Cumberland lake/after dam repair

[first2fish]

When i was on cumberland last sunday i noticed all of the grass,small trees,etc that is now growing where the bank used to be. I thought to myself that when they get the repairs done and if they do bring it back up to old summer level that for the first couple of years there should be some great fishing close to the banks. Fish should move up shallow alot more because of the added structure. If they do bring it back up to the original summer pool i will definatley be there to fish the banks in the spring. Just a thought i had. What do you all think ?

[elnutsmalljaws]

Ky Fish and Wildlife has been planting trees and adding fish attractors both to the shoreline and out in the current water level as well. Should really help the Bass, Crappie and Bluegill spawns the first few years at Full Pool. Depending on whether the grass and other stuff can survive the long term, will help for a long time if they do take hold but could wash out in a couple of years as well with all the lake fluxations that Cumberland goes thru. Really depends on the cover, but yes the first couple of years should be pretty good fishing shallow.

[bassman_ky]

I know how bad the lake gets in the spring with floaters now. I have seen it bad enough I could walk from Pleasant Hill boat ramp to Jamestown and never get wet. I cant imagine how bad it could get if they raise the lake back to past water levels.

[markmac60]

Personnaly I think the first year they raise the water level back to normal will be the time to leave the boat at home and bank fish. It'll take a year to get all the debris out of the way. Hope I'm wrong.

[elnutsmalljaws]

It won't be pretty the first time the water comes up, that is for sure. I know this past spring when it came up only 15 feet, there was floaters from Conley Bottom to the Dam from coast to coast. My guess is they will raise it 10 feet at a time or somewhere in that nature and not put 40 feet in it at one time, to keep the debris to a minimum but more importantly test the dam repair out. If they raise it 40 feet over 6 months or so, it will be floater heaven the entire time. good time to start a lower unit repair center because business will be booming.

[davidsa]

My Grandfather worked on the crews that built the orignal dam. He told me long ago that it was a good bass lake during its first 15 years. I guess the vegitation along with the muddy bottom helped. Some nice stringers of bass were in his picture collection.

By all accounts I get, the bass and crappie finally bit the dust when the Stippers were released. My guess it would have happened regardless when the bottom had turned to pure rock after years of wash.

The shoreline veggitation from the draw down should be a big help if the water level ever goes back up

[fishincreek]

Grass/vegatation is land stuff and not aquatic in natural, so it will not survive under water. The bigger question- WHEN will the water be back to normal?

[mhall]

I myself would love to see it NEVER be above 700 again. 723 is normal summer pool and I can't even imagine what a mess that lake will be when it returns to that level. Several groups have approached the Corp about going to 700 for summer and 690 for winter, and they said no way forget about it's not up for debate.

Personally if the lake ever settles down after they take it up that far the fishing will be fantastic for the first few years. Ya know the honeymoon period, kinda like when they fill a new lake and the fishing is great for awhile. I remember when they filled Taylorsville, man that first few years we killed bass up there and some good fish to. Now I wouldn't give you two spits for that overfished mudhole.

Anyway I digress, the lake will have good fishing for awhile and yes Creek is right a most of that vegetation will be dead in no time. The bigger trees and bushes will take awhile. But man it's gonna be dangerous, there will be floaters the size of your house by the Gazillions.

[Lowerider]

I think all the major effects have been raised.

When they do finally raise it we should have a couple of great spawning years for the largemouth and crappie.

The fishing pressure will be low because you'll need one of those Louisiana stump jumpers to be able to fish it.

The new vegetation won't last very long because it's not acquatic. Acquatic vegetation can't grow because half the year it'll be high and dry (again).

Open up a used crankbait shop next to the lower unit repair man because Rapala's sales will be increasing after the lake comes up.

[PRO V LE]

O.K. this is just my opinion on the Lake and debris problem after 30+ years of observation. The east end, upper lake Burnside area will always have a problem in the spring of the year. They are first to get hit with all the runoff from the rivers feeding the lake, look what happen'ed to London Dock up stream as an example.
I have driven across the big bridge at Burnside when you could not see the water for the debri, by the time I get to Grider it is clear as can be on the west end of the lake.
The drift collects in certain pockets and turns as it makes it way down the lake. There are efforts being made to clear and burn/haul these areas before the water comes back up.
The tree line is 40ft. above the water line, it would take a major flood to reach that level and wash any drift into the lake at this time.
I have never seen the drift "coast to coast" on this end of the lake, upstream yes but not here.

[Les Young]

I once read a Striper study that said in over 6000(I believe it was) stripers studied only a handful of striper had Crappie in their stomachs. This was said because it wasn't their natural forage & that shad were. I know however that they can be opurtunistic feeders as well as Bass or any other game fish can be. Catfish will eat Crappie as well, but you don't hear them getting bashed like Stripers do.

[first2fish]

Wow, i wasnt even thinking about a lot of the situations that will arise when they do start raising the lake. And i agree that they wont do it all at once. It will be a slow process as to make sure the dam repair holds. Hopefully it will be a succesful repair and the fishing will improve around the lake banks. Ihave only fished cumberland 3 times in the last 10 years because i have a lot at nolin. So mainly i go there. Cumberland to me is a mystery as to how to catch fish from it with the little amount of time i spend on it. Also you all notice that very few professional tournements are held there and i assume it because c/land is so hard to track down bass. Good fishing to you all,jc