Fish Stockings and Locations for 2004
In 2004, nearly 4,000,000 cool and warm water fish will be produced at
the Minor Clark and Pfeiffer fish hatcheries and stocked into various water
bodies throughout Kentucky. The following list shows the estimated number of
fish that will be stocked at each location. Fishing forecasts for each water
body in 2004 can be obtained at this website.
Muskellunge – Stocked in streams, rivers, and reservoirs that had
historic native muskellunge populations. Muskellunge are usually stocked in
August as 9-inch fish in streams and rivers at a rate of about 1 fish per
acre of available habitat. In reservoirs, fish are stocked in September or
early October as 13-inch fish at a rate of 1 fish per three surface acres.
|
Water body |
Number stocked |
|
Cave Run Lake |
2,700 |
|
Green River Lake |
2,700 |
|
Buckhorn Lake |
400 |
|
Green River |
2,400 |
|
Licking River |
500 |
|
North Fork Triplett Creek |
50 |
|
Kinniconick Creek |
100 |
|
Little Sandy River |
200 |
|
Red River |
150 |
|
Total |
9,200 |
Walleye – Stocked in rivers and reservoirs having sufficient cool
water habitat and available forage to create an additional sport fishery.
Walleye are stocked in May as 1.5-inch fingerlings usually at a rate of 50
fingerlings per acre. Lake Cumberland, because of its size, is stocked at
about 7 fish per acre. There is limited natural reproduction of walleye in
Kentucky.
|
Water body |
Number stocked |
|
Lake Cumberland |
350,000 |
|
Laurel River Lake |
300,000 |
|
Nolin River Lake |
250,000 |
|
Paintsville Lake |
57,000 |
|
Carr Creek Lake |
35,000 |
|
Green River Lake |
400,000 |
|
Woods Creek Lake |
34,000a |
|
Middle Fork Kentucky River |
10,000 |
|
North Fork Kentucky River |
10,000 |
|
South Fork Kentucky River |
10,000 |
|
Martins Fork Lake |
15,000 |
|
Upper Cumberland River |
15,000 |
|
Russell Fork |
15,000 |
|
Green River |
10,000 |
|
Rockcastle River |
20,000a |
|
Total |
1,531,000 |
a
= stocked with the native Rockcastle River
strain walleye.
Striped bass – Stocked in rivers and reservoirs having sufficient cool
water habitat and available forage to create an additional open water sport
fishery. Striped bass are stocked in June as 1.5-inch fingerlings at a rate
of 5-10 fish per acre.
|
Water body |
Number stocked |
|
Lake Cumberland |
350,000 |
|
Ohio river |
768,000 |
|
Kentucky Lake tailwater |
100,000 |
|
Barkley Lake tailwater |
100,000 |
|
Total |
1,318,000 |
Hybrid striped bass – Stocked in reservoirs having sufficient open
water habitat and forage to create an additional sport fishery. Hybrid
striped bass are stocked in June as 1.5-inch fingerlings usually at a rate
10-25 fish per acre.
|
Water body |
Number stocked |
|
Barren River Lake |
200,000 |
|
Rough River Lake |
102,000 |
|
Taylorsville Lake |
60,000 |
|
Herrington Lake |
50,000 |
|
Fishtrap Lake |
23,000 |
|
Guist Creek Lake |
9,510 |
|
Total |
444,510 |
White bass – Stocked as part of a research study to attempt to restore
white bass fisheries in selected reservoirs in Kentucky. White bass are
stocked in June as 1.5-inch fingerlings at a rate of about 20 fish per acre.
If this effort is successful, other water bodies will stocked in future
years.
|
Water body |
Number stocked |
|
Barren River Lake |
200,000 |
|
Dewey Lake |
20,000 |
|
Total |
220,000 |
Blacknose crappie – Stocked as part of a research study to evaluate
crappie stockings as a management option to improve crappie fisheries in
selected reservoirs. Blacknose crappie are black crappie with a distinct
marking that allows them and their offspring to be easily identified.
Blacknose crappie are stocked in November as 2.5 in fingerlings at a rate of
about 10 fish per acre.
|
Water body |
Number stocked |
|
Laurel River Lake |
60,000 |
|
Total |
60,000 |
Blue catfish – Stocked as part of a research study in selected
small public lakes to attempt to improve bluegill fisheries and provide for
trophy catfish fisheries. Taylorsville Lake stockings has been included to
create a trophy catfish fishery. Blue catfish are stocked in September as
12.0 in fish at a rate of about 8 to 25 fish per acre.
|
Water Body |
Number stocked |
|
Reformatory Lake |
5,400 |
|
Bullock Pen Lake |
3,350 |
|
Boltz Lake |
920 |
|
A.J. Jolly Lake |
2,400 |
|
Taylorsville Lake |
25,000 |
|
Total |
34,070 |
Channel catfish – Stocked in state owned and public lakes
throughout the state to provide for a put-grow-and take fishery. Channel
catfish are usually stocked in September at 9.0 inches and usually stocked
at a rate of 25-50 fish per acre. In 2004, a total of 163,450 will be
stocked. Priority 1 lakes are stocked every year while priority 2 lakes are
stocked every other year.
Catfish Stocking Lakes
Largemouth bass – A largemouth bass stocking program will begin in
selected small impoundments and reservoirs in 2004. Water bodies stocked
will be determined in the fall of 2004. Stockings will be based on numbers
of largemouth bass from the 2004 spring spawn. Water bodies with a deficit
of yearling bass (2004 spawn) will be stocked with 5.0-inch fingerlings in
September, October, or March at a rate of 5 fish/acre. A total of about
120,000 will be stocked in 2004 or early 2005.
Farm pond stockings – About 20% of the Pfeiffer Hatchery production
each year is allocated to stocking renovated and new farm ponds. Fish
species include largemouth bass, bluegill, and catfish. A fee is charged to
process the fish. Additional information can be obtained from the farm pond
section at this site.
