Published: March 25, 2008 03:48 pm            

New license year means new fishing regulations

Monticello — The flyers in your Sunday paper from sporting goods stores touting sales

on softball, golf and fishing equipment remind you that spring is here. In

addition to purchasing a new fishing license, anglers need to be aware of

new fishing regulations for this year.

Anglers from all over the Midwest and upper south flock to Kentucky and

Barkley lakes each spring to fish the crappie runs. Previously, anglers

fishing one or both of these lakes could keep a total of 30 crappie a day,

with a possession limit of 60.

However, because of poor crappie spawns in recent years and a decreasing

number of fish over the 10-inch size limit being caught by anglers,

fisheries officials lowered the daily creel limit to 20 fish a day, with a

possession limit of 40.

Smallmouth bass anglers on Cave Run Lake and Laurel River Lake must

consider new regulations when they cast their jigs this spring.

At Cave Run Lake, the minimum size limit for smallmouth bass is now 18

inches, but the daily creel limit is the statewide regulation of an

aggregate limit of 6 black bass (largemouth, smallmouth and Kentucky spotted

bass) each day. Largemouth and smallmouth bass must be 12 inches long to

keep.

At Laurel River Lake, the 18-inch minimum size limit on smallmouth bass

remains, but there is now a 2 fish daily creel limit.

Central Kentucky trout anglers must note the removal of the special

regulations for minimum size and daily creel on brown trout in the Dix River

for two miles downstream of Dix Dam at Herrington Lake.

Anglers must now comply with the statewide regulation of 3 brown trout

daily with a 12-inch minimum size. Fishing is still with artificial baits

only.

Live or organic baits such as Power Bait or a similar type of paste or

nugget trout bait are not permitted on this section of the Dix River. The

only public access to this fishery is by boat via the Kentucky River.

There are also new regulations for Cedar Creek Lake in Lincoln County.

There is no longer a minimum size limit for crappie in the lake. Crappie

grow so slowly in Cedar Creek Lake that few fish attained the old 9-inch

size limit.

Under previous regulations, anglers could only keep a total aggregate

limit of 30 bluegill and redear sunfish on Cedar Creek Lake.

Anglers may now keep unlimited numbers of bluegill and 20 redear sunfish

daily, with no minimum size limit on either species. Channel catfish are now

under a 12-inch minimum size limit on Cedar Creek Lake, with no daily creel

limit.

New regulations are in place for several smaller lakes around Kentucky.

These include:

On Lake Blythe in Christian County, all largemouth bass between 12 to 15

inches must be released immediately.

Taylorsville Lake Wildlife Management Area (WMA) lakes have a 3-fish

daily creel limit on largemouth bass.

At General Butler State Park Lake in Carroll County, Lake Mingo in

Jessamine County, Lake Pollywog in Grant County, Lake Shelby in Shelby

County and New Haven Optimist Lake in Nelson County, there is a 15-inch

minimum size limit on largemouth bass, with a 3-fish daily creel limit.

There is a no minimum size, 4-fish daily creel limit for channel catfish

at all these lakes.

Goose, Island and South lakes at Peabody WMA lakes no longer have

special regulations for bluegill, redbreast sunfish, channel catfish and

walleye.

The daily creel and minimum size limits on these species revert to

statewide regulations.

Leary Lake in Grant County no longer has daily creel and possession

limits on bluegill.

Mauzy Lake in Union County has a 12-inch minimum size limit on

largemouth bass.

At Doe Run Lake in Kenton County, General Butler State Park Lake in

Carroll County and Lake Jericho in Henry County, anglers may not use shad

for bait nor have shad in their possession.

Finally, gigging, snagging and bow fishing are now allowed on trout

streams, except for the Cumberland River downstream of Wolf Creek Dam. This

includes Hatchery Creek and all tributaries of this section of Cumberland

River for one-half mile upstream of their confluence with the Cumberland

River. It is still illegal to gig, snag or bow fish for trout.

Every Kentucky angler should keep the newly redesigned, easy to read

2008-2009 Kentucky Fishing and Boating Guide in their tackle box, vehicle or

boat.

You can afford to keep one in all of those places because they are free

and available wherever they sell fishing or hunting licenses. You may

request a copy of the guide by calling Kentucky Fish and Wildlife's

Information Center at 1-800-858-1549.

Lee McClellan is an award-winning writer for Kentucky Afield magazine,

the official publication of the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife

Resources. He is a life-long hunter and angler, with a passion for

smallmouth bass fishing.

        

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