Muskie Fishing in Kentucky
Kentucky is home to more than 200,000 surface acres of publicly accessible lakes and reservoirs, encircled by 5,000 miles of shoreline. The state has more miles of navigable waterways than any other except Alaska. Thus, fishing sites are abundant across Kentucky, with three particular hot spots for "muskie" fishing. Sought by sport fishers, muskellunge are considered a game fish species in Kentucky.
Other People Are Reading
-
Identification
-
Commonly called "muskie" among fishing enthusiasts, the muskellunge, is a member of the pike family of fish. In Kentucky waters, muskies grow to more than 50 inches in length and weights topping 40 pounds. This species of game fish occurs naturally in streams throughout the southwestern, central and eastern areas of the state. KDFWR, (Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources), supplements the natural population in several areas through annual stockings.
Considerations
-
Kentucky fishing regulations set the statewide minimum size limit for muskie at 30 inches, with a daily limit of one and a possession limit of two. This applies to all Kentucky waters, public and private, with the exception of the three "hot spots" where muskies are stocked—Buckhorn Lake, Cave Run Lake and Green River Lake. Beginning in 2010, the minimum size limit for muskie taken from these three reservoirs has been changed to 36 inches.
-
Buckhorn Lake
-
Buckhorn Lake, in eastern Kentucky along the edge of the Daniel Boone National Forest, is managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in cooperation with KDFWR. The reservoir encompasses more than 1,200 surface acres, with approximately 65 miles of shoreline. The lake impounds the Middle Fork Kentucky River, where muskie naturally thrived prior to the impoundment. Buckhorn Lake State Resort Park overlooks the reservoir and offers accommodations year-round to sport fishers at the Buckhorn Lodge.
Cave Run Lake
-
The 8,270-acre Cave Run Lake, partially surrounded by the Daniel Boone National Forest, holds the distinction of being the site of both the current and previous Kentucky state record muskie catches. Cave Run is also a U.S. Army Corps of Engineer reservoir. It impounds the main stem of the Licking River. Located 60 miles east of Lexington, this popular fishing spot, known as the “Muskie Capital of the South,” sprawls through four Kentucky counties.
Green River Lake
-
An impoundment of the upper Green River in south-central Kentucky, Green River Lake is known for its abundant population of large muskies. This 8,210-acre reservoir, created in 1969, is part of the Green River Lake State Park, which encompasses 1,331 land acres adjacent to the water. A marina at the park provides 200 covered slips, along with fishing boat and houseboat rentals. The park office can be reached by phone at 270-465-8255.
Muskie Forecast
-
The 2010 muskie-fishing forecast, according to the KDFWR, is excellent at Buckhorn, Cave Run, and Green River lakes, with the best fishing reported near feeder creeks and around wood debris. The forecast is "good" in the Barren River and the Green River from the dam at Rochester up to Green River Lake Dam. KDFWR also reports that some fish have been taken from the Kentucky River, near its formation at Beattyville, but forecast only "fair" fishing in this watercourse.
-
References
Resources
- Photo Credit fishing image by Greg Pickens from Fotolia.com
