Buckhorn Lake Fishing
A Kentucky lake of 1,088 acres in Leslie and Perry counties.
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Lake level today
Reading at 12:15 am EST, Nov 13US Geological Survey gauge 03280800, Buckhorn Lake at Buckhorn, KY. Provisional data, refreshed hourly.
Buckhorn Lake: the essentials
KDFWR records Buckhorn Lake at 1,088 acres of water in Leslie and Perry counties. The managing owner on the KDFWR map is Army Corps of Engineers. Kentucky back roads put Hazard roughly 14 miles away.
Trailers reach it at 6 ramps and carry-down launches on the KDFWR layer. The access layer counts 1 pier or bank site as well. Read its 8 special-regulation lines before keeping fish.
Acreage as KDFWR notes it on the Buckhorn Lake waterbody page (KDFWR), read November 10, 2026.
KDFWR waterbody page for Buckhorn Lake, read November 10, 2026.
U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census counts (TIGERweb) and the 2023 Gazetteer, read November 10, 2026.
The KDFWR waterbody note for Buckhorn Lake
Links on the Buckhorn Lake waterbody page
- Buckhorn Lake Fish Attractors in Google maps!KDFWR link
- Buckhorn Lake Largemouth Bass Fishing Quality AssessmentKDFWR link
KDFWR waterbody page for Buckhorn Lake, read November 10, 2026.
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The chips below come from the Buckhorn Lake rule table and stocking tables, not from a fish survey.
KDFWR waterbody page for Buckhorn Lake, read November 10, 2026.
Sliding a hull into Buckhorn Lake
- Buckhorn Dam Rampboat ramp, paved, single lane; parking for 25 or fewer vehicles, paved lot; no fee; open year-round, all hours
- Buckhorn Lake State Park Marinaboat ramp, paved, single lane, marina; parking for 51 or more vehicles, paved lot; no fee; open year-round, all hours
- Confluence Boat Ramp on Buckhorn Lakeboat ramp, paved, single lane, courtesy dock; parking for 25 or fewer vehicles, paved lot; no fee; seasonal, all hours
- Gays Creek Ramp on Buckhorn Lakeboat ramp, paved, single lane; parking for 25 or fewer vehicles, paved lot; no fee; seasonal, all hours
- Leatherwood Ramp Buckhornboat ramp, paved, multiple lanes; parking for 26 to 50 vehicles, paved lot; no fee; seasonal, all hours
- Trace Branch Ramp on Buckhorn Lakeboat ramp, paved, single lane; parking for 25 or fewer vehicles, paved lot; no fee; seasonal, all hours
Piers and bank access on Buckhorn Lake
- Buckhorn Tailwater Bank Accessbank access; open year-round, all hours
Other launch sites close to Buckhorn Lake
- Oneida Ramp on South Fork Kentucky RiverSouth Fork Kentucky River, 12 miles west
- Cedar Valley Road Access on South Fork Kentucky RiverSouth Fork Kentucky River, 12 miles west
- Rocky Branch Road Access on South Fork Kentucky RiverSouth Fork Kentucky River, 12 miles west
- Perry Co. Park Ramp in Hazard on North Fork Kentucky RiverNorth Fork Kentucky River, 13 miles east
- Laurel Branch Road Carrydown Carry-Down Launch on Goose CreekGoose Creek, 13 miles west
- Hacker Branch Road Access on South Fork Kentucky RiverSouth Fork Kentucky River, 14 miles west
No dollar amounts or opening times for Buckhorn Lake come with the KDFWR points.
KDFWR Fishing Access Sites in Kentucky layer (ArcGIS service: lanes as single or multiple, fees as yes or no, hours as categories), read November 10, 2026.
Dam and gauge numbers for Buckhorn Lake
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Buckhorn Lake At Buckhorn, Ky | 74.13 ft gage height, 774.13 ft lake elevation | Nov 13 12:15 am |
US Geological Survey provisional data, retrieved Nov 13, 2026 12:34 am ET. Provisional readings can be revised.
USACE Louisville District reading at Buckhorn Lake for Buckhorn Lake, November 10, 2026 20:15 UTC.
USACE Louisville District via USACE Access to Water (location page), latest values at retrieval November 10, 2026. Provisional.
For Buckhorn Lake, a dated Corps value is not a live feed; the USGS line is.
Size and creel rules for Buckhorn Lake
These rows come straight off the KDFWR page for Buckhorn Lake.
| Species | Rule as KDFWR prints it | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Largemouth Bass | Must be 15 inches or over, Statewide creel limits apply | |
| Smallmouth Bass | Must be 15 inches or over, Statewide creel limits apply | |
| Black Crappie | Must be 9 inches or over, Statewide creel limits apply | |
| White Crappie | Must be 9 inches or over, Statewide creel limits apply | |
| White Bass | Statewide Regulations Apply | |
| Muskellunge | Must be 40 inches or over. Statewide creel limits apply. |
KDFWR waterbody page for Buckhorn Lake, read November 10, 2026.
The 2026 guide on Buckhorn Lake
- BUCKHORN LAKELargemouth and Smallmouth Bass: 15-inch minimum size limit.
- BUCKHORN LAKEMuskellunge: 40-inch minimum size limit.
- BUCKHORN LAKECrappie: 9-inch minimum size limit.
