Dix below the dam

[Bonefish]

I have fished the Dix below the dam approximately six years, and a lot of people ask me a number of questions about the Dix river from time to time. The river below the dam basicly can be divided into three sections. One being the trout area which will be in the cold water, the second is the mid section and the third is the last section ending in the Kentucky River. The reason I divide the river into sections is how the cold water affects the river as to the amount of cold water released from under the dam. This time of the year cold water is flowing from leaks under and around the dam so the river does not get too cold in the mid and lower sections. Even in the hot summer months there is a cold current on the bottom channel. As more water is release from the dam, the under current gets colder in the mid and lower sections as expected. This forces the fish to the bank areas where the water is warmer. When full release from dam occurs it washes out all fish except the trout into the Kentucky River. When the cold water is shut back down, the bluegill, crappie, bass, etc. rush back up the river with the warmer water. If you can catch this occuring, the fishing is great. The trick is knowing when the shut-down is going to occur. I don't like to trout fish personally so I do not fish the upper section, but I do fish the mid and lower sections. Each time you fish the Dix you must try to find out if the mid section or the lower section is better on any given day. It can change from day to day. Sometimes the mid is good and the next day the lower will be good. It just depends upon how much cold water is being released and how hot the weather is. Sometimes the bass seem to come up to the transition point to feed on the shad that seem to like the colder water. The Dix can be a tough place to find active bass, but if you catch the conditions right, you can have a great day of fishing. If you look at the river, one can imagine a bass under every log, but the river can be completely dead. Daily the Dix is a puzzle to solve which makes it a constant challenge. Good fishing everyone!

[MsgMills]

Great info from someone who has done a lot of studying of the river and Dam. Good Luck to you as well my friend....

[Bonefish]

I might add the Kentucky River affects the Dix River conditions as well. When the Kentucky floods, it backs up into the Dix, which can bring fish looking to get out of the muddy currents and feed.

[Bonefish]

I will add a few other things about the river while I think of them. As you look up the river, you notice a lot of fallen trees laying out over the water. When KU is running the river and it is clear, you can see enormous numbers of logs, trees and brush that lay on the bottom of the river. What you see above the water is nothing compared to what is on the bottom. So when you are fishing be aware fish may be further out from the bank than you think. I have noticed in the past two years there are large numbers of little bass in the 4 to 6 inch range in the river. I think the state stocked bass in the Highbridge pool last year. There seems to be a healthy stock of small bass as far as I can tell at this time.

Do you know what the fish said when he ran into a concrete wall?-DAM!

[djh480]

Well I have fished that body of water for about 40 years and let me tell ya the reason it is a puzzle. Up until several years ago a man could go up there and catch his limit of good quality bass. Then all of a sudden they aired on TV and in the newspaper what a fine fishing place that little stretch of water was. It got so crowded up there I quit goin up until just this year. So pressure and all the boats running up and down the river keeping that cold channel water stirred, definately put a damper on it. Ya know I like telling a few people where to go and have a good day of bass fishin but damned if I am goin to get on here and publisize it. Sorry guys but I have witnessed what public advertising of a good fishin area can do. Some of you guys know what it is doin to Cedar Creek. When it first opened might see 5 to 10 boats on the lake on a weekend day. Then people got on here and other web sites and started saying go to Cedar and catch 2 to 5 lb fish all day. Result, cant even find a parking spot around that lake now. Just a matter of time it will be called the dead pond(not big enough to be a sea).

[Bonefish]

This stretch of river does have a lot of boats and most of the people fishing the river do not slow down for the fishermen who bass fish beccause they can not wait to get to the trout area. The fishing has been tough the years I have fished it. It is only occasionally I have a good day on fish between 1 and 2 pounds. I think in the years I have fished it, I have only caught one fish over 3 pounds. On Saturdays and Sundays the water along the banks will be muddy because of the boat traffic.