Fishing Tournament Registration
Requirements for fishing tournaments held at Kentucky State Parks
Department of Kentucky State Parks requires that:
1. All tournaments held at a Kentucky State Park ramp or marina must schedule their tournaments using the KDFWR online tournament fish schedule site.
2. Within 15 days of scheduling a tournament held at a Kentucky State Park ramp or marina, the tournament organizer must register with the Kentucky Department of Parks for a special user permit. The special-use permit is required by state law for all events held at Kentucky State Parks. Fees are applicable based on the size of the event and any special requirements.
For information and registration forms, contact the park where the tournament is to be held or the Kentucky Department of Parks in Frankfort at 800-255-7275.
Tournament Guidelines
- Schedule all tournaments through the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife’s online Tournament Fishing Schedule site. Tournaments should be scheduled 30-60 days in advance.
- Avoid scheduling dates, lakes, or ramps where other tournaments are already scheduled. On most reservoirs, multiple ramp sites are available each day.
- Contact the marina or agency controlling the launching ramp when your tournament schedule is confirmed. Confusion and conflict is avoidable with adequate planning and communication. Many ramps have a launch fee.
- Avoid scheduling tournaments on major holiday weekends.
- Respect the rights of other anglers who are using the same ramp at the time of launching and loading.
- Minimize noise and disturbance of nearby campsites and docked boats where folks are staying overnight.
- Make the most effective use of parking space to allow for use by non-tournament anglers. Marina operators may suggest alternate parking arrangements for tournament participants.
- Plan the tournament so participants know where and when to launch and park. This avoids confusion and conflict at ramps and marinas.
- Shotgun starts are extremely unsafe and should be avoided.
- Large tournaments should stagger launch and weigh-in times to prevent "gridlock" at the ramp. Organizers should use support personnel to direct traffic during launching, parking, weigh-in, and boat retrieval.
- Tournament anglers must possess a valid fishing license, proper boat registration, personal floatation devices, other required equipment, and have knowledge of fishing and boating regulations pertaining to the waters where they are fishing.
- Avoid daytime tournaments during the hot summer months if possible. This will minimize fish mortality.