Blue Catfish in Kentucky
Guide limits, special waters and KDFWR record entries for blue catfish.
- 1 eachdaily
- 106.90 lbsstate record
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Blue Catfish across Kentucky, briefly
The 2026 guide sets blue catfish in its "Blue & Flathead Catfish 35" and above" row at daily limit 1 each, possession 2 each, minimum size 35". Barren River Lake is one of 14 guide entries that set a different rule for it.
Barren River Lake, Taylorsville Lake and Yatesville Lake head the 52 water pages whose KDFWR table lists it. The KDFWR record list shows 106.90 lbs from Ohio River.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue & Flathead Catfish 35" and above | 1 each | 2 each | 35" | – |
| Blue & Flathead Catfish below 35" | none | none | none | – |
Possession is twice the daily figure, and culling is allowed for every fish except trout.
2026 Kentucky Fishing & Boating Guide (Regulations Summary March 2026 to February 2027, updated September 2026, p. 5; KDFWR PDF), read November 10, 2026.
Where the blue catfish rule changes in Kentucky
| Water as printed | County | Rule lines naming it |
|---|---|---|
| Barren River Lake | Blue and Channel Catfish: 15-fish aggregate daily limit, only 1 fish may be longer than 25 inches. | |
| Carr Creek Lake | Blue and Channel Catfish: 15-fish aggregate daily limit, only 1 fish may be longer than 25 inches. | |
| Dewey Lake | Blue and Channel Catfish: 15-fish aggregate daily limit, only 1 fish may be longer than 25 inches. | |
| Doe Run Lake | Kenton County | Channel Catfish: Four fish daily limit. |
| Fishtrap Lake | Blue and Channel Catfish: 15-fish aggregate daily limit, only 1 fish in the daily limit may be longer than 25 inches. | |
| General Butler State Park Lake | Carroll County | Channel Catfish: 4 fish daily limit. |
| Golden Pond (Land Between The Lakes National Recreation Area) | Channel Catfish: 15-inch minimum size limit, 5-fish daily limit. | |
| Lake Shelby | Shelby County | Channel Catfish: 4 fish daily limit. |
| Lincoln Homestead State Park Lake | Washington County | Channel Catfish: 4 fish daily limit. |
| New Haven Optimist Lake | Nelson County | Channel Catfish: 4 fish daily limit. |
| Rockcastle River WMA | Pulaski County | Catfish: 4-fish daily limit. |
| Taylorsville Lake | Blue and Channel Catfish: 15-fish aggregate daily limit, only 1 fish may be longer than 25 inches. | |
| Willisburg Park Pond | Washington County | Channel Catfish: 4-fish daily limit. |
| Yatesville Lake | Blue and Channel Catfish: 15-fish daily limit in aggregate, only one fish may be longer than 25 inches. |
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 record blue catfish as KDFWR lists them
| KDFWR listing | Weight | Water | Date | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Catfish | 106.90 lbs | Ohio River | October 20, 2018 |
Kentucky state record fish as listed by KDFWR (record list), read November 10, 2026.
Choosing Kentucky water for blue catfish
A KDFWR rule row ties this fish to each water below; it is a regulation, not a stocking or catch figure.
Reservoirs listing blue catfish
- Barren River Lake9,674 acres
- Taylorsville Lake3,014 acres
- Yatesville Lake2,171 acres
- Fishtrap Lake1,038 acres
- Dewey Lake961 acres
- Carr Creek Lake521 acres
- Jacobson Park Lake46 acres
- Jesse W. Thornton Lake29 acres
- Camp Ernst Lake25 acres
- Carlson Lake14 acres
- Maysville-Mason County Rec. Lake12 acres
- Flemingsburg Old Reservoir11 acres
- Brickyard Pond10 acres
- Logan Hubble Park Lake9.2 acres
- Alexandria Community Park Lake7.2 acres
- Lake Montgomery6.2 acres
- Kentucky Horse Parkabout 5.6 acres of mapped outline
- Whitehall Park Lake5.6 acres
- Waymond Morris Park5 acres
- Tom Wallace Park4.7 acres
- Leary Lake4.6 acres
- Waverly Park4.4 acres
- Cherokee Park4.3 acres
- Mike Miller Park3.9 acres
Streams listing blue catfish
- Ohio River (West)Ballard County and 4 other counties
- Ohio River (Central)Breckinridge County and 5 other counties
- Ohio River (Louisville)Hardin County and 3 other counties
- Ohio River (Below Cincinnati)Boone County and 2 other counties
- Ohio River (Above Cincinnati)Bracken County and 2 other counties
- Ohio River (East)Boyd County and 2 other counties
KDFWR fishing waterbody list (app.fw.ky.gov), read November 10, 2026.
Row partners of blue catfish in the guide
- Flathead CatfishBlue & Flathead Catfish 35" and above
Photo of Barren River Lake: LouisvilleUSACE, CC BY 2.0
Chasing Blue Catfish across the Commonwealth, answered
Is there a Kentucky creel limit on blue catfish?
The statewide row reads daily limit 1 each, possession 2 each, minimum size 35".
Does any guide entry rewrite the blue catfish figure on one lake or stream?
14 special-regulation entries change it; Barren River Lake is one.
What is the Kentucky state record blue catfish?
106.90 lbs, from Ohio River, dated October 20, 2018 on the KDFWR list.
Where do blue catfish turn up in KDFWR rule tables?
The 52 pages begin with Barren River Lake, Taylorsville Lake and Yatesville Lake.
Is harvest of blue catfish allowed in Kentucky?
It is not on the guide's release-only list; the statewide and special-water rules apply.
Which Kentucky license covers blue catfish?
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.
What counts for a Kentucky blue catfish record?
The KDFWR record program takes fish caught in Kentucky by rod and reel or pole and line that weigh 0.10 pound or more.
How many blue catfish may sit in a Kentucky freezer at once?
The guide doubles the daily limit for possession; previously processed fish do not count.
Line up a weekend around blue catfish
KDFWR launches and quoted limits wait on each linked water.