Water · Decatur

Fishing Kentucky, Tennessee

Q: Is Kentucky free to fish?

The water is. Some of the ramps are not — Corps of Engineers sites, state park ramps and marinas often charge to launch or park. Each listing below shows the owner, which is the best guide to whether you will be asked for money.

1 public access point across 1 county, with directions to every one.

Jump to the access list Licence and limits

Every access point

Public access on Kentucky, county by county

All 1 public access point TWRA records on Kentucky. Each card opens its own page with written directions, coordinates and a link straight to Google Maps.

Tap a pin for the spot page and directions. Open the full Tennessee fishing map.

Kentucky access in Decatur County

Free2 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TWRAStewman CreekHwy. 69 in Bath Springs1 ramp, 1 laneDirections and detail →35.39403, -88.13737

What to bring

Tackle for Kentucky

Three picks from the largemouth bass checklist that work for the fish here. Affiliate links: buying through them pays this site a small commission at no extra cost to you.

RodUgly Stik GX2 7 ft medium-heavy casting rodStiff enough to set a hook in grass, tough enough to live in a truck bed.Shop on Amazon →Why it is on the list

ReelAbu Garcia Black Max baitcasting reelAn inexpensive baitcaster that casts cleanly once the brakes are set.Shop on Amazon →Why it is on the list

Soft plasticZoom Trick WormThe Tennessee standard on a Texas rig or weightless along docks and grass edges.Shop on Amazon →Why it is on the list

Full largemouth bass checklist (11 items)All gear checklists

Spending more? The bigger purchases, compared side by side:

Smallmouth Bass checklist Crappie checklist Bluegill and Panfish checklist Fish Finders compared Trolling Motors compared Lithium Marine Batteries compared Shallow Water Anchors compared

The water

Kentucky boat ramps and fishing access

Kentucky has 1 public access point: 1 boat ramp, in Decatur County.

1public access point

1boat ramp

1county

1 public access point on Kentucky, every one with directions.

What it looks like

Kentucky in photographs

What Kentucky looks like through the year. Every picture opens that water’s own page.

KentuckyOpen the Kentucky page →George Green, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers / Public domain

KentuckyOpen the Kentucky page →Thomas R Machnitzki / CC BY-SA 3.0

What you can catch

Fish in Kentucky

What Kentucky actually holds, from the county research behind this site and TWRA’s own species notes. A licence is required for all of it.

largemouth bass smallmouth bass spotted bass crappie bluegill redear sunfish white bass sauger catfish

Guides who fish Kentucky

What you can keep

Fishing limits on Kentucky

TWRA sets 3 rules just for Kentucky. They replace the statewide limit for those fish. Everything else follows the statewide limit.

Fish	Daily limit	Length	Where or when
Largemouth bass	5 black bass combined	15 in minimum	Same for smallmouth; spotted bass no length limit
Smallmouth bass	5 black bass combined	15 in minimum	Kentucky rule
Crappie	20	10 in minimum	Includes the dewatering areas
Spotted bass	5 black bass combined	No minimum	Statewide
Bluegill	No limit	No minimum	Statewide
Redear sunfish	20	No minimum	Statewide
White bass	15	No minimum	Statewide
Sauger	10	15 in minimum	Statewide
Channel catfish	No limit under 34 in	Only one over 34 in	Statewide

Other rules on Kentucky

Dewatering areas (West Sandy, Big Sandy, Gin Creek, Camden Bottoms, Duck River Bottoms, Busseltown, Perryville, Gumdale) closed 5 days before and during late waterfowl season.

From the 2026–27 Tennessee Fishing Guide (TWRA), in effect 1 August 2026 to 31 July 2027, checked 25 September 2026. Rules change, so check the guide before you keep a fish.

Statewide limits and licenses

By county

Counties on Kentucky

Kentucky touches 1 Tennessee county. The county page has the bait shops, the bank access and the local limits.

DecaturvilleDecatur County1 access point on Kentucky, plus the rest of the county’s water.See the spots →

By town

Towns on Kentucky

These pages measure from the middle of town rather than the county line, which is usually the number that matters when you are deciding where to drive.

Hardin CountyFishing near SavannahPublic water within about 30 miles of Savannah, closest first.See the spots →

A Tennessee licence covers the whole state, not just one lake.

Common questions

Questions about fishing Kentucky

How many public boat ramps are there on Kentucky?

TWRA lists 1 public boat launch on Kentucky, with 1 ramp lanes between them, across 1 Tennessee county. Every one of them is listed on this page with directions.

What fish can you catch in Kentucky?

Kentucky holds largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, spotted bass, crappie, bluegill, redear sunfish, white bass, sauger and catfish. Which of those is actually worth chasing depends on the season, and TWRA sets size and creel limits that change, so check before you keep anything.

Which counties does Kentucky run through?

Decatur county. Each has its own page on this site with the local bait shops, ramps and bank access.

Can you fish Kentucky from the bank?

Yes, though no public fishing pier is recorded on Kentucky. Bank fishing here means the shoreline and parking areas at the public ramps, plus road and bridge crossings where there is public right of way.

Do you need a licence to fish Kentucky?

Yes. Anyone 13 or older needs a Tennessee fishing licence, and a trout supplemental on top if you plan to keep trout. Non-residents can buy a three-day or ten-day licence rather than a full year.

Is Kentucky free to fish?

The water is. Some of the ramps are not, Corps of Engineers sites, state park ramps and marinas often charge to launch or park. Each listing below shows the owner, which is the best guide to whether you will be asked for money.

Keep going

More Kentucky water, and who fishes it

Every guide and charter on this site is listed by the water they run, so you can call the captain direct. Licences, limits and the state record list are one click away too.

Guides by water Licence and limits