hollow Lake.
(a) Smallmouth bass. There shall be a slot
limit between sixteen (16) and twenty-one (21) inches. The daily limits shall
not include more than one (1) fish less than sixteen (16) inches long and one
(1) fish greater than twenty-one (21) inches long.
(b) Walleye and walleye hybrids, daily limit,
five (5); size limit, sixteen (16) inches.
(c) Sauger daily limit, ten (10); size limit,
fourteen (14) inches.
(d) Rainbow
trout and brown trout, no size limit; daily limit, seven (7), singly or in
combination.
(e) Largemouth bass
size limit, fifteen (15) inches.
(f) Black bass aggregate daily limit, five
(5), no more than two (2) of which shall be smallmouth bass.
(g) Crappie size limit, ten (10) inches;
daily limit, fifteen (15);
(25) Dewey Lake.
(a) Largemouth bass and smallmouth bass size
limit, fifteen (15) inches.
(b)
Blue and channel catfish aggregate daily limit of fifteen (15), only one (1) of
which shall be longer than twenty-five (25) inches.
(c) Muskellunge size limit, forty (40)
inches;
(26) Dix River
for two (2) miles downstream from Herrington Lake Dam. A person shall only fish
with artificial bait;
(27) Doe Run
Lake, Kenton County.
(a) Largemouth bass size
limit, fifteen (15) inches.
(b)
Channel catfish daily limit, four (4).
(c) A person shall not possess shad or use
shad as bait;
(28) Dog
Fork, Wolfe County. A person shall only fish with an artificial bait with a
single hook;
(29) Elkhorn Creek,
downstream from the confluence of the North and South forks to the first shoal
located 3,400 feet above its confluence with the Kentucky River, as posted with
signs. Largemouth bass and smallmouth bass. There shall be a slot limit between
twelve (12) and fifteen (15) inches;
(30) Elmer Davis Lake, Owen County.
(a) Largemouth bass. There shall be a slot
limit between twelve (12) and fifteen (15) inches.
(b) A person shall not possess shad or use
shad as bait;
(31)
Fishtrap Lake.
(a) Largemouth bass and
smallmouth bass size limit, fifteen (15) inches.
(b) Crappie size limit, nine (9)
inches.
(c) Blue and channel
catfish aggregate daily limit of fifteen (15), only one (1) of which shall be
longer than twenty-five (25) inches;
(32) Floyd's Fork Creek, from Highway 60
downstream to Bardstown Road in Jefferson County. Largemouth and smallmouth
bass size limit, fifteen (15) inches;
(33) Golden Pond at the Visitors' Center at
Land Between the Lakes. Channel catfish daily limit, five (5); size limit,
fifteen (15) inches;
(34) General
Butler State Park Lake, Carroll County.
(a)
Largemouth bass. There shall be a slot limit between twelve (12) and fifteen
(15) inches.
(b) Channel catfish
daily limit, four (4).
(c) A person
shall not possess shad or use shad as bait;
(35) Grayson Lake. Largemouth bass and
smallmouth bass size limit, fifteen (15) inches;
(36) Greenbo Lake, Greenup County.
(a) A person shall not possess shad or use
shad as bait.
(b) Bluegill and
sunfish daily limit, fifteen (15) fish;
(37) Green River from Green River Lake Dam
and extending downstream to the end of the concrete wall. Fishing shall be
limited to rod in hand using either:
(a) An
artificial bait with a single hook; or
(b) Live bait attached to a single
hook;
(38) Green River
Lake.
(a) Crappie size limit, nine (9)
inches.
(b) Muskellunge size limit,
forty (40) inches.
(c) Green River
Lake shall extend up:
1. Green River to the
Snake Creek Boat Ramp;
2. Robinson
Creek to the Highway 76 Bridge; and
3. Casey Creek to the Arnolds Landing Boat
Ramp.
(39)
Hatchery Creek, upper section as established by signs, Russell County. Rainbow
trout, brown trout, and brook trout, no size limit; daily limit, five (5),
singly or in combination;
(40)
Hatchery Creek, lower section as established by signs, Russell County. A person
fishing for trout shall:
(a) Only use
artificial bait; and
(b) Release
all trout;
(41)
Highsplint Lake, Harlan County. Largemouth bass size limit, twenty (20) inches;
daily limit, one (1);
(42) Jericho
Lake, Henry County.
(a) Largemouth bass size
limit, fifteen (15) inches.
(b) A
person shall not possess shad or use shad as bait;
(43) Kentucky Lake and the canal connecting
Kentucky and Barkley lakes.
(a) Largemouth
bass and smallmouth bass size limit, fifteen (15) inches.
(b) Crappie size limit, ten (10)
inches;
(44) Kentucky
River upstream of Lock and Dam 14, the North Fork and tributaries including
Carr Fork below Carr Creek Lake, along with the Middle and South Forks and all
tributaries. Smallmouth bass size limit, fifteen (15) inches;
(45) Kentucky River WMA, Boone Tract,
excluding Benjy Kinman Lake.
(a) Sunfish daily
limit, fifteen (15).
(b) Catfish
daily limit, four (4);
(46) Lake Blythe, Christian County.
Largemouth bass. There shall be a slot limit between twelve (12) and fifteen
(15) inches;
(47) Lake Chumley, and
the department-owned property surrounding the lake, Boyle and Lincoln counties.
