Kentucky Fish and Wildlife provides recap of recently amended regulations

​FRANKFORT, Ky. (Oct. 5, 2026) — In accordance with KRS 150.025, the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources is providing updated information about proposed fish and wildlife-related regulation amendments that have received final legislative approval and are now in effect.

The following summarizes provisions that relate to or affect Kentucky Fish and Wildlife and the services the agency provides to hunters, anglers, boaters and the public at large. These include new or amended regulations to further define size, daily and possession limits for sport fish populations taken from Kentucky waters and provide additional opportunities to control deer populations with new hunting opportunities.

Chapter 1 – Fish

301 KAR 1:201 – Taking of fish by traditional fishing methods

This administrative regulation was amended to increase daily limits on black bass on slot-limit lakes and streams across the state from six to 10 fish to allow for increased harvest of overabundant small fish. On Cave Run Lake, only five of the 10 fish can be largemouth bass over 12 inches. In addition, the black bass slot limit on Otter Creek was removed, daily limits were placed on shovelnose sturgeon and skipjack herring to protect those populations, and two more lakes were added to the Fishing in Neighborhoods program – Owens’ Lake in Boone County and the Harry T. Clark Community Park Pond in Rowan County. This administrative regulation was also amended to conform with changes to KRS 150.170, resulting from Senate Bill 39 2026 Regular Session, which exempts bona fide landowners from creel, possession, size and method-of-take restrictions for owners of private lakes and ponds.

Effective Sept. 3, 2026

Chapter 2 – Game

301 KAR 2:178 – Deer hunting on public properties

This administrative regulation was amended to conform with changes to KRS 150.390, resulting from House Bill 142 2026 Regular Session, to create provisions for additional anterless deer seasons in overpopulated areas. Those additional seasons were instituted as zone-specific seasons in 301 KAR 2:172. The amendment is necessary as public deer hunting on government owned lands was previously prohibited unless open under statewide regulations. The amendment also includes specifications for additional types of government public lands administration not previously listed.

Effective Sept. 3, 2026​