Written by Rick Robinson
As the state legislature prepares to reconvene in Frankfort, there are a lot of issues over which the members of our state house and senate will struggle. There will be ideological arguments and regional scuffles. Rs will battle Ds and rural officials will fight with those from the Golden Triangle.
I truly believe there is one issue that should bring everyone together – rainbow trout.
The Kentucky bureaucracy in Frankfort may be lacking in many respects, but the FIN program run by the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources is possibly the best fishing program of its type in America.
FINs stands for “Fishing in Neighborhoods.” It’s a simple program whereby Kentucky Fish and Wildlife stocks 45 local lakes across the Commonwealth with trout and catfish at various times of the year. And right now, several Northern Kentucky lakes and streams are chock full of rainbow trout raised at the state hatchery located just below the dam at Cumberland Lake.
As the weather cools and certain fish quit biting, the water temperature becomes perfect for trout fishing. Below is a list of where Fish and Wildlife recently stocked rainbow trout.
Boone County
Camp Ernst Lake — 1500 stocked on November 16.
Campbell County
Alexandria Community Park Lake – 1500 stocked on November 16.
Robert J. Barth Lake – 750 stocked on November 16.
Southgate Lake – 500 stocked on November 16.
Kenton County
Middleton Mills Road Park lakes – 500 stocked in each lake on October 26 and 27.
Prisoners Lake – 750 stocked on October 27.
Note that you will need a state license with a trout stamp to fish these FIN lakes for trout and there is a daily limit of 5 trout that you may take home for dinner. Other details and rules regarding FIN lakes can be found here.
By the way, if you are catching and releasing rainbow trout, please do so properly. Wet your hands, so that when you touch them you do as little harm as possible to the protective layer of slime around their skin. Then, don’t just toss them back into the lake. Gently hold them in the water until they are revived and swim away on their own accord.
To find a FIN lake anywhere in Kentucky click here.
Rick Robinson is an avid fly fisher and co-author with Wade DeHate of a new book entitled “A Fish Ate My Homework: a beginner’s guide to fly fishing.” It is currently available on Amazon.
Photo via Ky. Dept. of Fish and Wildlife