Hybrids in Cumberland.........

[mhall]

KDFWR is considering stocking hybrids in Lake Cumberland as a quick fix if the stiper fishery is significently depleted due to a lake flush. This would be if we get a massive rain or two at the warm times of year that would cause them to open the sluice gates wide open and seriously deplete the cold water. As many of you know this killed quite a few walleye and some stripers a few years back when a similar senario unfolded. I like the hybrid idea and think it would be good to do regardless of anything bad happening, what do you guys think of this idea.

[Rowdy]

I dont understand everything I know about this? I dive cumberland some there is two themoclines in the summer 1st was about 26 ft. the 2nd was at 71ft near the dam I dont remember the temps, you did not stay in the lower one long!
If the lake is 200 ft or more at the dam will there not be enough cold water to keep the cold water fish going or the hatchery?
I know the river at Burkesville temp. is 54 ish in the summer.
Rowdy

[mhall]

I dont understand everything I know about this? I dive cumberland some there is two themoclines in the summer 1st was about 26 ft. the 2nd was at 71ft near the dam I dont remember the temps, you did not stay in the lower one long!
If the lake is 200 ft or more at the dam will there not be enough cold water to keep the cold water fish going or the hatchery?
I know the river at Burkesville temp. is 54 ish in the summer.
Rowdy

Rowdy, what they say is it flushes the cold water from the lower portion of the lake because of the sluice gates being located at the base of the dam. Again trying to quote, the huge influx of warm water combines with the pull of water through the sluice gates flushes out to much cold water leaving behing to much warm water. Whooo, I think I understand it but I'm struggling to explain it that's for sure.

[Cobra190]

**My Opinion** I think hybrids in any lake are a fishing plus. Too much fight not to have them there. And also may be a help to some of the guide services there in case of a problem occuring with other species.
I do not think any draw down will slow down the recreational boaters. Most of them do not keep up with what is going on with the lakes as much as the fishermen do. I look for most of them to show up and then find out the water level is low. They will proceed as planned. And I also look for more camping to exist along the shoreline if it is legal to do so.
This could turn out to be a very interesting situation on this lake as to how all is handled. I would hope that everything can be done with courtesy to one another and no problems occurring from the draw down and repairs causing public fishermen vs. recreational boater problems which would lead into certain restrictions being put into place during the repair time.

[Moose1am]

Some of the COE dams can open gates thoughout the entire water column. Thus they can release cold water at the bottom though the dam or warmer waters near the surface though the dam. This way they can manipulate the water temp in the river downstream of the dam.

Can they do this at Cumberland?

KDFWR is considering stocking hybrids in Lake Cumberland as a quick fix if the stiper fishery is significently depleted due to a lake flush. This would be if we get a massive rain or two at the warm times of year that would cause them to open the sluice gates wide open and seriously deplete the cold water. As many of you know this killed quite a few walleye and some stripers a few years back when a similar senario unfolded. I like the hybrid idea and think it would be good to do regardless of anything bad happening, what do you guys think of this idea.

[mhall]

Some of the COE dams can open gates thoughout the entire water column. Thus they can release cold water at the bottom though the dam or warmer waters near the surface though the dam. This way they can manipulate the water temp in the river downstream of the dam.

Can they do this at Cumberland?

Moose I'm not positive, but I don't think so, but good question.

[apb]

I'm kind of torn on the idea. I like Hybrids, and having the chance to chase them and stripers at the same time could be cool. Would probably result in some additional topwater action during certain months. Possible down sides? If they stock Hybrids in Cumberland, does that mean that other lakes with Hybrids would be getting less Hybrid stockings? What about creel limits? Statewide limits on Hybrids is 15, with only 5 of those allowed to be over 15 inches. If you did this at Cumberland you would have too many small stripers being kept as too many people would not be able to tell them apart. As it is now, every year I run into one or two people on Cumberland who talk about the Hybrids they had been catching lately. Basically, short stripers with broken lines. Put the same limits on Hybrids as you have for Stripers, maybe. Be a good way to get a trophy Hybrid lake!

Andrew

[SSKY]

I will vote for hybrids, but , what happened to that stocking effort in Cland for white bass? Is it ongoing? I have not seen any? They would decimate the alewives if there was a average population like around 1980. I know it is not 1980 so i would still vote for the hybrids but there will be big a big stink from the striper industry.

[CTFSHWHISKER]

I may be wrong but i'm sure i was catching some nice hybrids already at cuberland about 6 years ago down rigging for stripers.I have been with two different guids and and both said,without mentioning one to the other,that the rule of thumb with guids is to follow striper regulations for both to eliminate hassles.The ones we caught were in the 45 foot range by pleasant point ramp to lilly creek.now if they are there they are better in warm water so they should remain in good shape shouldn't they?We caught many in the 4 years i was going regularly,they had the stocky body and broken lines so they must have been hybrids,i was never checked but we did keep them as hybrids.Hope i didn't do something wrong we went by hybrid regulations.

[apb]

Hybrids have never been stocked into Cumberland. There are no feeder creeks/rivers to Cumberland that have Hybrids. Even if a few people were illegally stocking them there, there would not be enough to make a population of them that you could catch them regularily. When small, Hybrids, White Bass, and Stripers can be hard to tell apart. My advice is to release all "Hybrids" from Cumberland that are under 24 inches in length and to keep no more than 2. Fish and Game knows what they look like.

Andrew

[CTFSHWHISKER]

i havn't been there for about four years,but that's good info to know if i ever go back.......thanks it may save me some money.

[roberte68]

A true striped bass will generally have two patches of teeth on the base of the tongue.

If you go to the Kentucky Fish and Wildlife site under fishing you can download a booklet on fish identification.