Wayne County Outlook
Monticello
Mon, May 12 2008
—
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.
Copyright © 1999-2008 cnhi, inc.