Fishing in
Kentucky
12,478 named waters · 0 stocked in the last 30 days
Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley, connected by a canal in the western part of the state, anchor one of the best crappie fisheries in the country and draw tournament anglers from across the region. Lake Cumberland adds a striped bass fishery in the eastern half of the state, and the Ohio River carries catfish along the northern border.
Kentucky holds 12,478 fishable waters on the books. KDFWR has logged 44 stockings in the last year, led by rainbow trout. The biggest water in the state is Lake Cumberland at 50,607 acres.
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What you'll catch here
- Rainbow Trout5 waters
Freshest stockings
Full report →- Lake MingoRainbow TroutMar 25, 2026
- Kess CreekRainbow TroutMar 24, 2026
- Tom Wallace LakeRainbow TroutMar 18, 2026
- Leary LakeRainbow TroutMar 12, 2026
- Prisoners LakeRainbow TroutMar 10, 2026
Most-stocked waters, last 12 months
- Kess Creek1× stocked
- Lake Polliwog1× stocked
- Tom Wallace Lake1× stocked
- Prisoners Lake1× stocked
- Lake Mingo1× stocked
- Leary Lake1× stocked
Biggest waters
- Lake Cumberland50,607 ac
- Lake Barkley49,742 ac
- Barren River Lake9,460 ac
- Green River Lake8,439 ac
- Cave Run Lake8,099 ac
- Nolin Lake6,024 ac
- Laurel River Lake5,963 ac
- Rough River Lake5,035 ac
Major rivers
- Chute of Island Number 8order 10 · ~14 cfs
- Ohio Riverorder 9 · ~280,744 cfs
- Tennessee Riverorder 9 · ~75,802 cfs
- Cumberland Riverorder 8 · ~29,733 cfs
- Green Riverorder 8 · ~12,997 cfs
- Big Sandy Riverorder 8 · ~5,556 cfs
- Salt Riverorder 8 · ~3,919 cfs
- Thoroughfare Streamorder 8 · ~32 cfs
Waters by county
All counties →Pike (783) · Breathitt (418) · Lawrence (406) · Leslie (396) · Harlan (386) · Floyd (371) · Clay (368) · Perry (327) · Knott (317) · Magoffin (285) · Martin (269) · Lewis (254) · Letcher (254) · Carter (242) · Morgan (240) · Knox (231) · Johnson (224) · Bell (213) · Rowan (211) · McCreary (182) · Pulaski (178) · Greenup (166) · Whitley (159) · Laurel (142) · Menifee (142) · Jackson (133) · Owsley (129) · Wolfe (121) · Casey (111) · Elliott (102)
Seasons, limits, and rules are Kentucky's call — read the official regulations and buy your license from the state, not a middleman. We link the source; we never restate the rules.
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Kentucky fishing — FAQ
Where does Kentucky stock fish?+
KDFWR logged 44 stockings across Kentucky in the last year, led by rainbow trout. Browse the map and most-stocked waters above for exact locations.
How often does Kentucky stock fish?+
Kentucky's agency publishes stocking updates that we check daily. Follow any water to track its stocking schedule.
Do I need a license to fish in Kentucky?+
Yes — Kentucky requires a fishing license for most anglers. Buy one from the state agency and check current seasons and limits before you go.
How many fishable waters are in Kentucky?+
Kentucky has 12,478 named fishable waters mapped on FishableWaters, from stocked reservoirs to wild streams.