Trout Fishing in Kentucky
Tailwaters below Wolf Creek, Barkley, Nolin and other Corps dams, stocked streams and lakes, with the trout permit rule.
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Kentucky trout below the Corps dams
Most Kentucky trout water is cold release water below Corps of Engineers dams. The best known is the Cumberland River below Wolf Creek Dam (the Lake Cumberland tailwater), where every licensed angler needs a trout permit. KDFWR keeps 8 tailwaters as waterbodies of their own; each page here carries the guide’s trout totals, the latest Corps release reading with its time, and KDFWR access sites.
Barren River Lake Tailwater
below the Barren River Lake dam
Tailwater pageNolin River Lake Tailwater
8,000 rainbow and 250 brown trout a year in the guide table
Tailwater pageHerrington Lake Tailwater
4,500 rainbow and 300 brown trout a year in the guide table
Tailwater pageLake Cumberland Tailwater
192,400 rainbow and 42,000 brown trout a year in the guide table
Tailwater pageKentucky Lake Tailwater
below the Kentucky Lake dam
Tailwater pageLake Barkley Tailwater
below the Lake Barkley dam
Tailwater pageCave Run Lake Tailwater
6,000 rainbow and 0 brown trout a year in the guide table
Tailwater pageGreen River Lake Tailwater
below the Green River Lake dam
Tailwater page
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Photo of Louisville: William Alden, CC BY-SA 2.0
Stocked Kentucky tailwaters without a page of their own
| Tailwater | Rainbow | Brown | Months |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buckhorn | 5,000 | – | April, May, June, Oct., Nov. |
| Carr Creek | 4,000 | – | April, May, Oct., Nov. |
| Dewey | 4,000 | – | April, May, Oct., Nov. |
| Fishtrap | 10,000 | – | April, May, June, Oct., Nov. |
| Grayson | 5,000 | – | April, May, June, Oct., Nov. |
| Laurel River | 500 | 250 | March, April, May, June, Oct. |
| Martins Fork | 3,750 | – | April, May, June, Oct., Nov. |
| Paintsville | 14,000 | – | April, May, June, July, Sept., Oct., Nov. |
| Taylorsville | 3,000 | – | April, May, June, Nov. |
| Yatesville | 3,000 | – | April, May, Oct., Nov. |
2026 Kentucky Fishing & Boating Guide (Regulations Summary March 2026 to February 2027, updated September 2026, p. 24; KDFWR PDF), read November 10, 2026.
Kentucky trout streams with a page here
- Casey CreekTrigg County, 8,000 rainbow, release season
- Clear CreekBell County, 1,200 rainbow, release season
- Craney CreekRowan County, 1,000 rainbow
- East Fork Indian CreekMenifee County, 4,000 rainbow, release season
- East Fork Little Sandy RiverBoyd County, 2,400 rainbow
- Floyd's ForkJefferson County, 12,000 rainbow, release season
- Gunpowder CreekBoone County, 1,600 rainbow, release season
- Hatchery CreekRussell County, 32,100 rainbow
- Laurel CreekElliott County, 2,750 rainbow
- Otter Creek Outdoor Recreation AreaMeade County, 0 rainbow, release season
- Russell ForkPike County, 2,250 rainbow
- Station Camp CreekEstill County, 750 rainbow
- Sulphur Spring CreekSimpson County, 3,000 rainbow
- Swift Camp CreekWolfe County, 1,000 rainbow, release season
- Triplett CreekRowan County, 1,200 rainbow
2026 Kentucky Fishing & Boating Guide (Regulations Summary March 2026 to February 2027, updated September 2026, p. 24-28; KDFWR PDF), read November 10, 2026.
Kentucky lakes that get stocked trout
- Higginson-Henry WMAUnion County
- Bert T. Combs Lake31 acres
- Cranks Creek Lake176 acres
- Laurel River Lake5,768 acres
- Cannon Creek Lake219 acres
- Wood Creek Lake625 acres
- Beulah Lake71 acres
- Pan Bowl Lake75 acres
- Fishpond Lake29 acres
- Paintsville Lake996 acres
- Pikeville City Lake21 acres
- Martin County Lake3 acres
- Greenbo Lake176 acres
- Fagan Branch Lake127 acres
- Metcalfe County Lake21 acres
- Eagle Lake18 acres
- Vastwood Park Lake21 acres
- Mill Creek Lake (Monroe Co.)95 acres
- Peabody WMAHopkins County
- Grants Branch Lake22 acres
- Highsplint Lakeabout 3.9 acres of mapped outline
2026 Kentucky Fishing & Boating Guide (Regulations Summary March 2026 to February 2027, updated September 2026, p. 24-28; KDFWR PDF), read November 10, 2026.
Kentucky trout license and permit
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. Keeping trout adds the $10.57 trout permit, and every licensed angler on the Cumberland River below Wolf Creek Dam needs it.
Some streams indicated in the table have a catch and release season (no harvest) from Oct. 1 through March 31. During the catch and release season, only artificial baits shall be used and all trout caught must be immediately released. (guide p. 25)
License prices as printed in the 2026 Kentucky Fishing & Boating Guide, p. 2 (2026 CPI-adjusted fees; KDFWR PDF), read November 10, 2026.
Kentucky trout fishing questions
Where is the best-known trout water in Kentucky?
The Cumberland River below Wolf Creek Dam, the Lake Cumberland tailwater.
How many Kentucky tailwaters get a page below their dams?
KDFWR keeps 8 as waters of their own, namely Barren River Lake Tailwater, Nolin River Lake Tailwater, Herrington Lake Tailwater, Lake Cumberland Tailwater, Kentucky Lake Tailwater, Lake Barkley Tailwater, Cave Run Lake Tailwater and Green River Lake Tailwater.
Do I need a trout permit below Wolf Creek Dam?
Yes, every licensed angler on the Cumberland River from the dam to the Tennessee line needs one, keeping trout or not.
Which other tailwaters get trout?
Buckhorn, Carr Creek, Dewey, Fishtrap, Grayson, Laurel River, Martins Fork, Paintsville, Taylorsville and Yatesville, per the guide table.
Are there catch-and-release trout streams?
Yes, streams marked in the guide have an October 1 to March 31 release season with artificial baits only.
Are release readings live?
No. Each tailwater page prints the latest Corps reading with its time; check the Corps location page before a trip.
How many stocked lakes have a page?
21 lake pages carry a trout table row.
When are Cumberland tailwater stockings?
The guide says they will not be announced.