Editor’s note: This is the seventh article in a series on small lakes in central Kentucky.
Corinth Lake (Photo by Art Lander, Jr.)
Corinth Lake is in southern Grant County, about two miles west of Corinth.
From Interstate-75 at Exit 144 drive east on Ky. 330 to Corinth, go north on U.S. 25, take a left on Ragtown Road, and follow the signs.
The 96-acre lake, impounded from a tributary to Eagle Creek, in the Kentucky River basin, has 5.4 miles of shoreline and a maximum depth of 42 feet, with an average depth of 17 feet.
Corinth Lake map (Graphic from KDFWR; click for larger image)
Built and owned by the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources (KDFWR), the lake opened to public fishing in 1963.
Much of the lakeshore is timbered, with manicured lawns surrounding residential housing.
Corinth Lake is one of seven small lakes in central Kentucky with lakefront residential housing on private lands that share a boundary with KDFWR-owned lands.
Private landowners must get a permit to construct a floating or fixed boat dock to moor a boat on KDFWR property, and a metal boat dock tag, provided by KDFWR, must be permanently affixed to the boat dock so that it is visible from the lake.
Fish Species / Special Fishing Regulations
A 2018 angler attitude survey found that 75 percent of all anglers fished for largemouth bass, 30.8 percent for bluegill, 26.9 percent for crappie, 15.4 percent for channel catfish and 11.5 percent for redear sunfish.
Bluegill: Statewide regulations apply. The fishery is rated good. There are good numbers of six to eight-inch bluegill, with fish over eight inches present.
Channel Catfish: There is a 12-inch minimum size limit on all catfish species. The fishery is rated good. There are good numbers of channel catfish over 12 inches, with fish over 15 inches common. Flathead catfish are also present in the lake.
Crappie: Statewide regulations apply. Both white crappie and black crappie are present. The fishery is rated fair. There are low numbers of crappie, but most fish are between eight and nine inches long.
Largemouth Bass: Statewide regulations apply. The fishery is rated good. There are good numbers of largemouth bass at and above 12 inches, with good potential for fish between 15 and 20 inches long.
Redear Sunfish: Statewide regulations apply. The fishery is rated fair/good. There are good numbers of redear sunfish up to eight inches, with trophy-sized fish (10 inches) present.
Possession or use of live shad for bait is prohibited.
Gizzard shad were once present in the lake but were removed in February 2013, by applying a concentration of 0.2 ppm (parts per million) of five percent emulsified liquid rotenone.
Recent Fish Stockings
The only recent fish stocking was in 2021 when 1,945 channel catfish were stocked.
Fish Attractors
Brush piles, plastic and wooden pallets, and Christmas trees have been placed throughout the lake. A map of Corinth Lake fish attactors is available online.
Boating Access
Corinth Lake boat ramp (Photo from KDFWR)
There is a paved boat launching ramp for any light trailer recreational boat. There is no fee to launch.
A T-shaped fishing pier adjacent to the paved parking lot.
The boat launching ramp is within sight of I-75, about a mile above the dam.
At Corinth Lake, there are ongoing habitat improvement projects, periodic fish stockings, and other beneficial management practices.
In 2019, 262 4 to11-inch largemouth were removed to reduce crowding and improve growth rates and stocked in a lake that needed small bass to offset below-normal reproduction in a given year. It’s a management practice used by KDFWR fishery biologists since 2011. Fish attractors are periodically added to the lake and in 2019, 9-18-9 liquid fertilizer was added to the lake, to increase productivity.
With good facilities, improving fisheries, and easy access off I-75, Corinth Lake is an angling destination located about halfway between metropolitan northern Kentucky and Lexington.
