The annual tree recycling program from the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources is a great way to put your old live Christmas tree to great use for fish habitat construction!
With the winter Holidays fast approaching, many people are opting for a natural tree this year. After the presents are unwrapped, and the lights are coming down, please consider donating your tree to KDFWR for fish habitat construction. KDFWR has drop-off points across the state where you can bring your old tree and put it to good use. KDFWR will take your tree and combine it with others to create fish attractors for lakes all over the state. Trees will be used to replenish existing fish habitat sites as well as create new habitat sites. These brush reefs provide nesting and rearing habitat for gamefish as well as creating homes for invertebrates and smaller fishes that provide food for larger fish.
Just clean your tree of all the artificial decorations, lights, tinsel, ornaments, etc., and drop it off at one of our locations below during daylight hours only (between 8:00 am and 5:00 pm). Christmas tree drop-off sites will be open from Dec. 26 through January 15th. The locations are in parks for the most part, so it will be a good opportunity to get out of the house and enjoy a local park while you help fish populations across the state. To find out where your donated tree might end up this year or provide recommendations on new habitat sites, contact your local fisheries biologist. You can find contact information for your area on our Fisheries Staff page.
Deciding where to fish on lakes can be a daunting task for first-time anglers. That is why KDFWR creates fish attractors and provides maps to help people find these hotspots of fish activity. The fish attractors are made in a variety of shapes and sizes and include material from trees, rocks, logs, wooden pallets, and even commercially made plastic structures. These structures are typically dense with tree limbs and shade-producing cover. Weedless presentations and lures are a good option when fishing these areas to reduce snagging. Lake habitat sites will vary in depth and may include areas on the backs of creeks, large flats, small pockets, and even main lake points. Many of these sites are located away from the bank in deeper water, so fish finders will help identify these offshore locations. Before picking a site to fish, consider the time of year, water temperature, and fish behavior to increase your success on the water.
The fish attractors are made in a variety of shapes and sizes and include material from trees, rocks, logs, wooden pallets, and even commercially made plastic structures. These structures are typically dense in nature with tree limbs and shade producing cover. Weedless presentations and lures are a good option when fishing these areas to reduce snagging. Lake habitat sites will vary in depth and may include areas in the backs of creeks, large flats, small pockets, and even main lake points. Many of these sites are located away from the bank in deeper water, so fish finders will help in identifying these offshore locations. Before picking a site to fish, consider the time of year, water temperature, and fish behavior to increase your success on the water.
| County | Location | Address/Directions | Contact | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anderson | Ace Hardware | 1106 Bypass South, Lawrenceburg, KY 40342 | Chris Dillon | 502-839-8880 |
| Barren | Barren River Lake – Port Oliver Boat Ramp | From Hwy 252 in eastern Allen County, follow signs to Port Oliver Boat Ramp | Eric Cummins | 270-746-7127 |
| Boone | Camp Ernst Lake-Boat Ramp Area | Camp Ernst Park, 7615 Camp Ernst Rd, Burlington, KY 41005 | Jeff Crosby | 502-892-4464 |
