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!