[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON Nov-22-05 AT 09:58AM (EST)[/font][p]The Cumberland below Old Hickory has a good reputation as a winter sauger fishery. It also has some excellent smallmouth fishing further down near the confluence with the Stones River, though I have not had the opportunity to fish this area as much as I would like. It is known by some as one of the most underrated smallmouth fisheries in this part of the state. There are certain times of the year when you can catch stripers in the Old Hickory tailrace as well, though this area is not nearly as good a striper fishery as the stretch of river above Old Hickory approaching Cordell Hull. In the summer, catfishing is good in the tailrace as well, though they tend to run small (for the really big cats, head downriver toward Clarksville).
Flow is dependent on generation at Old Hickory Dam. Most of the time you'll have at least a little current, though the amount varies widely. When the dam is really generating it can be an awful lot of water.
The only ramp I know is the one at Old Hickory Dam on the Hermitage side. I believe there are a few ramps closer to Nashville, but I haven't had time to locate them. Like I said, I haven't fished this area as much as I'd like. I've heard unsubstantiated reports that some of the ramps closer to Nashville have vandalism problems, just FYI.
Shay Doming at www.tennesseebassguides.com seems to know a whole lot about the smallmouth fishing on this area of the Cumberland. You may want to get in touch with him for more info.
bd