| Breckinridge | North Fork Boat Ramp Parking Lot | KY 259 S of Hardinsburg | Adam Taylor | 270-257-2061 |
| Calloway | Western District Fisheries Office | 30 Scenic Acres Drive, Murray, KY 42071 | Adam Martin | 270-753-3886 |
| Campbell | Pendery Park | 4113 Williams Lane, Melbourne, KY 41059 | Megan Clere | 859-547-1866 |
| Carter | Grayson Lake USACE Emergency Spillway Area | West side of Launch Ramp Road near the USACE office | Tom Timmerman | 606-783-8650 |
| Daviess | Grimes Avenue Transfer Station | 2129 Grimes Ave, Owensboro, KY 42303 | Travis Ricker | 270-229-4484 (ext 4) |
| Fayette | Jacobson Park | East Lexington off of Hwy 25, Paddle Craft Parking Lot | Jeff Crosby | 502-892-4464 |
| Floyd | Eastern District Fisheries Office | 2744 Lake Rd, Prestonsburg, KY 41653 | Jason Russell | 606-889-1705 |
| Franklin | Forks of Elkhorn Hatchery | 3785 Georgetown Road, Frankfort, KY 40601 | Jeff Crosby | 502-892-4464 |
| Franklin | KDFWR Headquarters | #1 Sportsman’s Lane, Frankfort, KY 40601 | Jeff Crosby | 502-892-4464 |
| Garrard | Garrard Co. Conservation District Office | 166 Precision Court, Lancaster, KY 40444 | Jeff Crosby | 502-892-4464 |
| Grayson | Nolin River Lake-Moutardier Boat Ramp | KY 259 S of Leitchfield (11.7 mi) to 2067/Moutardier Rd to ramp | Logan Clark | 270-286-6610 |
| Harlan | Martin’s Fork Lake Boat Ramp | Off Hwy 987 at Smith, KY, upper parking lot | Jason Russell | 606-889-1705 |
| Jefferson | McNeely Lake Boat Ramp | From I-265 Exit 15S on Beulah Church Road, right on Old Bates Road, left on Cooper Chapel Road | Jeff Crosby | 502-892-4464 |
| Johnson | Paintsville Lake Marina Parking Lot | 1581 Kentucky Rte 2275, Staffordsville, KY 41256 | Jason Russell | 606-889-1705 |
| Knott | Carr Creek Lake Marina Parking Lot | 217 Big Smith Br., Sassafras, KY 41759, upper parking lot | Jason Russell | 606-889-1705 |
| Laurel | Bald Rock Picnic Area | 8990 W Laurel Road, London, KY 40741 | Travis Buckel | 606-516-1909 |
| Laurel | London Region Recycling Center | 911 TLC Lane, London, KY 40741 | Jim Price | 606-864-5521 |
| Lawrence | Lawrence County Community Center | 205 Bulldog Lane, Louisa, KY, at the Parking lot near the dumpster. Please do not block dumpster access! | Jason Russell | 606-889-1705 |
| Madison | Lake Reba Recreational Complex | Soccer complex B parking lot across from Lake Reba boat ramp parking lot | Tom Timmerman | 606-783-8650 |
| McLean | Northwest District Fisheries Office | 1398 Hwy 81N, Calhoun, KY 42327 | Jeremy Shiflet | 270-273-3117 |
| Perry | Perry County Conservation District | 310 Morton Blvd., Hazard, KY | Patti Fugate | 606-435-1725 |
| Pike | Fishtrap Lake | Pompey Br, In the back corner of the parking near the RV campground | Jason Russell | 606-889-1705 |
| Pulaski | KDFWR Somerset Regional Office | 135 Realty Lane, Somerset, KY 42501 | Marcy Anderson | 606-677-4096 |
| Rowan | Minor Clark Fish Hatchery | 120 Fish Hatchery Rd, Morehead, KY 40351 | Tom Timmerman | 606-783-8650 |
| Scott | Lusby Lake/Scott County Park | Off of Hwy 25 north of Georgetown, Scott County Park Road, east of Road Department Garage | Jeff Crosby | 502-892-4464 |
| Shelby | Guist Creek Lake Marina | 11990 Boat Dock Road, Shelbyville, KY 40065 | Jeff Crosby | 502-892-4464 |
| Taylor | Crazy Horse Archery and Tackle | 2422 New Columbia road, Campbellsville, KY 42718 | Shaun Canaday | 270-789-3776 |
| Warren | Southwest District Fisheries Office | Approximately one mile down Bennett Lane, just past Schneider Lane intersection, Bowling Green | Eric Cummins | 270-746-7127 |
| Warren | Cabela’s Outpost | 3395 Nell O’Bryan Court, Bowling Green, KY 42103 | Jacob Carroll | 270-936-8324 |
| Whitley/Laurel | Corbin City Garage | Between Engineer Street and Wallins Towing on 25W | Gary Kelly | 606-523-6530 |