County tourism board OKs more fish stocking for Kentucky Lake

The Henry County Tourism Authority agreed Monday morning to continue the fish stocking program at Kentucky Lake for another two years after hearing a favorable report on the first three years of the project.

The county participated in a plan that began in 2020. A fishery in Alabama was hired to bring 900,000 young Florida bass to Kentucky Lake during a three-year period.

For each of the last three springs, the fishery stocked the Paris Landing area with 150,000 fish a year and the New Johnsonville area with another 150,000 fish a year.

The Henry County Tourism Authority provided $50,000 a year for the project, and Benton County also participated.

The fish released here were each 2 1/2 inches long at the time of the stocking, and grew to about 2 pounds after a year.

During Monday’s meeting, Bob Cathey and Mike Stockdale made a report to the board about the program.

They said Auburn University had done a third-party study at the lake that showed very favorable results.

The program was launched because many experts felt the lake had been depleted in recent years and fishermen had not had great results there.

After discussion by the board regarding fish stocking for Kentucky, it approved continuing the program for another two years at $50,000 a year again. Benton County will also be continuing its participation in the stocking.