Seasonal Fishing Opportunities: Official Website 2019 Kentucky and Barkley Lakes Friends of Spring | April to June Land Between the Lakes Fishing Fishing success is rated excellent. As waters Facebook warm, fish move to shallow areas in protected ~ Fact Sheet ~ coves to spawn. Fish for crappie, largemouth bass, and a variety of sunfish in areas around any General Guidelines form of cover. Fish for catfish below dams and in 1. Emergency, dial 911. Land Between the Lakes main lakes near riprap and large rock banks. 2. See something. Say something. Call 270.924.2000 National Recreation Area Summer | July to mid-September or Law Enforcement at 877.861.2457. 3. Pack it in. Pack it out. Leave no trace behind. Western Kentucky and Tennessee Fishing success is rated good. As waters continue 4. You are responsible for your own safety. to warm, fish move to deeper main lake areas 5. Bring your own water and supplies. along sand bars and old creek channels. Fish for 6. For campfires, use only dead and downed limbs for white bass, catfish, sauger, and largemouth and fuel. Do Not bring firewood from outside Land smallmouth bass near drop-offs in 8 to 20 feet of Between the Lakes which may introduce water. Sunfish can still be caught in shallows near devastating pests. Attend the fire at all times and banks. Fish for catfish and rockfish below dams. follow Smokey’s rules to put the fire out completely. Fishing Licenses Fall | mid-September to mid-November Use existing fire rings in developed campgrounds All anglers 16 and older in Kentucky, and 13 and Fishing success is rated good. Fish move along during high fire danger seasons. older in Tennessee, must possess a fishing license main lake shorelines and into deeper bays. Fish 7. Keep all pets on a 6’ or shorter leash at all times. for the state in which they are fishing, except where for crappie and largemouth and smallmouth bass 8. Protect yourself from bug bites and ticks. there is a reciprocal agreement for a portion of around brush, logs, and other cover near banks in 9. Firearms strictly prohibited except during Kentucky Lake, as described below. Fishing 3 to 10 feet of water. Fish for catfish near river established Land Between the Lakes hunting licenses are sold at many local businesses outside channels or in dam tailwaters. season by legally licensed hunters with permits. Land Between the Lakes.
Winter | mid-November to mid-March 10. Respect the Resource - leave historical items, Reciprocal Agreement on Kentucky Lake: plants and flowers for others to enjoy. This includes Fishing success is rated fair. Fish for crappie along Anglers can fish, with either a Kentucky or respecting the homes of our wildlife and respecting drop-offs with cover in 10 to 20 feet of water in Tennessee fishing license, from Eggner’s Ferry our trails and roads during wet conditions. main lakes or in larger bays. Fish for smallmouth Bridge (U.S. Hwy 68/80 in Kentucky) south to the bass in sunny main lake gravel bars and points. Gov. Ned McWherter Bridge (U.S. Hwy 79 in Fish 30 to 40 feet deep for catfish near river Please remove bait containers, fishing line, Tennessee) including all embayments except Blood channels or below dams. and other trash. There are fishing line River in Kentucky. Anglers must abide by each recycling stations near many Land Between state’s size and creel limits when fishing waters in the Lakes boat ramps. that state. Questions about fisheries and Check Land Between the Lakes Recreation wildlife management programs? Map (also available online) for wildlife Environmental Stewardship Department refuge boundaries and closure dates. Land Between the Lakes USDA Forest Service 270.924.2065 Kentucky Dept. of Fish and Wildlife Resources Land Between the Lakes 800.858.1549 National Recreation Area Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency 800.525.7077 or 270.924.2000 615.781.6500 www.landbetweenthelakes.us
Updated January 2018 USDA is an equal opportunity employer, lender and provider. 2019 Fishing Information Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area
Respective state fishing regulations and limits apply except for those listed in the table below. Bowfishing and Frog Gigging Bowfishing is permitted for nongame fish species along the Land Special Sport Fishing Regulations Between the Lakes shoreline of Kentucky and Barkley lakes and in Honker, Energy, and Bards interior lakes when open to Land Between the Size Limit Size Limit Open Dates Special Regulations fishing. Fishing licenses are required from the respective states Lakes Area Black Bass Crappie where bowfishing is done. Frog gigging is permitted by gig only (no firearms) in interior Bards Lake (TN) 15” Trotlines and limblines No wake. No more than 20 ponds, Bards, Energy, and Honker lakes from May 15 through No size limit for prohibited. Jug fishing permitted Year-round 10” shell crackers per day and 15 Aug 31. Daily limit is 15. Frog gigging is permitted along the spotted bass from Oct 1 to Mar 21, with limits crappie creel limit in TN Land Between the Lakes shoreline by gig only in accordance of 10 jugs per person. with statewide seasons and regulations. According to Kentucky state law, either a hunting or fishing license may be used for frog Year-round, 15” gigging. In Tennessee, only a hunting license is valid for frog except western Energy Lake (KY) No size limit for 10” No wake gigging. Individuals frog gigging in Land Between the Lakes with third - open spotted bass a hunting license must possess a Land Between the Lakes in KY Mar 16-Oct 31 Hunter Use Permit. Special Creel Limit: 10 sunfish Mar 16-Oct 31 Hematite Lake (KY) 8” and larger; no more than 20 Monthly Water Levels on Kentucky and Barkley Lakes No boats with 12” None (0) Duncan Lake (KY) total redear sunfish. FLOOD FILL RECRATION DRAWDOWN gasoline engines CONTROL PERIOD SEASON PERIOD No frog gigging or bowfishing 365 Honker Lake (KY) Mar 16-Oct 31 15” 10” No wake
360 Long Creek (KY) Mar 16-Oct 31 15” 10” No frog gigging or bowfishing
Long Creek Pond (KY) FEET
- Special Creel Limit: 5 catfish, 355 Visitor Center Pond (KY) Year-round 12” None (0) 15” min. size
KY-12” KY-None (0) ELEVATION Interior Ponds Year-round None 350 TN-None (0) TN-10”
Wildlife Refuges 345 Guide Curve Fulton Bay (KY) JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC Honker Bay (KY) Higher or lower water levels may occur during any season. Duncan Bay (KY) Mar 16-Oct 31 15” 10” See State Regulations To report illegal fish and wildlife activities call: Smith Bay (KY) Rushing Bay (TN) USDA Forest Service Law Enforcement 877.861.2457 Other areas may be closed as Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency 800.831.1173 indicated by buoys or signs. Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources 800.252.5378 “Keep it Clean - Keep it Open”