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Department of Fish and Wildlife
Fishing Program Expands to Two Lakes in Franklin County
The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources provides great fishing opportunities right out your back door.
The 6-acre Upper Sportsman’s Lake and 3-acre Lower Sportsman’s Lake are now both enrolled in the Fishing in the Neighborhoods (FINs) program. Both are located at the headquarters campus of Kentucky Fish and Wildlife, off U.S. 60 west of Frankfort.
The FINs program began in 2006 with five lakes, but this year expanded to include 30 lakes statewide. The goal of the program is to provide high quality fishing opportunities near cities of all sizes throughout the Commonwealth. These lakes are great places to make a quick getaway to relax and catch a mess of fish or to take the family on a fishing outing without traveling far from home.
These two lakes will receive up to four high-density stockings of channel catfish and three rainbow trout stockings from January through November of each year.
The first stocking of 1,200 channel catfish is scheduled for the first week of March at Upper Sportsman’s Lake. Lower Sportsman’s Lake is scheduled to receive its first stocking of 500 catfish in mid-April. The stocked channel catfish will be 13-16 inches long and average 1 pound each.
The next stocking of rainbow trout at both lakes is scheduled for mid-April. Rainbow trout will average 8-12 inches long.
FINs lakes contain sunfish and bass populations that will be managed and stocked as necessary. Check the Kentucky Fish and Wildlife website for the exact stocking dates, license requirements, directions to the lake and fishing events. The site also has a place for you to submit pictures of your catch. Just go to fw.ky.gov on the Internet and type in the keyword, “FINs.”
Daily limits for each angler fishing at these lakes includes eight rainbow trout, four catfish, and three largemouth bass over 15 inches. A statewide fishing license is required for anglers who are 16 and older. Licensed anglers who want to keep their trout must have an additional trout permit. The trout permit is included in the $5 senior license for those anglers age 65 and older.
Don’t forget: March 1 marked the start of the new year for fishing licenses.
A great fishing opportunity is just minutes away. So grab a pole, wet a line and we’ll see you at the lake.
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