Reciprocal fishing and waterfowl hunting agreements back in place

​FRANKFORT, Ky. (Oct. 17, 2025) — Anglers and waterfowl hunters can once again use their Kentucky resident licenses to fish or hunt certain waters shared with neighboring states, as new reciprocal agreements with several bordering states took effect Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025, following adjournment of the Kentucky Interim Joint Committee on Natural Resources and Energy.

Kentucky finalized the agreements with several bordering states to allow each state's resident anglers and waterfowl hunters to utilize these shared waters using the license from their home state.

“We're blessed here in the Commonwealth – and across our neighboring states – with so many great places to get out and enjoy the outdoors," Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources Commissioner Rich Storm said. “We're extremely proud of these new agreements because they make it easier for our valued license holders and our neighbors to get out there and take advantage of all the opportunities our shared waters have to offer."

Reciprocal fishing agreements include the Ohio River, Mississippi River, Kentucky Lake, Dale Hollow Lake, the Big South Fork of Cumberland River, the Big Sandy River and Tug Fork River.

Reciprocal waterfowl hunting agreements include the Big Sandy and Tug Fork rivers bordering West Virginia, and the section of the Ohio River bordering Indiana and Ohio.

“Some of our previous reciprocal agreements were more than a decade old and in need of revision, so staff at the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources worked closely with six other states this spring to craft new ones," Storm said. “We made this a priority to complete."

Under the agreements:

• Residents can now fish or waterfowl hunt in the listed reciprocal waters using a license from their own state.
• Hunters and anglers must follow regulations and season dates of the state in which they are licensed in these waters; however, if hunting or fishing from the bank, they must follow the regulations of that state.
• Anglers fishing the Mississippi River bordering Missouri should note different rules apply; see the fishing section for more information.
• Agreements only cover the main stem of a river; hunters or anglers utilizing an embayment or a tributary off the main stem of the river must be licensed for that state and must obey the regulations of that state.
• Embayments and tributaries are defined as a straight line between opposite points where the tributary or embayment connects with the main body of a river.
• Kentucky law requires resident hunters and anglers utilizing reciprocal waters to have a Kentucky-issued license.

Additional details are as follows:

FISHING

• Ohio River: Includes the main stem of the Ohio River bordering Illinois, Indiana and Ohio. Embayments and tributaries are not included in the reciprocal agreements. Anglers must obey the regulations of the state in which they are licensed unless they are fishing from the bank. Bank anglers, regardless of which state's license they hold, must abide by the regulations of the state in which they are fishing.
• Mississippi River: Along the Missouri border, anglers must obey the regulations of the state in which they are fishing; if licensed in one state but fishing in another, anglers must comply with the most restrictive regulation. Bank anglers, regardless of which state's license they hold, must abide by the regulations of the state in which they are fishing.
• Kentucky Lake: Reciprocal waters extend from Eggner's Ferry Bridge (U.S. 68/80) in Kentucky south to Governor Ned McWherter Bridge (U.S. 79 and TN 76) in Tennessee. This includes all tributaries and embayments, except for the Blood River embayment in Kentucky. Anglers must obey the regulations of the state in which they are licensed unless they are fishing from the bank. Bank anglers, regardless of which state's license they hold, must abide by the regulations of the state in which they are fishing.
• Dale Hollow Lake: Reciprocal waters are the Wolf River arm of the lake. This includes the Illwill Creek embayment beginning at a line crossing the Wolf River at its mouth where it meets the Obey River and the main part of the lake. Anglers must obey the regulations of the state in which they are licensed unless they are fishing from the bank. Bank anglers, regardless of which state's license they hold, must abide by the regulations of the state in which they are fishing.
• Big South Fork of the Cumberland River: Reciprocal waters are from the KY 92 bridge at Yamacraw in Kentucky upstream to the Leatherwood Ford Bridge in Tennessee (TN 297). Anglers must obey the regulations of the state in which they are licensed unless they are fishing from the bank. Bank anglers, regardless of which state's license they hold, must abide by the regulations of the state in which they are fishing.
• Big Sandy River and Tug Fork River: Anglers must obey the regulations of the state in which they are licensed unless they are fishing from the bank. Bank anglers, regardless of which state's license they hold, must abide by the regulations of the state in which they are fishing.

HUNTING

Storm appreciated the cooperation of other states with Kentucky Fish and Wildlife leadership to restore the agreements.

“With duck and goose seasons opening Nov. 27, we were anxious to lock down these agreements in time for waterfowl hunters to take advantage of them," he said. “We've accomplished that goal."

Reciprocal agreements for waterfowl hunting on waters bordering Indiana, Ohio and West Virginia were also renewed.

Under these agreements, a Kentucky-licensed waterfowl hunter may hunt the main stem of the Ohio River bordering Indiana and Ohio, and the Tug Fork and Big Sandy rivers bordering West Virginia.

Kentucky-licensed hunters must follow Kentucky's regulations and season dates when hunting waters included in the agreements. However, if hunting off the West Virginia, Ohio or Indiana bank, hunters must follow the season dates and regulations of those states.

Reciprocal agreements only apply to the main stem of the Ohio River, Big Sandy River and the Tug Fork River. Areas within tributaries or embayments of the main stem are subject to the season dates, regulations and licensing of that state.

Embayments and tributaries are defined as a straight line between opposite points where the tributary or embayment connects with the main body of the river. If hunting a tributary or embayment, hunters must be licensed in that state and follow that state's season dates and regulations.

For waters not covered by the reciprocal agreements, hunters and anglers should follow the regulations and license requirements of whatever state in which they are hunting or fishing.

More information may be found by visiting the Kentucky Fish and Wildlife website (fw.ky.gov) on the Reciprocal Hunting and Fishing Agreements webpage. For questions, contact the department's Information Center at 800-858-1549, or at info.center@ky.gov, weekdays 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. (Eastern), except holidays.