Cumberland River 10/17/09

[RICHYD4U]

Couldn't take it any longer...the wife and daughter were off on a play date with one of my wife's friends, so I decided it was time. Checked the water release schedule for Wolf Creek dam, it said 9800 cfs. I figured I could do something with that, so I went for it. Got below the dam, and the gates were wide open! looked like three generators, definetly no 9800 cfs! Main river was out of the option, so I hit a couple creeks where I usually do well this time of year. NOTHING! The water was unbelievably WARM! I could not believe it....the air was much cooler than the water! Usually, you put your hand in the water there to untangle a fly, and you FREEZE your hand off! Today, I put my hand in the water....and it felt good! SAD! I wish I would have remembered my thermometer I keep in my fly vest, it must have been at least around 62-63 degrees. Managed about a dozen stalkers around 12-14". Really made me depressed, this is usually my favorite time down there.

On the way home, I swung in at the boat ramp up by the dam on the CL. Wish I had brought my boat! As I got out of my car and walked over to look over the lake.....there was the LARGEST striper jump going on, the biggest jump I have EVER SEEN!!! It was amazing, it covered an area roughly the size of two football fields and never stopped! They just kept busting the surface, over and over again, as if to drive me insane! WISH I HAD MY BOAT!!! Would have been a blast! I almost went crazy enough as to get a life-jacket and swim out to them with rod in hand! After watching them for about 45 minutes, I couldn't take the torture anymore so I headed back home. Very depressing trip. Don't think I'll be making that one anytime soon.

-Rich

[kygorski]

I know the pain. For many years the fall, after the influx of leaves was over, was the time to hiot the river. The water used to be clear, and the current light, and the perfect time to go and catch a lot of good fish. My weapons were ultra light rods and small jigs.The power bait grubs in crawfish color were dynamite. Well that clear water is long gone. trout are great sight feeders, but now there is no way they can spot those baits. Yor're lucky, some day in thenext five years the fish will be back, but with my age, I dont think I'll be around to enjoy them,But man the memorys.

[FlyLie]

Rich,
Yes, there continues to be a lot of water being released through the dam, 3 sluice gates and x generators. It has been that way for most of the month. The "continuing" rain this year has really changed things, both in the lake and the tailwaters. I had planned on getting into fly fishing below the dam this year, but just has not been in the cards. Hope for a better year in 2010. Thanks for the report and hopefully, better fishing next time.

As for those stripers...go figure. Myself and others have trolled that area several times in the past couple of weeks with little to no luck and then mostly small fish. Have observed some small schools in the jumps, but did not last long (3-5 minutes). Sounds like you saw the "mother lode". I have to ask; were there any boats trolling in the area, what time of the day was it?

[etcfishin]

I know it probably messes up the lake, but we actually need it to turn over and get some of that warm water off the bottom in order to help the trout.

[410th]

Just got back from a week stay at Wolfcreek, Well it rained from the time I left the house until I got back home. Anyway The fishing: I was lucky enough to catch: Cat Fish, Crappie, Drum, Gar, Trout, Walleye, and Sauger. I caught fish I have never caught below the dam befour. The water temp at the dam was 68 degree's. Down the river it was 65. They ran 3 sluice gate's 24 hours and one generator during the day. Ran into one guy who said he got a limit of crappie that morning, I tried no luck, sure wish I could figure out the crappie below the dam. The trout did well on minnows and powerbait with the bite slowing down everyday, for me any way. Walleye came on Crank Baits and bucktails up at the dam. Fished the main Lake one day and got one small striper, a cat fish, and a nice small mouth. I did catch enough to eat well last week, Fish and tators dont get any better then that. Well any way got to go dry things out today.

Billy

[RICHYD4U]

The water on the river was very clear, I don't think seeing the bait was a problem. The water temps have the trout in a kind of coma, so to speak.

As for the striper jump, it was from 5:00-5:45pm. I have never seen anything like it, still thinking about it today. There was nobody even around. I did see one boat come flying across the lake, coming to put-out...and they flew by the jump within a few hundred yards and never stopped. I was thinking, "Man, they have no idea what they just blew by!" Oh well, back to work.

-Rich

[RICHYD4U]

Another observation during my trip to the CR....there was absolutely no surface activity or hatches. Usually during this time of year, they are busting the surface on all sorts of midge hatches. Think the water temps have screwed the insect life up as well.

-Rich

[FishFry]

I was also down there Saturday and Sunday. We floated from the dam to Helms and only caught a few trout and bluegill. Water was 63-64 according to my depth finder. Trout were following rooster tails to the boat but not hitting them. Fishing was tough to say the least. Saturday we also tried trolling for a bit in the lake for stripers but it was cold and nasty and we had no hits. Saw a few jumps but no takers. Still cant wait to try it again in some nicer weather.

[RICHYD4U]

FishFry-
I think I saw you guys take out at the CR, and then I saw you guys leaving the CL dam ramp as I was driving in. You guys should have hung around, right as you left that huge jump started. The weather was beautiful that evening, once the rain pushed out. The lake looked like glass, giving me a wonderful view of the massive jump! Still driving me nuts! I've got to shake it.......

-Rich

[troutcrazy]

Here's my fear...I'm afraid we are going to be stuck in this moisture pattern for a while and we'll be dealing with a lot of snow through the winter. Doesn't sound as bad as rain, but the melt off will raise the lake and here we go again running tons of water off the bottom of the lake and the water never has a chance to cool down. Hate to say this, but we need a long winter and one without much snow. Then we need them to hurry up and fix the dam...once that's done we can get back to normal.

Besides I know you guys are sandbagging so you can keep the river to yourselves

[tqdean]

Here's my fear...I'm afraid we are going to be stuck in this moisture pattern for a while and we'll be dealing with a lot of snow through the winter. Doesn't sound as bad as rain, but the melt off will raise the lake and here we go again running tons of water off the bottom of the lake and the water never has a chance to cool down. Hate to say this, but we need a long winter and one without much snow. Then we need them to hurry up and fix the dam...once that's done we can get back to normal.

Besides I know you guys are sandbagging so you can keep the river to yourselves

We are heading down this week. I am hoping the combination of less rain and water release will clear things up down by Burkesville.

[FishFry]

Richy-

Yeah that was us, if it would have been up to me we would have fished until dark but I had to accommodate everyone and we wanted to listen to the UK game...i couldnt convince them to come pick me up later haha...***** that it finally got nice after such a long dreary morning. Wish we would have been around for the jumps, I had cranks/spoons/topwater ready but never saw anything to throw them at. Hopefully we'll get to try it again soon and if you see me out there say hello.