Kentucky Fishing Calendar
What's biting month by month, and how many Kentucky charters on Unreel target each fish.
| Fish | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Crappie8 charters · March to May and October to November | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: peak | April: peak | May: peak | June: off peak | July: off peak | August: off peak | September: off peak | October: peak | November: peak | December: off peak |
 Catfish5 charters · May to July | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: off peak | May: peak | June: peak | July: peak | August: off peak | September: off peak | October: off peak | November: off peak | December: off peak |
 Striped Bass5 charters · March to May and October to December | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: peak | April: peak | May: peak | June: off peak | July: off peak | August: off peak | September: off peak | October: peak | November: peak | December: peak |
 Trout5 charters · March to June and October to December | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: peak | April: peak | May: peak | June: peak | July: off peak | August: off peak | September: off peak | October: peak | November: peak | December: peak |
 Smallmouth Bass3 charters · March to June and October to November | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: peak | April: peak | May: peak | June: peak | July: off peak | August: off peak | September: off peak | October: peak | November: peak | December: off peak |
 White Bass3 charters · March to April | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: peak | April: peak | May: off peak | June: off peak | July: off peak | August: off peak | September: off peak | October: off peak | November: off peak | December: off peak |
Shaded months are the typical peak for a charter trip. The outlined column is this month.
Kentucky fishing, month by month
- January
- Off season for most charters. Some captains still run trips, so it is worth asking.
- February
- Off season for most charters. Some captains still run trips, so it is worth asking.
- March
- Crappie, Striped Bass, Trout, Smallmouth Bass, White Bass
- April
- Crappie, Striped Bass, Trout, Smallmouth Bass, White Bass
- June
- Catfish, Trout, Smallmouth Bass
- July
- Catfish
- August
- Off season for most charters. Some captains still run trips, so it is worth asking.
- September
- Off season for most charters. Some captains still run trips, so it is worth asking.
- October
- Crappie, Striped Bass, Trout, Smallmouth Bass
- November
- Crappie, Striped Bass, Trout, Smallmouth Bass
- December
- Striped Bass, Trout
Before you book
- Trout: Tailwater trout fish all year, but dam releases decide whether you wade or drift. Check the generation schedule.
How this calendar is built
The charter counts are live from the Unreel directory: each one is a Kentucky charter that lists that fish as a target. A fish only appears here if at least three local charters target it.
The shaded months are general peak windows for the Mid-South, not fishing regulations. For ocean species, the spawning, migration and federal closure notes were checked against NOAA Fisheries species profiles, and for inshore and freshwater species against state wildlife agency guidance and rules. Seasons, closures and limits change every year and can differ by water, so check Kentucky's current regulations and ask your captain what is running before you book.