Trout angling in Kentucky is just plain tremendous. We have a wide variety of habitats, ranging from small mountainous streams to large rivers, tailwaters, and lakes. Anglers can choose from among wild brook trout, put-and-take rainbows and browns, catch-and-release, and even huge trophy-size trout. It's hard to narrow down where to go when planning a trout-fishing endeavor in the Commonwealth.

One of our great trout destination choices is the Daniel Boone National Forest (DBNF). The DBNF is expansive and covers around 704,000 acres of rugged, scenic terrain. Numerous streams and rivers cut through the landscape, offering a wide variety of fishing opportunities, including all three species of the trout found in Kentucky waters. Before looking at some of the streams in the DBNF, let's review the trout stream classification system within the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources (KDFWR) trout management program.

According to the KDFWR: "A systematic approach to trout management began in 1983 in conjunction with an inventory and rating of both existing and potential trout streams. Streams are rated based on a score of 1 (excellent), 2 (good), 3 (fair), or 4 (poor) for each of six parameters: 1) trout utilization (if previously stocked), 2) fish population structure, 3) water quality, 4) habitat, 5) fishing success, and 6) aesthetics. A mean score of 1.0 to 1.4 is excellent, 1.5 to 2.4 good, 2.5 to 3.4 fair, and 3.5 to 4.0 poor for each stream.

"A stream may not be considered for trout management, even though it received a fair or good rating, if any of the parameters rate poor or there is lack of public access. Several streams that have an overall rating of excellent or good are only managed for a put-and-take rainbow trout fishery due to a fair or poor rating for water quality, fish population structure, and/or fish habitat."

This classification and rating system resulted in the development of four classes of trout streams in Kentucky. Class I streams are deemed exceptional, receive a rating of excellent and have a population of wild brook trout. Class II streams are considered to be high-quality streams, which have been rated either excellent or good and are managed for put-grow-take trout fisheries or have carryover beyond one year. General trout streams are Class III, have a rating of either excellent or good and are managed for put-and-take trout fisheries. The last classification, Class IV, represents marginal trout streams that are rated fair and are managed for put-and-take trout fisheries.

There are 14 rated trout streams within the DBNF. Of the 27 streams in Kentucky classified as either exceptional Class I or high-quality Class II, seven of those are located within the DBNF. It's a hard choice to narrow these down to the top five streams because there are so many factors to consider.

Some streams offer easy access, while others are nearly impossible to reach. Some have fishing opportunity for more than one species of trout, while others only have only one species to offer. Some streams allow year-round harvest, while others are part of the delayed-harvest seasonal catch-and-release program. Still other streams have catch-and-release regulations in place the entire year.

Following is a look at five DBNF streams rated as either Class I or Class II and offer opportunity for rainbow, brown and brook trout.