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WHO NEEDS A LICENSE?(KRS 150.010, 150.170)All persons must fill out and carrythe proper license and permit to fishany Kentucky waters except the following (for permit requirements see “TroutPermit” on this page): The resident owner of farmlands, theirspouse and dependent children mayfish on their land without a license.Tenants, their spouses and dependentchildren may fish without a license onfarmlands where they live and work. Resident servicemen on furlough formore than three days may fish statewide without a license, but must carryproper identification and papers showing furlough status. Residents and nonresidents ages 15and younger. Persons fishing on the first Saturdayand Sunday in June ( June 4-5, 2022)during Free Fishing Days are not required to have a license or permit. Persons fishing within the boundariesof Mammoth Cave National Park.A resident is anyone who has established permanent and legal residencein Kentucky and resided here at least 30days immediately prior to applying fora license. Full-time students enrolled ina Kentucky educational institution forat least a six-month term and servicepersonnel on permanent assignment inKentucky are also classified as residents.All others are considered non-residentsfor licensing purposes.TROUT PERMIT (301 KAR 1:201)Unless license exempt, anglers whointend to keep trout must have a troutpermit ( 10). A trout permit is includedwith the resident senior/disabledcombination license and residentsportsman’s license. All licensed anglersfishing the portion of the CumberlandRiver from Wolf Creek Dam to theTennessee state line, its tributaries up tothe first riffle and all of Hatchery Creekare required to possess a trout permit.(See the Trout section in this guide fordetails and for a complete list of waterswhere trout are present.)RESIDENT SPORTSMAN’SLICENSE (SAVE 67!)Available to Kentucky residentsonly, the Sportsman’s License includesa combination hunting and fishing license, spring turkey permit, fall turkeypermit, statewide deer permit, state waterfowl permit (which also covers doveand other migratory bird hunting) andtrout permit. Peabody and LBL permits,trapping license, an elk lottery application, elk quota hunt permit (if drawn),out-of-zone elk permit, bear permit andbonus deer permits must be purchasedLicense expirationAnnual license/permit authorizationnumbers are valid from the date ofpurchase through the last day inFebruary. New licenses are requiredannually March 1. A temporaryfishing license is valid for the periodshown on the license. KRS 150.175separately. A federal duck stamp (available at post offices) is required for waterfowl hunting.PAY LAKES (KRS 150.660)A person fishing in a pay lake licensed by the Kentucky Department ofFish and Wildlife Resources needs either a Kentucky fishing license or a freepermit issued by the operator.LICENSES & PERMITSLICENSES & PERMITSFREE FISHING DAYS(301 KAR 1:210)Every year Kentucky offers freefishing days the first weekend in June( June 4-5, 2022). On free fishing daysno license (including the Kentuckytrout permit) is required of residentsor nonresidents to fish any Kentuckywaters. All other fishing regulations remain in effect. Free fishing days are offered to promote fishing and NationalFishing Week. Take someone fishing!HOW TO BUY LICENSES and PERMITSWhen buying a license or permitthe angler’s date of birth and Social Security number must be provided.If you have licensing questions, callKentucky Fish and Wildlife at 1-800858-1549, weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4:30p.m. (Eastern time).ONLINEAll Kentucky hunting and fishing licenses and permits, except a JointMarried Couple Fishing License, can bepurchased through the secured KentuckyFish and Wildlife website at fw.ky.gov.Anglers purchasing licenses or permits online must pay with a Visa, Mastercard, American Express or Discovercard, or a Kentucky Fish and Wildlifegift certificate. Gift certificates are soldonline only at fw.ky.gov.Anglers who buy licenses or permitsonline will not be mailed a paper licenseor permit but will receive an authorization number. The authorization numberor a computer printout of the license orpermit and a picture ID must be carriedin the field while fishing.IN PERSONLicenses and permits can be purchased at various locations throughoutthe state. A list of license agents can beviewed online at fw.ky.gov.BY PHONELicenses and permits are not currently available by phone. Please go online to the Kentucky Fish and Wildlifewebsite at fw.ky.gov for updates.3