2026 Kentucky Fishing & Boating Guide (Regulations Summary March 2026 to February 2027, updated September 2026, p. 7-12; KDFWR PDF), read November 10, 2026.
Kentucky Administrative Regulations on Buckhorn Lake
- Buckhorn Lake.Largemouth bass and smallmouth bass size limit, fifteen (15) inches.
- Buckhorn Lake.Muskellunge size limit, forty (40) inches.
- Buckhorn Lake.Crappie size limit, nine (9) inches.
301 KAR 1:201 Section 3(10), last effective September 3, 2026 (Kentucky Administrative Regulations), read November 10, 2026.
Default creel table for Buckhorn Lake
| Species group | Daily | Possession | Minimum size |
|---|---|---|---|
| Largemouth Bass | 6* | 12* | 12" |
| Smallmouth Bass | 6* | 12* | 12" |
| Muskellunge | 1 | 2 | 30" |
| White & Hybrid Striped Bass | 15** | 30** | none** |
| Crappie (Black & White) | 20* | 40* | none |
2026 Kentucky Fishing & Boating Guide (Regulations Summary March 2026 to February 2027, updated September 2026, p. 4; KDFWR PDF), read November 10, 2026.
The guide sets possession this way: "A possession limit is two times the daily limit for all fish species with a daily limit, excluding previously processed fish."
Anglers 16 and older need a Kentucky fishing license; the 2026 guide prints $24.31 for the resident annual license and $58.14 for nonresidents.
License prices as printed in the 2026 Kentucky Fishing & Boating Guide, p. 2 (2026 CPI-adjusted fees; KDFWR PDF), read November 10, 2026.
Sizing Buckhorn Lake against its neighbors
For a bigger lake, tow to Carr Creek Lake, which KDFWR sizes at 521 acres.
| Lake | Distance | Size | County | KDFWR launches | KDFWR rule rows |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buckhorn Lake | 1,088 acres | Leslie County | 6 | 6 | |
| Bert T. Combs Lake | 17 miles southwest | 31 acres | Clay County | 1 | 2 |
| Pan Bowl Lake | 19 miles north | 75 acres | Breathitt County | 2 | 2 |
| Carr Creek Lake | 25 miles east | 521 acres | Knott County | 3 | 8 |
| Beulah Lake | 26 miles west | 71 acres | Jackson County | 1 | 2 |
| Kingdom Come State Park Lake | 33 miles southeast | 2.5 acres | Harlan County | 1 | 6 |
KDFWR waterbody pages and access layer; outline sizes are GIS figures. Read November 10, 2026.
Plotted beside Buckhorn Lake on the KDFWR map
Impoundments a short haul from Buckhorn Lake
- Bert T. Combs Lake17 miles southwest
- Pan Bowl Lake19 miles north
- Carr Creek Lake25 miles east
- Beulah Lake26 miles west
- Kingdom Come State Park Lake33 miles southeast
Restocking line and lures for Buckhorn Lake
- Bowlingtown Marinamarina, Buckhorn, under a mile
- Duff's Bay Marinamarina, Buckhorn, under a mile
- D & D Bait & Supplybait and tackle shop, Beattyville, 24 miles
Guide services that fish Buckhorn Lake
- L & M Guide Servicefishing guide, Roark, (606) 275-3279
Kentucky towns with lodging near Buckhorn Lake
- Hazard14 miles
- Jackson19 miles
- Manchester21 miles
Which Kentucky counties hold Buckhorn Lake
- Leslie Countyseat: Hyden
- Perry Countyseat: Hazard
A Piscifun kit for the drive out to Buckhorn Lake
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Bluegrass State fish to recognize at Buckhorn Lake
Photo: Yellowstone National Park, Public domain
Photo: Rorey, CC BY 4.0
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
Photo: Richard Hurd, CC BY 2.0
Buckhorn Lake: what Bluegrass anglers want to know
Which Kentucky county holds Buckhorn Lake?
County lines put it in Leslie and Perry counties; the closest Census town, Hazard, is about 14 miles away.
What surface area does KDFWR print for Buckhorn Lake?
About 1,088 acres, by KDFWR.
Can a trailered bass boat get onto Buckhorn Lake?
KDFWR maps 6 ramps and carry-down launches; Buckhorn Dam Ramp is one.
Does KDFWR stock or regulate bass at Buckhorn Lake?
Species with KDFWR rules or stockings here: largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, black crappie, white crappie, white bass and muskellunge.
Has KDFWR printed special regulations for Buckhorn Lake?
Read the 8 special-regulation lines in the limits band before keeping fish.
What does KDFWR charge for the license Buckhorn Lake calls for?
Anglers 16 and older need a Kentucky fishing license; the 2026 guide prints $24.31 for the resident annual license and $58.14 for nonresidents.
Will a shore angler find KDFWR footing along Buckhorn Lake?
Try Buckhorn Tailwater Bank Access, one of 1 pier or bank site.
Where do Buckhorn Lake regulars buy minnows?
Our Kentucky list points to Bowlingtown Marina, under a mile away.
Has the Corps drawn Buckhorn Lake down this season?
The level band shows the newest reading with agency and time (USGS).
Put Buckhorn Lake on the Kentucky calendar
Read the limits, then pick the launch nearest your spot.