Cumberland River below dam

[GeoFisher]

VERY, VERY close.

sometimes they are REALLY hard to tell apart.

Later,

Geo

[CumberlandRiverTroutin]

There will be some flow for the most part, the last time I was down there was a constant flow coming out of the dam and then during a set time they opened the sluice gate.

Canoes or Kayaks are ideal, the smaller the better and you have to navigate your way through deeper channels.

I do agree that the water is very cold, but I usually wet wade when its decently warm outside. It hurts like a mother for about 20 mins, then everything goes numb and you're good to go. If you go waist deep or more be ready to catch your breath, haha.

I'm going down next weekend, so if anyone goes this weekend give us a report.

[troutcrazy]

I do agree that the water is very cold, but I usually wet wade when its decently warm outside. It hurts like a mother for about 20 mins, then everything goes numb and you're good to go. If you go waist deep or more be ready to catch your breath, haha.

When I go waist deep or deeper I find it impossible to breath because of 2 rocks that miraclously appear and become lodged in my throat!!! haha

[etcfishin]

A guy on my boat caught one largemouth on a streamer back in June. Don't think we have a picture of it. Probably should have taken one. We've been catching all kinds of species on fly rods including striper, skipjack, walleye, brown and rainbow trout, white bass, carp, and one largemouth. We also believe there was some natural reproduction due to the low water last year. We've caught two rainbows that were much smaller than stocking size. It's possible that the hatchery released some small fish, but we've never seen them this small having fished down there for 7-8 years.

[SMALLIES]

Well I'm sorry I posted this about 2 weeks before the trip but I've been thinking about it none stop, I'm going this coming weekend and thought I'd check and see if anyone has been down there and what's been going on? Taken a 20ft John boat that floats lite. I'm also taking wadders just in case. Not scared about dragging the boat but is it going to be possible to float from the dam down? If so then I'll just wad my first ever CR trip and fish the Big CL with the boat. Hit both why I'm there.....

Hope all is well.

Fish Hard!!

[troutcrazy]

I went last Thursday and I'm going again this week. The water was thin until around noon when they opened the generators. I was 2 miles down from the dam fishing the boulders section. Fishing was great. Caught 2 17' althogether I probably caught 20-25 fish.

Good luck putting in a 20 footer anywhere right now. I had to pull my 14ft off the trailer and then winch it on because both times the trailer was out of the water. They've been running the generators from 11 to 12 or 1 just about every day so that has really helped.

If you put in early at the dam and know they are going to release water in the mid-morning or early afternoon then you can float past the first shallow section (which is in the first big bend to the left) in order to make it to the head waters of a long flat section just before the boulders (which is the second major shallow portion you'll come to). If you drift to the right side of the river you might make it through to the boulders (2 miles from dam) which is a pretty good place to fish. If you go past the boulder section the next major shallow portion you come to is Helm's Landing (5 miles from dam). Good place to fish but usually pretty croweded on Sat. Past that you'll come to the power lines and a gravel bar on your left. (6-7 miles from dam) Great fishing there on until snow island. (13 miles from dam)

When they let the water go then you'll see the fish really turn on...

Unless you have a jet or tunnel hull, do not try any of this if they are not releasing water! And if they do release start heading back up river no more than an hour after they shut down.

I have drifted over shallow spots knowing I could not make it up river without a release, but my desire to get to "my" spots where I know the fish are often times out votes my logic. I've had to pull my boat back up river a few times and that really stinks. And I can't imagine pulling a 20 footer up river!

Good luck...

[kyfanatic]

Late post on this thread,but I caught a 5 lb 8 oz Smallmouth on live shad at the mouth of Crocus creek a couple years back,not much help on the artificial bait,I'm a live bait man mostly,but we caught some nice brown and rainbow trout on minnows with a split shot drifting down river.I've never caught any myself,(out of the river that is)but have seen seen some nice stripers come out of there too.

[SMALLIES]

Can't thank you all enough, Troutcazy Thank you for the much needed info also. I promise to post about the trip when I get back to the capital city on Sunday evening. It's been a while since I've done any fishing worth anything but I just need to check out this God country they've been talking about. Catching fish would just be a bonus. Hope everyone is catching fish.

Fish Hard!

ps anyone down there this weekend see a 20 ft john boat with three guys in it I've got the beard.

[SMALLIES]

WOW!!!!

First time there and loved it. The campground was full but we had a nice site. Lots of fishing going on. Never seen a place being fished so hard by so many people. Was able to get the 20 footer in the water at Helm's went down a couple miles and was told that we had a couple hours before the water started to lower. Thankful for the advise from a local. Caught plenty of trout. Caught some nice ones in the slot limit but was able to still have a nice dinner that night. Water is super low, tore the transducer (sp) off the boat but knew going in that it was going to be low so.......

They are letting water out but not very hard and not all day. Not sure of the exact times. Thanks for everyones advise and pointers. Enjoyed it and plan to go back again.

Fish Hard!