LICENSES & PERMITSLOST LICENSES and PERMITSPersons who need a replacement license or permit have three options:1. Print a free replacement online atfw.ky.gov. Access “My Profile,” thenclick “view/print license.”2. Purchase the same type of licenseor permit from any license vendor,which license(s) or permits you lostto: KDFWR Licensing, #1 Sportsman’s Lane, Frankfort, KY 40601. Thedepartment will replace the license/permit once verification of originalpurchase occurs. Replacement maytake up to 3 weeks.RESIDENT SENIOR OR DISABLED SPORTSMAN’S LICENSESThe following are eligible to purchase the Senior or Disabled Combination Hunting and Fishing License(which includes the same license andpermits as the Resident Sportsman’sLicense, plus additional deer permits): Kentucky residents ages 65 or older.Seniors need only show proof of ageand residency to purchase this license. Kentucky residents certified totallyand permanently disabled by the federal Social Security Administration,a state workers’ compensation board,the Kentucky Teachers’ RetirementSystem or the U.S. Railroad Retirement Board. Kentucky resident employees of theU.S. Office of Personnel Management declared totally and permanently disabled by a recognizedauthority. Kentucky resident veterans at least50% disabled as the result of aservice-connected disability.Persons with disabilities listedabove must first obtain a disabilityauthorization card from KentuckyFish and Wildlife.To obtain a disability licenseauthorization card:If your disability is through the: Federal Social Security Administration: To request a Benefit Verification Letter (BEVE), you may:(1) go to www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount, (2) call 1-800-772-1213or (3) contact your local office. Torequest the BEVE on the SocialSecurity website, choose “Createan Account” or “Sign In.” Next,click the “Get a Benefit Verification4ask them for a license refund form(or print one at fw.ky.gov), fill it outand send it to: KDFWR Licensing,#1 Sportsman’s Lane, Frankfort, KY40601. You will receive a refund minus a 5 handling fee.3. Send 5, your name, address, date ofbirth and Social Security number, andLetter” link. Next select “Customize your letter.” The BEVE shouldinclude your name, address, date ofbirth, benefit amount and indicatethat you are disabled. Next, choose“Apply to letter” and then “Print.”If you contact Social Security, pleaserequest all of this information to beincluded on the BEVE. The BEVEwill only include the last four digitsof your claim number(s). We ask thatyou write your entire Social SecurityNumber (SSN) on the BEVE beforesending it to Kentucky Fish andWildlife. The full SSN is required inorder to process the Hunting/FishingLicense application. The BEVE thatyou send to us should not be over sixmonths old from its date of issue. Veteran’s Affairs: Contact yourlocal VA office and request a letterthat verifies you are at least 50percent disabled as a result of aservice-connected disability. Theletter should also have your currentaddress and your Social Securitynumber. If your disability is through otherCarry proofHolders of Disabled Combination Licenses must carry both thelicense and authorization cardwhile fishing. Once a person whoqualifies for this license reachesage 65, he or she is considereda senior for licensing purposes,and no longer needs to follow theprocess of obtaining a disabilitylicense authorization card.state or federal agencies call 1-800858-1549.Once the proper documentation isprocessed, applicants will receive theirauthorization card by mail.The authorization card is not alicense. It must be presented to the license seller, or the authorization numberentered online, at the time of purchase.License vendors cannot sell a disability license using an expired authorization card. The Senior or Disabled Combination Hunting and Fishing License isvalid through the end of February eachyear. If you lose your card or license, youcan print a copy of both online using the“My Profile” feature at fw.ky.gov.To send disability paperwork toKentucky Fish and Wildlife: By mail: KDFWR Disability License,#1 Sportsman’s Lane,Frankfort, KY 40601 By fax: (502) 564-9845Q: For how long is a disabilityauthorization card valid?A: A disability authorizationcard is good for three years (checkthe expiration date). Every threeyears you must provide updatedpaperwork (following the instructions on this page) and get a newcard. Those who already have a disability authorization card throughVeterans Affairs, U.S. RailroadRetirement Board or U.S. Office ofPersonnel Management may call1-800-310-1873 to get a new card.

