FRANKFORT, Ky. – Lincoln County’s Cedar Creek Lake received 12,000 rainbow trout in a stocking performed last week by the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. Trout stockings first began at this popular 762-acre lake in October 2012.
Fisheries Research Biologist Dave Dreves said the lake remains a hidden gem among trout anglers.
“Our evaluation of the 2012-2013 rainbow trout stocking at Cedar Creek showed that there wasn’t as much fishing pressure and harvest as we expected,” Dreves said. “We think anglers will flock there once word gets out – especially when they realize there’s so much bank access that you don’t need to have a boat to catch trout.”
Anglers can catch rainbow trout with worms, cheese, corn, salmon eggs and Powerbait, as well as small in-line spinners and other lures.
The department stocked fish at three sites: the ramp at the dam; the ramp on old U.S. 150, located in mid-lake; and at the fishing access area in the upper lake, located adjacent to the KY 1770 bridge. Each site received 4,000 trout.
“The trout going into water averaged 10 inches long,” noted Southeastern District Fisheries Biologist John Williams. “This provides a great opportunity for people to keep catching fish at the lake throughout the winter, when other kinds of fish just aren’t biting.”
Another stocking of 9,000 trout will follow in February. Anglers can expect to catch trout through June. Cedar Creek is considered a “put and take” lake for trout. Because trout cannot survive in the warmer water temperatures of summer, the department encourages anglers to keep what they catch. There is no size limit on trout in the lake. Anglers may keep up to eight rainbow trout.
Visitors to Cedar Creek Lake can go online to the Kentucky Fish and Wildlife website at fw.ky.gov to see a map and other information about the lake.
Fisheries personnel tagged 600 trout in this stocking and will tag another 600 in the February stocking in an attempt to determine angler use. This information will be used to evaluate whether to continue trout stockings in the lake.
The department will conduct a creel survey through the end of May to help determine utilization.
Dreves encourages people to return the tag from any tagged fish. The department has placed four metal boxes around the lake where anglers may get an envelope, fill out the information about the catch then deposit the envelope.
Boxes are located at each stocking site as well as the Cowan Road boat ramp. The envelopes are postage paid. Anglers may take them home to fill them out, then send them back to Kentucky Fish and Wildlife. Anglers must include their name, address, phone number and whether they kept the trout or released it.
Participants will receive a pewter fish pin and be entered into a monthly drawing for cash prizes.
A total of nine drawings will be made each month: one $100 winner, one $50 winner, two $25 winners and five $10 winners. “You stay in until you win,” Dreves said.
Adult anglers must have a trout permit in addition to a fishing license to keep those fish. A trout permit is included in the senior/disabled license and the Sportsman’s license.