Closed to public access from one-half (1/2) hour after sunset through one-half
(1/2) hour before sunrise;
(48)
Lake Malone, Muhlenberg and Logan counties. Largemouth bass. There shall be a
slot limit between twelve (12) and fifteen (15) inches;
(49) Lake Mingo, Jessamine County. A person
shall not possess shad or use shad as bait;
(50) Lake Reba, Madison County. A person
shall not possess shad or use shad as bait;
(51) Lake Shelby, Shelby County.
(a) Largemouth bass size limit, fifteen (15)
inches.
(b) Channel catfish daily
limit, four (4).
(c) A person shall
not possess shad or use shad as bait;
(52) Laurel River Lake.
(a) Largemouth bass size limit, fifteen (15)
inches.
(b) Smallmouth bass size
limit, eighteen (18) inches; daily limit, two (2).
(c) Crappie size limit, nine (9) inches;
daily limit, fifteen (15);
(53) Lincoln Homestead Lake, Washington
County.
(a) A person shall not fish except
during daylight hours.
(b)
Largemouth bass. There shall be a slot limit between twelve (12) and fifteen
(15) inches.
(c) Channel catfish
daily limit, four (4).
(d) A person
shall not possess shad or use shad as bait;
(54) Marion County Lake. A person shall not
possess shad or use shad as bait;
(55) McNeely Lake, Jefferson County.
(a) A person shall not possess shad or use
shad as bait.
(b) Largemouth bass.
There shall be a slot limit between twelve (12) and fifteen (15)
inches;
(56) Mill Creek
Lake, Powell County.
(a) Largemouth bass size
limit, fifteen (15) inches.
(b) A
person shall not possess shad or use shad as bait;
(57) New Haven Optimist Lake, Nelson County.
(a) Largemouth bass size limit, fifteen (15)
inches.
(b) Channel catfish daily
limit, four (4).
(c) A person shall
not possess shad or use shad as bait;
(58) Nolin River Lake shall extend up Bacon
Creek to Highway 178 and to Wheelers Mill Road Bridge on the Nolin River.
(a) Largemouth bass and smallmouth bass size
limit, fifteen (15) inches.
(b)
Crappie size limit, nine (9) inches;
(59) Ohio River.
(a) White bass, striped bass, and any hybrid
thereof, daily limit, thirty (30); no more than four (4) in the daily limit
shall be fifteen (15) inches or greater.
(b) The blue catfish daily limit shall be
unlimited, except that no more than one (1) fish in the daily limit shall be
thirty-five (35) inches or longer.
(c) The channel catfish daily limit shall be
unlimited, except that no more than one (1) fish in the daily limit shall be
twenty-eight (28) inches or longer.
(d) The flathead catfish daily limit shall be
unlimited, except that no more than one (1) fish in the daily limit shall be
thirty-five (35) inches or longer;
(60) Otter Creek, Meade County. Smallmouth
and largemouth bass. There shall be a slot limit between twelve (12) and
fifteen (15) inches;
(61) Panbowl
Lake, Breathitt County. Largemouth bass. There shall be a slot limit between
twelve (12) and fifteen (15) inches;
(62) Parched Corn Creek, Wolfe County. A
person shall only fish with an artificial bait with a single hook;
(63) Pennyrile Lake, Christian County.
Largemouth bass. There shall be a slot limit between twelve (12) and fifteen
(15) inches;
(64) Pikeville City
Lake, Pike County. A person shall release largemouth bass;
(65) Rockcastle River WMA, all ponds
collectively, Pulaski County.
(a) Largemouth
bass size limit, fifteen (15) inches; daily limit, one (1).
(b) Bluegill and sunfish daily limit, ten
(10).
(c) Catfish daily limit, four
(4).
(d) Crappie daily limit,
fifteen (15);
(66) Rough
River Lake.
(a) Crappie size limit, nine (9)
inches.
(b) Largemouth bass and
smallmouth bass size limit, fifteen (15) inches.
(c) Rough River Lake shall extend up Rough
River to the Highway 84 Bridge;
(67) Shanty Hollow Lake, Warren County. A
person shall not possess shad or use shad as bait;
(68) Shillalah Creek, Bell County, outside
the Cumberland Gap National Park. A person shall only fish with an artificial
bait with a single hook;
(69)
Spurlington Lake, Taylor County. A person shall not possess shad or use shad as
bait;
(70) Sympson Lake, Nelson
County. Largemouth bass size limit, fifteen (15) inches;
(71) Taylorsville Lake, including the
impounded waters of the lake to Dry Dock Road Bridge on the Salt River.
(a) Largemouth bass and smallmouth bass size
limit, fifteen (15) inches.
(b)
Blue and channel catfish aggregate daily limit of fifteen (15), only one (1) of
which shall be longer than twenty-five (25) inches.
(c) Crappie size limit, ten (10) inches;
daily limit, fifteen (15);
(72) Trammel Creek, Allen County. Rainbow
trout daily limit, five (5);
(73)
Willisburg Park Pond, Washington County.
(a)
Largemouth bass size limit, fifteen (15) inches.
(b) Catfish daily limit, four (4).
(c) Sunfish daily limit, fifteen
(15);
(74) Wood Creek
Lake. Largemouth and smallmouth bass. There shall be a slot limit between
twelve (12) and fifteen (15) inches; and
(75) Yatesville Lake.
(a) Largemouth bass and smallmouth bass size
limit, fifteen (15) inches.
(b)
Blue and channel catfish aggregate daily limit of fifteen (15), only one (1) of
which shall be longer than twenty-five (25) inches.