STATEWIDE REGULATIONSSome waterbodies have different size and daily creel limits, so please refer to the “Special Fishing Regulations” section on page6 for more details. There are no size or daily creel limits for rough fish, unless statewide or special regulations apply.For daily creel limit and fishing license purposes, one fishing day equals one calendar day. Except for trout, anglers may cull fishof a particular species until reaching the daily creel limit. Any additional fish caught in excess of the daily creel limit must bereleased immediately.FISH SPECIESDaily Creel LimitPossession LimitMinimum Size LimitLargemouth BassSmallmouth BassKentucky (Spotted) BassCoosa BassRock BassRedear SunfishWalleye, Sauger, and their HybridsMuskellungeChain PickerelNorthern PikeWhite & Hybrid Striped BassStriped BassYellow BassCrappie (Black & White)PaddlefishRainbow TroutBrown TroutCutthroat TroutBrook TroutLake SturgeonChannel Catfish 28 and aboveTROPHYCATFISH Blue & Flathead Catfish 35 and aboveChannel Catfish below 28 Blue & Flathead Catfish below 35 4012*210none30**10none40*41622Catch and release only***Catch and release BASS11nonenoneFISHING REGULATIONSFISHING REGULATIONSnonenonenonenone* Singly or combined; a total of these species ** No more than 5 fish in the daily creel limit may be more than 15 inches long.*** Except for the Cumberland River downstream of Wolf Creek Dam and the upper section of Hatchery Creek, see SpecialRegulations section for details.STATEWIDE SIZE and DAILYCREEL LIMITS (301 KAR 1:060,1:201; KRS 150.010)Fishing season is open year-roundin Kentucky, except on waterfowl refuges and as otherwise noted in this guide.Statewide size and creel limits apply toall Kentucky waters, public and private,except some waters have different limits (see“Special FishingRegulations”).MEASURING FISH (301 KAR 1:201)Measure all fish from the tip of thelower jaw (closed) to the tip of the tailwith fish laid flat on rule with tail lobessqueezed together. Fish not of legal sizemust be returned immediately to theSqueezed taillengthwaters from which they were taken inthe best possible physical condition.Q: How is a daily creel limitdifferent than a possession limit?A: The daily creel limit is thenumber of a particular sport fishspecies you may keep in one day’sfishing. A possession limit is twotimes the daily creel limit for allfish species with a daily creel limitand excludes processed fish.5

FISHING REGULATIONS6SPECIAL FISHING REGULATIONS(301 KAR 1:080, 1:180, 1:201, 2:2224:100, KRS 150.010, 150.025)SPECIAL REGULATION WATERSLISTED ALPHABETICALLYThe public waters listed below havedifferent size and/or daily creel limitsthan statewide regulations allow. Statewide size and daily creel limits apply unless otherwise mentioned below. Special boating regulations are listed in theBoating section of this guide.Some privately owned waters mayhave special size and daily creel limits asposted by signs.FINs LAKES:Lakes in the Fishing In Neighborhoods (FINs) program have uniformregulations for daily creel and size limits: Rainbow Trout: 5-fish daily limit.Trout stamp required if you intend tokeep trout. Catfish: 4-fish daily limit.FINs LAKESCOUNTYAnderson County Community Park LakeCamp Ernst LakeMillennium Park PondAlexandria Community Park LakeRobert J. Barth LakeSouthgate LakePanther Creek Park LakeWaymond Morris Park LakeYellow Creek Park LakeJacobson Park LakeKentucky Horse Park Rolex LakeFlemingsburg Old ReservoirLower Sportsman's LakeUpper Sportsman's LakeLake PollywogLeary LakeKess Creek Park LakeJames D. Beville Park LakeKingdom Come State Park LakeRotary Park LakeMadisonville City Park Lake SouthCherokee Park LakeFisherman's Park Lake #3Fisherman's Park Lake #4Tom Wallace Park LakeWaverly Park LakeWilliam F. Miles Angler LakeWilliam F. Miles Green Heron LakeLake MingoSouthland Church LakeMiddleton Mills Long PondMiddleton Mills