Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife Resources
Boat, Motor and Lake Usage Regulations

Maximum horsepower limits and other boat motor and lake usage regulations apply on many small public fishing lakes.

• 150 hp: Boat motors greater than 150 hp are not permitted on Lake Beshear and Lake Malone.

• 10 hp: Boat motors of 10 hp or less at slow speeds which cause no disturbance or interference with fishing are permitted on: Beaver Creek Lake, Boltz Lake, Bullock Pen Lake, Corinth Lake, Elmer Davis Lake, Herb Smith Lake, Kincaid Lake, Shanty Hollow Lake, Swan Lake.

• Operation of internal combustion motors is prohibited on: Ballard WMA lakes, Bert T. Combs Lake, Briggs Lake, Carpenter Lake, Carter Caves State Park Lake (a.k.a. Smoky Valley Lake), Lebanon City Lake (a.k.a. Fagan Branch Lake), Kingfisher lakes, Lincoln Homestead State Park Lake, McNeely Lake, Marion County Lake, Metcalfe County Lake, Mauzy Lake, Peabody WMA’s Goose Island and South lakes, Lake Reba, Spurlington Lake, Swan Lake, WMA lakes (excluding Swan Lake), Washburn Lake.

• Operation of electric or internal combustion motors prohibited on: Lake Chumley, Dennie Gooch Lake, Kingdom Come State Park Lake, Martin County Lake.

• Idle speed only on: Greenbo Lake, Pan Bowl Lake, Wilgreen Lake.

• On all Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife Resources-owned or managed lakes:

  1. Boaters must use idle speed (slowest speed possible to maintain maneuverability of a boat) when passing another boat where fishing is actively going on.

  2. The centerline of boats on the water cannot exceed 18 feet 6 inches measured on deck, or from bow to stern, except on Guist Creek Lake and Lake Malone where the centerline cannot exceed 22 feet. Float boats are an exception and may have decking or pontoons up to 22 feet in length. On Lake Beshear and Lake Malone only, float boats may have decking and pontoons up to 30 feet. There is no size restriction on canoes.

  3. Houseboats are not permitted.

  4. Swimming is permitted only in designated areas when a qualified lifeguard is on duty.

  5. Skin or scuba diving is not permitted.

  6. Boat motors without underwater exhaust are not permitted.

• Water skiing permitted as designated by signs on Guist Creek Lake and Lake Beshear from 10:00 a.m. to sunset beginning the third Thursday in May through September 30. Similarly, water skiing is permitted in designated areas on Lake Malone beginning the third Thursday in May through October 31.

NOTICE: All regulations are subject to change. Please consult the Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife Resources regarding the latest information on boating laws in Kentucky.