FRANKFORT, Ky. (LEX 18) — Kentucky Fish and Wildlife runs one of the most successful fish-stocking programs in the country, raising nearly 20 species each year and releasing them at more than 300 locations statewide.
At the center of that effort is Pfeiffer Fish Hatchery, located 20 minutes north of Frankfort in Franklin County.
"Here we have 50 ponds, about 50 acres of water, and we raise fish to stock public waters around the state of Kentucky," hatchery manager Noah Nelson explained.
Nelson said the mission is straightforward: give Kentuckians more places to fish while keeping populations healthy and sustainable.
The process begins at the egg stage. Fish grow from small tanks to larger ones before moving into ponds. Staff monitor the fish by feeding them floating pellets, watching for signs of illness or poor growth.
"If any look sick or skinny, we adjust what we do from there and make sure they get to the right size," Nelson said.
When the fish are large enough, they are harvested, loaded into trucks, and delivered to locations across Kentucky.
One of the program's most popular initiatives is FINS — Fishing in Neighborhoods. Launched in 2006, FINS brings angling opportunities to urban areas through 45 lakes managed in partnership with local governments.
Scott County Park is one of the program's stops. LEX 18 met Michael Brennan there mid-cast on Thursday afternoon. Brennan said FINS creates access and opportunity for both longtime anglers and first-time fishers.
"These opportunities like the Fishing in Neighborhoods program, it was genius, it really was," Brennan said. "There's nothing like the squeals of a young boy or girl who's hooked their first fish."
Even on a slow day on the water, Brennan said the experience connects people to something bigger.
"It's the most wonderful thing," Brennan said.
For more information on fish stocking in Kentucky, click here. To view the stocking schedule, click here.
