Daviess County has several fishing spots within a short drive from home for those looking to go someplace other than the Ohio River. Although the fish patterns may be ever-changing, this list can provide a few spots to check out on your next day or even weekend trip.
If you’ve got a favorite fishing hole not on the list, let us — and local residents — know where it is.
Waymond Morris Park
This 52-acre park off Southtown Boulevard has something for everyone in the family. Whether it be one of the four football fields, the 1.5 mile walking trail or the lake with bank access, there’s plenty to do.
In the lake, you can catch catfish, sunfish, trout, bass and bluegills. There are limits to the amount of fish you can catch.
The park is open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Yellow Creek and Panther Creek Parks
As part of a recent program with the Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife, both of the Daviess County parks received an influx of fish in their lakes last March.
At Yellow Creek’s 3-acre lake they don’t allow boats nor live shad for bait, but there is no limit on the number of fishing trips. In the lake, you can find bass, trout, sunfish, bluegills and catfish fairly frequently. Each has limits to how many you can catch.
At Panther Creek, similar rules are enforced including all carp caught are to be released back into the water. However, the 3.9-acre lake is filled with bass and sunfish regularly when necessary. The park is open from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. and does not limit the amount of fish caught by an angler.
Carpenters Lake and Kingfisher Lake
Five miles past Reid’s Orchard, are the two lakes covering over 100 acres of fishing ground. Carpenters Lake, the larger of the two, offers both channel and flathead catfish, largemouth bass and redear sunfish. Fishing regulations on catfish are 12-inch minimum size limit and statewide regulations on bass and sunfish apply.
Kingfish lake, located on the other side of State Route 405, also offers channel and flathead catfish with the same regulations.
Both lakes have a boat ramp if you want to head out on the waters.
Windy Hollow Campground
Less than 10 miles away off East Parrish Avenue, the campground offers guests to fish from their farm-raised catfish. The campground does not charge a fishing fee to the campers — as long as you release the fish back to one of their seven lakes.
If you are wishing to take your catches home, it is a $15 fee per person and day. They have a 6-hour time limit on your fishing as well.
A couple of rules include: All fishers must have a paid ticket to fish, all fish 10 pounds and up are to be returned, and cleaning and filleting are not allowed on campgrounds.
They are open daily from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Green River
Green River is located right at the border between Henderson and Daviess counties. Trout fishing is popular here with fishers catching cutthroat, rainbow and brown trout often.
Best times for fishing, according to Hook and Bullet, are 2-4 p.m. and 2-4 a.m.
If you want to get a boat out on the water, head to Spottsville almost 20 miles on KY 60 to drop off into the water. Or if you want another area, head down to Calhoun or Livermore for more spots on the river.
Rough River
If you’re looking for a nice day fishing trip, take the hour-long drive and head down to Rough River Lake.
In the past, several different types of fish have been found at Rough River including bass, catfish, shiner, sunfish, buffalo and several others.
The 5,000-acre lake surrounds the State Resort Park and the Lake Ridge Nature Trail. If you need to make a weekend trip, the Resort has private patios and balconies to enjoy the lookout on the lake.
