Cumberland River, Water Level Question

I am heading down to CL & CR for a 3-day weekend. Plan is to spend two-days on the lake and one-day on the river. I have been on the river many times but never paid attention to the river levels and discharge rates posted by the TVA. With the rain expected in the state this week, I need help in understanding if it's worth going to the river by looking at the TVA website. My questions are:

1. Regarding the 'Average Hourly Discharge' rate (cfs), when is it too little or too much for fishing? When I say too little, I mean passage-wise through the sand bars in a 17-foot aluminum v-hull with a 75HP motor. When I say too much, I mean forget it, quit wasting your time and stay on the lake.

2. What is the range you guys consider excellent for navigation on the river by boat?Elevation immediately below the dam (feet above mean sea level).

I know this is all subjective and this question has been raised many times on this board, but I never made a point to remember all the good information supplied. It'll be a big help in making my decision later in the week. Thanks alot everyone and safe boating.

Mark,

If the discharge remains at 3,800cfs you'll be fine in any boat. You will still have to be careful...there are spots that will reach out and grab you but for the most part you'll be able to motor over everything.

My rule of thumb is once the cfs is above 12,000 it's generally not worth it to me. I have to fight the boat way to much and I have to use heavy everything to get my lures and worms down deep enough to catch anything. There are some who say they love fishing it when there's a heavy flow, but I've not experienced a lot of good fishing when it's heavy.
Not too mention the fuel that it takes to continual motor up river. I read somewhere that it takes 40% more fuel to motor against the flow when it's rolling hard.

What part of the river are you going to try to fish. Now at the dam they are putting out 280 to 3630 cfps if you go to the dam with only 280 which is nothing you can run into some trouble with the bottom but the reason to be fishing the dam right now is that the rock fish can be up there in good numbers. What I would do is go to the dam and check it out before you put in the boat if it looks to low go downstream and fish.

Be Safe and have Fun GREEN RIVER TIME

Usually put in at Burkesville and go downriver. Might try up closer to the dam though, something different. Thanks for the input guys, much appreciated.

you'll have trouble launching your boat at the dam with anything under 1500 and even then it's not easy on the axels. I know the river well and won't put my boat in without a river runner - just something to think about.

I hate high water. If you launch at Burkesville and the water is close to the top of the ramp it's high water.

Winter time is generally trophy trout and walleye time. Most of the stripes are down south now.

I would not put in up by the dam when the water flow is slow and low if you have a bigger boat. There is good fishing down at burkesville also. When the water is this low the sandbars are burkesville are even out of water. I will be down at burkesville on the river to find those eyes. Water is perfect

Be Safe and have Fun GREEN RIVER TIME

i went to the dam on Black friday and the ol' trolling motor got scratch or two before I remembered to raise my TM . It was as low as I have seen it.

Talked to a few there and the bite was slow. Guess the fish heard I was coming. haha

I've read your discussions for a while, but have never joined in. I guess that I like to stay in the background. Just check the numbers for water coming out of Lake Cumberland and it was 7,140 CFS at 6PM not quite double what it has been running but still a large increase. No idea what tomorrow will bring .

Great time to go the little rain they got down will help the water cause it is so clear. Be great walleye fishing. The water temp is back down to 53F. As of now the CFS was only 280 as of 6am. I will be down fighting for the good eating eyes and maybe a big rockfish.

Be Safe and have Fun GREEN RIVER TIME

Be sure and give us a report on your trip, water, and fish caught. If you need a companion on a Burkesville trip sometime I would like to learn more about fishing that area. If nothing else is going on I would be willng to meet you there and share expenses from there.

642 on the downstream side is what I gage the river on. Thats pretty low, but manageable in my rig. I've seen it lower. Floating down could be your option may be tough getting back up. 3000 cfs usually brings it up 3 ft. or so. 645 Ive seen some larger boats on the river no problem. Also depends how much time they are giving the flow hours per day. 10000 gallon at 6 pm today ought to make for some great fishing. River hasn't been up for a while. Keep an eye on the lake level if its not rising or falling may be a steady flow. When lake gets around 681,82 look for them to back off the flow. Just keep eye out that they dont cut flow off and leave u with not enough water while your on the river. Find the fast water for the big boys thats what works for me.

Was going to burkesville today but the water came up to fast and it was cold this morning 25. Too cold to be on that river if it was going to be a job to fish the current. Anyone else go.

Be Safe and have Fun GREEN RIVER TIME