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Bield:Fish
Fish stocking schedule

Kentucky fish stocking schedule 2026.

Year-RoundKentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources

Kentucky's signature stocking program is the Cumberland River tailwater below Wolf Creek Dam — year-round trout stockings support a wild brown trout population that produces multiple state records. The state also stocks striped bass in Lake Cumberland and major reservoirs.

Official source

Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources Stocking Report

Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources publishes the authoritative Kentucky stocking schedule — Weekly updates in Posted list format. For this week's actual stocking locations, dates, and volumes, view the official report directly.

View official Kentucky stocking report

This page summarizes the Kentucky stocking program for planning purposes. The agency report is the authoritative source — verify before any trip.

Primary stocked species in Kentucky

Typical stocking pattern by species. Heavy fill marks primary stocking months; moderate fill marks possible stocking. Verify exact dates against the official report.

  • Rainbow TroutOncorhynchus mykiss
    JanJan — moderate stocking Rainbow Trout typical size: 9–12 inch catchable; some trophy fish 16+ inchesFebFeb — moderate stocking Rainbow Trout typical size: 9–12 inch catchable; some trophy fish 16+ inchesMarMar — moderate stocking Rainbow Trout typical size: 9–12 inch catchable; some trophy fish 16+ inchesAprApr — moderate stocking Rainbow Trout typical size: 9–12 inch catchable; some trophy fish 16+ inchesMayMay — moderate stocking Rainbow Trout typical size: 9–12 inch catchable; some trophy fish 16+ inchesJunJun — moderate stocking Rainbow Trout typical size: 9–12 inch catchable; some trophy fish 16+ inchesJulJul — moderate stocking Rainbow Trout typical size: 9–12 inch catchable; some trophy fish 16+ inchesAugAug — moderate stocking Rainbow Trout typical size: 9–12 inch catchable; some trophy fish 16+ inchesSepSep — moderate stocking Rainbow Trout typical size: 9–12 inch catchable; some trophy fish 16+ inchesOctOct — moderate stocking Rainbow Trout typical size: 9–12 inch catchable; some trophy fish 16+ inchesNovNov — moderate stocking Rainbow Trout typical size: 9–12 inch catchable; some trophy fish 16+ inchesDecDec — moderate stocking Rainbow Trout typical size: 9–12 inch catchable; some trophy fish 16+ inches
    Typical size: 9–12 inch catchable; some trophy fish 16+ inches
  • Brown TroutSalmo trutta
    JanJan — moderate stocking Brown Trout typical size: 9–14 inch catchable; trophy fish 18–24 inchesFebFeb — moderate stocking Brown Trout typical size: 9–14 inch catchable; trophy fish 18–24 inchesMarMar — moderate stocking Brown Trout typical size: 9–14 inch catchable; trophy fish 18–24 inchesAprApr — moderate stocking Brown Trout typical size: 9–14 inch catchable; trophy fish 18–24 inchesMayMay — moderate stocking Brown Trout typical size: 9–14 inch catchable; trophy fish 18–24 inchesJunJun — moderate stocking Brown Trout typical size: 9–14 inch catchable; trophy fish 18–24 inchesJulJul — moderate stocking Brown Trout typical size: 9–14 inch catchable; trophy fish 18–24 inchesAugAug — moderate stocking Brown Trout typical size: 9–14 inch catchable; trophy fish 18–24 inchesSepSep — moderate stocking Brown Trout typical size: 9–14 inch catchable; trophy fish 18–24 inchesOctOct — moderate stocking Brown Trout typical size: 9–14 inch catchable; trophy fish 18–24 inchesNovNov — moderate stocking Brown Trout typical size: 9–14 inch catchable; trophy fish 18–24 inchesDecDec — moderate stocking Brown Trout typical size: 9–14 inch catchable; trophy fish 18–24 inches
    Typical size: 9–14 inch catchable; trophy fish 18–24 inches
  • Brook TroutSalvelinus fontinalis
    JanJan — moderate stocking Brook Trout typical size: 8–11 inch catchableFebFeb — moderate stocking Brook Trout typical size: 8–11 inch catchableMarMar — moderate stocking Brook Trout typical size: 8–11 inch catchableAprApr — moderate stocking Brook Trout typical size: 8–11 inch catchableMayMay — moderate stocking Brook Trout typical size: 8–11 inch catchableJunJun — moderate stocking Brook Trout typical size: 8–11 inch catchableJulJul — moderate stocking Brook Trout typical size: 8–11 inch catchableAugAug — moderate stocking Brook Trout typical size: 8–11 inch catchableSepSep — moderate stocking Brook Trout typical size: 8–11 inch catchableOctOct — moderate stocking Brook Trout typical size: 8–11 inch catchableNovNov — moderate stocking Brook Trout typical size: 8–11 inch catchableDecDec — moderate stocking Brook Trout typical size: 8–11 inch catchable
