Black Crappie in Kentucky
Kentucky rules and water for black crappie.
- 20*daily
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Kentucky Black Crappie in figures
For black crappie the guide's baseline row, "Crappie (Black & White)", gives daily limit 20*, possession 40*, minimum size none. Look at Barkley, Kentucky Lakes (and their connecting canal) first: 14 special-water entries change its rule.
The KDFWR tables of 31 built waters include it; start with Kentucky Lake, Lake Barkley and Lake Cumberland.
2026 Kentucky Fishing & Boating Guide (Regulations Summary March 2026 to February 2027, updated September 2026, p. 5; KDFWR PDF), read November 10, 2026.
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| Row | Daily | Possession | Minimum size | Footnote |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crappie (Black & White) | 20* | 40* | none | * Singly or combined; a total of these species |
Kentucky caps possession at two days' limit; anglers may cull any species but trout.
2026 Kentucky Fishing & Boating Guide (Regulations Summary March 2026 to February 2027, updated September 2026, p. 5; KDFWR PDF), read November 10, 2026.
Water-by-water black crappie entries in the guide
| Water as printed | County | Rule lines naming it |
|---|---|---|
| Barkley, Kentucky Lakes (and their connecting canal) | Crappie: 10-inch minimum size limit. | |
| Barren River Lake | Crappie: 10-inch minimum size limit. | |
| Buckhorn Lake | Crappie: 9-inch minimum size limit. | |
| Carr Creek Lake | Crappie: 9-inch minimum size limit. | |
| Dale Hollow Lake | Crappie: 10-inch minimum size limit, 15-fish daily limit. | |
| Fishtrap Lake | Crappie: 9-inch minimum size limit. | |
| Green River Lake | Crappie: 9-inch minimum size limit. | |
| Kentucky, Barkley Lakes (and their connecting canal) | Crappie: 10-inch minimum size limit. | |
| Lake Cumberland | Crappie: 10-inch minimum size limit. | |
| Laurel River Lake | Crappie: 9-inch minimum size limit, 15-fish daily limit. | |
| Nolin River Lake | Crappie: 10-inch minimum size limit. | |
| Rockcastle River WMA | Pulaski County | Crappie: 15-fish daily limit. |
| Rough River Lake | Crappie: 10-inch minimum size limit. | |
| Taylorsville Lake | Crappie: 10-inch minimum size limit, 15-fish daily 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 waters whose KDFWR table lists black crappie
Each water below names this fish in the Special Fishing Regulations table on its KDFWR page; a rule row is not a catch report.
Impounded Kentucky water with black crappie rules
- Kentucky Lake55,025 acres in Kentucky
- Lake Barkley39,496 acres in Kentucky
- Lake Cumberland47,688 acres
- Dale Hollow Lake6,614 acres in Kentucky
- Barren River Lake9,674 acres
- Green River Lake8,181 acres
- Cave Run Lake7,880 acres
- Nolin River Lake6,017 acres
- Laurel River Lake5,768 acres
- Rough River Lake4,848 acres
- Taylorsville Lake3,014 acres
- Yatesville Lake2,171 acres
- Grayson Lake1,300 acres
- Buckhorn Lake1,088 acres
- Fishtrap Lake1,038 acres
- Paintsville Lake996 acres
- Dewey Lake961 acres
- Lake Beshear819 acres
- Lake Malone814 acres
- Cedar Creek Lake792 acres
- Wood Creek Lake625 acres
- Carr Creek Lake521 acres
- Guist Creek Lake328 acres
- Kincaid Lake181 acres
KDFWR fishing waterbody list (app.fw.ky.gov), read November 10, 2026.
Kentucky fish grouped with black crappie
- White CrappieCrappie (Black & White)
Photo of Kentucky Lake: Shannon McGee, CC BY-SA 2.0
Kentucky Black Crappie in plain answers
How many black crappie go home per day in Kentucky?
The statewide row reads daily limit 20*, possession 40*, minimum size none.
Does the black crappie limit differ by lake in Kentucky?
It changes on 14 waters in the guide, Barkley, Kentucky Lakes (and their connecting canal) included.
How heavy is the Kentucky record-book black crappie?
Nothing appears on the KDFWR list.
Which Kentucky lakes should I try first for black crappie?
KDFWR tables name it on 31 built waters, starting with Kentucky Lake, Lake Barkley and Lake Cumberland.
Are black crappie on the guide's release list?
The release-only list leaves it off.
Which KDFWR license do black crappie anglers buy?
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.
Can a black crappie set a new Kentucky record?
Catch it in Kentucky with rod and reel or pole and line, and it must top 0.10 pound for the KDFWR list.
Can I hold two days of black crappie?
Two days' limit is the cap, excluding fish that have been processed.
Settle on Kentucky water for black crappie
Tap any linked water for its KDFWR launches and limits.