Shelterhouse PondPrisoners LakeBrickyard PondLogan Hubble Park LakeWhitehall Park LakeMike Miller Park LakeMaysville-Mason County Rec. Park LakeLake MontgomeryCarlson Lake (Ft. Knox)Easy Walker Park PondBloomfield Park LakeLusby LakeScott County Park LakeThree Springs yNelsonScottScottWarren Sunfish: 15-fish daily limit. Largemouth Bass: 15-inch minimumsize limit, 1-fish daily limit. Possession or use of live shad for baitis prohibited.CATFISH MINIMUM SIZE LIMITThere is a 12-inch minimum sizelimit on catfish on the following lakesstocked by Kentucky Fish and Wildlife;please see the table on page 7.TROUTCATFISHMar.Oct.Nov. Mar.Apr.May5005002002002001,5001,500 1,250 1,250 1,2505005004004004001,5001,500 1,400 1,400 ,000 1,000 1,0007507506006006003,000 3,0002,300 2,300 2,3001,5001,1001,5001,1005005006006006001,500 1,5001,200 1,200 06006005005005005005002002002001,500 1,5001,2507507508005005004005005004001,500 1,5001,000 1,000 1,0001,500 03007507508001,500 2,000 2,000 2,0001,5001,5001,8001,500 1,5001,200 1,200 1,2007507508001,5001,1501,500 1,5001,100 1,100 1,1001,400 1,400 5005005005005005005001,500 1,5001,500 1,450 1,450 501,1001,4004005005005001,450

COUNTYAJ Jolly LakeAudubon State Park LakeBallard County WMA Gravel Pit PondBeaver LakeBenjy Kinman LakeBert T. Combs LakeBeulah LakeBig Bone Lick State Park LakeBlackberry Creek Park PondBoltz LakeBriggs LakeBullock Pen LakeCannon Creek LakeCarnico LakeCarpenter LakeCarter Caves (Smoky Valley Lake)Cedar Creek LakeCentral Kentucky WMA LakeChenoa LakeClear Creek LakeCorinth LakeCranks Creek LakeDoe Run LakeEagle LakeElk Horn Park PondElmer Davis LakeFagan Branch LakeFishpond LakeFleming County WMA LakeFlemingsburg New City ReservoirFort Knox Crystal LakeFort Knox Lower Douglas LakeFort Knox Sanders LakeFort Knox Upper Douglas LakeGeneral Butler State Park LakeGolden Pond (Land Between The Lakes)Grants Branch LakeGreenbo LakeGuist Creek LakeHigginson and Henry WMA lakesHighsplint LakeJenkins City ReservoirJericho LakeKY River WMA Prather and 6-acre pondsKincaid LakeKingfisher lakes (new and old)Kleber WMA LakeLake BARK CAMP CREEKWhitley CountyAll trout caught from October 1through March 31 must be immediatelyreleased and only artificial baits shall beused during this period.BARKLEY, KENTUCKY LAKES(and their connecting canal) Crappie: 10-inch minimum size limit. Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass:15-inch minimum size limit.12-INCH CATFISH LAKES (continued)Lake ChumleyLake GeorgeLake LinvilleLake LuzerneLake MaloneLake RebaLaurel Creek ReservoirLiberty City ReservoirLincoln Homestead LakeLong Run Park LakeLower Thomas LakeMarion County LakeMartin County Lake (Milo)Martin County ReservoirMartins Fork LakeMcDougal LakeMcNeely LakeMetcalfe County Park LakeMill Creek LakeMill Creek LakeNew Haven Optimist Club LakeOlive Hill LakePanbowl LakePeabody WMA lakesPennyrile LakePikeville City LakeRebel Trace LakeReformatory LakeShanty Hollow LakeShelby LakeSpurlington LakeSympson LakeTaylorsville WMA pondsThurman Hutchins Park LakeVastwood Park LakeWashburn LakeWatterson Park LakeWest Fork Drakes Creek LakeWest Kentucky WMA lakesWilburn Park LakeWilgreen LakeWillisburg LakeWillisburg Park PondWood Creek LakeYellowbank WMA pondsBARKLEY TAILWATER – See Cumberland RiverBARREN RIVER and all tributariesupstream of Barren River Lake;downstream of the lake to Lock andDam 1 and all tributaries Walleye: 2-fish daily creel limit; 18- to26-inch protective slot limit. All walleye caught from 18 to 26 inches longmust be immediately released.BARREN RIVER LAKEThe boundaries of Barren onSpencerJeffersonHancockOhio

Rough fish are those fish species not listed as sport fish in the regulation 301 KAR 1:060. Size limit is the legal length a fish must be if it is in possession. (Fish length is mea-sured from the tip of the closed lower jaw to the tip of the tail with fish laid flat on rule and tail lob