    Typical size: 8–11 inch catchable
  • SaugeyeSander vitreus × Sander canadensis
    JanJan — moderate stocking Saugeye typical size: 2–4 inch fingerlingFebFeb — moderate stocking Saugeye typical size: 2–4 inch fingerlingMarMar — moderate stocking Saugeye typical size: 2–4 inch fingerlingAprApr — moderate stocking Saugeye typical size: 2–4 inch fingerlingMayMay — moderate stocking Saugeye typical size: 2–4 inch fingerlingJunJun — moderate stocking Saugeye typical size: 2–4 inch fingerlingJulJul — moderate stocking Saugeye typical size: 2–4 inch fingerlingAugAug — moderate stocking Saugeye typical size: 2–4 inch fingerlingSepSep — moderate stocking Saugeye typical size: 2–4 inch fingerlingOctOct — moderate stocking Saugeye typical size: 2–4 inch fingerlingNovNov — moderate stocking Saugeye typical size: 2–4 inch fingerlingDecDec — moderate stocking Saugeye typical size: 2–4 inch fingerling
    Typical size: 2–4 inch fingerling
  • MuskellungeEsox masquinongy
    JanJan — moderate stocking Muskellunge typical size: 8–12 inch fingerlingFebFeb — moderate stocking Muskellunge typical size: 8–12 inch fingerlingMarMar — moderate stocking Muskellunge typical size: 8–12 inch fingerlingAprApr — moderate stocking Muskellunge typical size: 8–12 inch fingerlingMayMay — moderate stocking Muskellunge typical size: 8–12 inch fingerlingJunJun — moderate stocking Muskellunge typical size: 8–12 inch fingerlingJulJul — moderate stocking Muskellunge typical size: 8–12 inch fingerlingAugAug — moderate stocking Muskellunge typical size: 8–12 inch fingerlingSepSep — moderate stocking Muskellunge typical size: 8–12 inch fingerlingOctOct — moderate stocking Muskellunge typical size: 8–12 inch fingerlingNovNov — moderate stocking Muskellunge typical size: 8–12 inch fingerlingDecDec — moderate stocking Muskellunge typical size: 8–12 inch fingerling
    Typical size: 8–12 inch fingerling
  • Striped Bass (Landlocked)Morone saxatilis
    JanJan — moderate stocking Striped Bass (Landlocked) typical size: 1–2 inch fingerlingFebFeb — moderate stocking Striped Bass (Landlocked) typical size: 1–2 inch fingerlingMarMar — moderate stocking Striped Bass (Landlocked) typical size: 1–2 inch fingerlingAprApr — moderate stocking Striped Bass (Landlocked) typical size: 1–2 inch fingerlingMayMay — moderate stocking Striped Bass (Landlocked) typical size: 1–2 inch fingerlingJunJun — moderate stocking Striped Bass (Landlocked) typical size: 1–2 inch fingerlingJulJul — moderate stocking Striped Bass (Landlocked) typical size: 1–2 inch fingerlingAugAug — moderate stocking Striped Bass (Landlocked) typical size: 1–2 inch fingerlingSepSep — moderate stocking Striped Bass (Landlocked) typical size: 1–2 inch fingerlingOctOct — moderate stocking Striped Bass (Landlocked) typical size: 1–2 inch fingerlingNovNov — moderate stocking Striped Bass (Landlocked) typical size: 1–2 inch fingerlingDecDec — moderate stocking Striped Bass (Landlocked) typical size: 1–2 inch fingerling
    Typical size: 1–2 inch fingerling

Top stocked waterbodies in Kentucky

Notable Kentucky programs

  • Cumberland River Tailwater
  • Lake Cumberland Striped Bass
  • Catch and Release Trout Streams

State hatchery system

Kentucky operates 4 state-run fish hatcheries supporting the stocking program.

Kentucky urban fishing program

Kentucky maintains a designated urban fishing program — typically frequent stockings of catfish, trout, and panfish in city ponds and lakes. These programs are designed to make fishing accessible to families and first-time anglers.

Kentucky urban fishing program details →

Weekly stocking alerts for Kentucky.

Bield: Fish reads Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources's stocking reports and alerts you when your saved waters are stocked. Set your county once and you'll know the day fish hit your home river.

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