Pay lakes in Kentucky
Kentucky has 89 pay lakes; 10 stock catfish.
Find a pay lake in Kentucky by name or town
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Pay lakes by city in Kentucky
Do you need a fishing license at a pay lake in Kentucky?
It depends. At a KDFWR-licensed pay lake you need either a Kentucky fishing license or a free pay-lake permit issued by the operator; at an unlicensed lake a state license is required.
Kentucky licenses pay lakes through its Pay Lake License (KRS 150.660; 301 KAR 1:185), run by the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources (KDFWR). The license rule depends on the lake holding that state license, so ask the lake if you are unsure.
"A person fishing in a pay lake licensed by the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources needs either a Kentucky fishing license or a free permit issued by the operator."
Source: KDFWR License Requirements and Exemptions (same text in 2026 Kentucky Fishing & Boating Guide, p.3), checked November 2026. Compare every state on our pay lake license rules page.
More pay lake states
- Ohio 64
- North Carolina 46
- Tennessee 27
- California 26
- Indiana 25
- South Carolina 25
- Georgia 24
- West Virginia 23
Browse catfish pay lakes, trout pay ponds or see what pay lakes cost.