BOATING ACCESS AREAS
"Boating access area" means property owned or managed by the department and identified by signs as a public facility for launching and retrieving boats, including:
- Ramps, parking lots, courtesy docks, and access roads; and
- A zone extending fifty (50) feet into the water adjacent to the department property described above
At a boating access area, a person shall not:
- Engage in an activity that would interfere with:
- Launching or retrieving a boat; or
- Parking a vehicle used to transport a boat to the area;
- Except as necessary to launch or retrieve a boat:
- Swim or wade;
- Moor or anchor watercraft; or
- Operate watercraft at greater than idle speed;
- Discharge firearms;
- Build or maintain a fire;
- Camp;
- Without permission from the department:
- Solicit; or
- Advertise; or
- Engage in a commercial activity;
- Park in a way that obstructs the normal flow of traffic; or
- Consume alcoholic beverages or possess open alcoholic beverages containers.
Definitions
"Idle Speed" means speed attained with the throttle of the motor set at its slowest forward position (301 KAR 6.001).
"Negligent or Reckless operation" means any operation of a boat in any area of a lake that may endanger other persons or craft using the lake by intimidation, direct contact or by waves created by the speed or reckless operation of a boat (KRS 235.240).
Negligent or Reckless Operation
Boat speeding and reckless operation of a boat is not permitted at any time in any area of any lake owned or controlled by the KY Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources including the ski zones. All boats, except those being operated in the designated skiing areas during the annual summer water skiing period, shall in all areas of any lake maintain slow speed when passing any other boat in which the occupants are actively engaged in fishing.
Swimming
Swimming in any lake controlled or owned by the KY Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources is prohibited, except in areas specifically set aside for swimming at which a qualified lifeguard is on duty.
Camping
Camping is prohibited on property owned or controlled by the Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources that surrounds a lake owned or controlled by the Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, except as designated by a department sign.
ZONING OF WATERWAYS
Laws for Specific Waters
Herrington Lake
- Skiing is prohibited except along the main lake channel.
- motorboats may only operate at idle speed in inlets.
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Big Sandy River
Skiing is not permitted on the Big Sandy River. |
Ohio River
Between the Second Street Bridge and McAlpine Dam on the Ohio River all vessels must remain within the confines of the commercial channel and persons shall not operate recreational vessels except:
- To lock through McAlpine Dam; or
- To dock at the Louisville Municipal Wharf.
Between the Brent Spence Bridge and the Daniel Carter Beard Bridge, persons shall not:
- Operate a recreational vessel at greater than idle speed during the period from sunset to sunrise;
- Operate a recreational vessel at greater than idle speed within 300 feet of any marina, boat docking facility, boat gasoline dock, launch ramp, recreational boat harbor, or harbor entrance;
- Pull or tow any individual outside of the recreational vessel for a recreational purpose; or
- While operating a personal watercraft:
- Jump the wake of another watercraft;
- Perform abrupt turns; or
- Engage in similar acrobatic maneuvers.
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Salt River
Persons shall not operate motorboats at faster than at idle speed on the Salt River in Mercer County. |
Water Skiing on Guist Creek Lake and Lake Beshear |
Water skiing is permitted on Guist Creek Lake and Lake Beshear beginning the third Thursday of May and continuing through September 30, annually, during the daylight hours of 10 a.m. to sunset and only in those areas designated and marked as "ski areas" by buoys or signs by the Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. Water skiing is prohibited in coves or embayments of the lakes. |
Water Skiing on Lake Malone |
Water skiing and the pulling of water skiers is permitted on Lake Malone beginning the third Thursday of May and continuing through October 31, annually, but only during the daylight hours of 10 a.m. to sunset and only in those areas designated and marked as "ski areas" by buoys or signs by the Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. Water skiing and pulling of a water skier is prohibited in coves or embayments of Lake Malone. |
Water skiing and tubing are prohibited on Cedar Creek Lake. |
Boat Restrictions (301 KAR 1:015)
Except as otherwise specified, a person shall not operate on the lakes listed above:
(a) A houseboat;
(b) A monohull boat, with a centerline length exceeding eighteen (18) feet, six (6) inches;
(c) A pontoon boat with a float or decking exceeding twenty-two (22) feet;
(d) A boat motor without an underwater exhaust; or
(e) Except in a designated skiing zone, boat faster than idle speed when passing a boat with an occupant actively engaged in fishing.
A person may not operate a monohull boat with a centerline length exceeding twenty-two (22) feet on:
- Guist Creek Lake; Lake Malone; or Cedar Creek Lake.
A pontoon boat with a float or decking exceeding thirty (30) feet on: Lake Malone; Lake Beshear; or Cedar Creek Lake.
Length restrictions in this section do not apply to a canoe.
- No person shall operate a personal PWC Cedar Creek Lake.
No electric or an internal combustion boat motor on: |
Lake Chumley, Lincoln County; |
Martin County Lake, Martin County; and |
Dennie Gooch Lake, Pulaski County; |
Kingdom Come Lake, Harlan County. |
Internal combustion boat motors are prohibited on these lakes |
Carter Caves Lake, Carter County; |
Sandy Slough, Ballard County; |
Spurlington Lake, Taylor County; |
Long Pond, Ballard County; |
Marion County Lake, Marion County; |
Cross Slough, Ballard County; |
Lake Washburn , Ohio County; |
Little Green Sea, Ballard County; |
Bert Combs Lake, Clay County; |
Burnt Pond, Ballard County; |
McNeely Lake, Jefferson County; |
Arrowhead Slough, Ballard County; |
Lake Mauzy, Union County; |
Deep Slough, Ballard County; |
Carpenter Lake and Kingfisher Lakes, Daviess County; |
Beaver Dam Slough, Ballard County; |
Metcalfe County Lake, Metcalfe County; |
Cypress Slough, Ballard County; |
Briggs Lake, Logan County; |
Twin Pockets Slough, Ballard County; |
Big Turner Lake, Ballard County; |
Lake Reba, Madison County; |
Little Turner Lake, Ballard County; |
Lincoln Homestead Lake , Washington County; |
Shelby Lake, Ballard County; |
Goose, Muhlenberg County; |
Mitchell Lake, Ballard County; |
Island , Ohio County; |
Happy Hollow Lake, Ballard County; |
South, Ohio County; |
Burnt Slough, Ballard County; |
Lebanon City Lake, Marion County; or |
Butler , Ballard County; |
Mill Creek Lake, Wolfe County. |
Lakes with a limit of ten (10) horsepower |
Shanty Hollow Lake, Warren County; |
Elmer Davis Lake, Owen County; |
Bullock Pen Lake, Grant County; |
Beaver Creek Lake, Anderson County; |
Boltz Lake, Grant County; |
Corinth Lake, Grant County; and |
Kincaid Lake, Pendleton County; |
Swan Lake, Ballard County. |
A boat motor larger than 150 horsepower is prohibited on Lake Beshear, or Lake Malone.
A motorboat may not be operated faster than idle speed on these lakes |
Carnico Lake, Nicholas County |
Pan Bowl Lake, Breathitt County |
Greenbo Lake, Greenup County |
Wilgreen Lake, Madison County |
A person operating a boat motor larger than ten (10) horsepower shall not exceed idle speed at any time on these lakes: |
Herb Smith/Cranks Creek Lake; and |
Martins Fork Lake |
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