Float N Fly - Kentucky River

[Todd2]

I was reading a 3 year old article about the FnF on the KY river. I've never tried the FnF or been on the KY river so I'm thinking trying both. Where is a good place to put into the river (coming from Louisville)? For folks that do fish it, how has the bite been? Thanks in advance for any help...

[know1]

I think I remember reading that same article.

Now - I do fish the KY river occasionally, but I'm definitely no expert...not even mildly knowledgeable, but by the looks of the creek report on this forum, if I were going to fish FnF anywhere other than Cumberland, Laurel or Dale Hollow, it would be Stoner Creek.

[Hlleonard]

I don't fish the river either or have never fished the FnF thingy but it looks like it might be a good addition to a fishermans bag of tricks from what I have read here in the last week or so....Water temps down to about 45 or so have always been the bottom limit of my sucess at catching bass...Stoner has always been a favorite haunt of mine so it looks like I need to see if I can teach this old dog a new trick....not sure I want to swing a 10' rod around though......hopefully I can get a 6' or 6'5" spinning rod to work for me....A seven and a half foot flipping stick makes me appreciate my easy chair at the end of the day......Every birthday makes it tougher...lol

[DWH]

I was reading a 3 year old article about the FnF on the KY river. I've never tried the FnF or been on the KY river so I'm thinking trying both. Where is a good place to put into the river (coming from Louisville)? For folks that do fish it, how has the bite been? Thanks in advance for any help...

benson creek or the east/west connector ramp in frankfort would probably be the easiest to find for you. the're both on the same pool. benson is closest to lock and dam 4(above). take 64 to the first frankfort exit. take 127 south. take a right on 676. take a left immediatly before you hit the river bridge. go a couple of hundred yards and the ramp will be on your right. that is the "connector" ramp. from there you can go downstream to the dam( couple of miles) or upstream (several miles?) to lock and dam 5. ive fished on the lower pool in franklin county a couple times in the past two weeks and caught two sauger and one bass. pretty slow. never tried f and f there. good luck.

[DJD]

I don't fish the river either or have never fished the FnF thingy but it looks like it might be a good addition to a fishermans bag of tricks from what I have read here in the last week or so....Water temps down to about 45 or so have always been the bottom limit of my sucess at catching bass...Stoner has always been a favorite haunt of mine so it looks like I need to see if I can teach this old dog a new trick....not sure I want to swing a 10' rod around though......hopefully I can get a 6' or 6'5" spinning rod to work for me....A seven and a half foot flipping stick makes me appreciate my easy chair at the end of the day......Every birthday makes it tougher...lol

I use an 8ft FNF rod from Bass Pro they are $30 or less and some fly's from a local tackle shop. When I'm deadlining I use a 6 1/2 spinning rod with a 1/8oz fly. I'm sure there are better ways but heck it's a start.

[Hlleonard]

Is the longer rods to let you fish the flies deeper? Or so you can get a longer cast?

[MrSplitshot]

I was reading a 3 year old article about the FnF on the KY river. I've never tried the FnF or been on the KY river so I'm thinking trying both. Where is a good place to put into the river (coming from Louisville)? For folks that do fish it, how has the bite been? Thanks in advance for any help...

Haven't fished the FNF this year yet (I know, I ****), but it definitely works on the Kentucky River. If you're coming from Louisville, get off at Frankfort and run north up 127. Put in at Steele Branch. There are plenty of areas upstream or downstream of there that will support floating that fly.

[MrSplitshot]

Is the longer rods to let you fish the flies deeper? Or so you can get a longer cast?

Longer Rods = More casting distance and more shock absorption for fighting big bass on the light 4# line that you should use.

Bare minimum, a 7.5' rod in my opinion. The BPS Microlites or the BPS Float-N-Fly rods are both super affordable and get the job done.

[Hlleonard]

Thanks Splitshot.....The 7.5' I can probably deal with....I may get out one day this week so I guess if I do I'll find out how frustrating a short rod is gona be eh....HLL

Are these rods expandable like the older flippin sticks?

[MrSplitshot]

Are these rods expandable like the older flippin sticks?

Nah, most of them are 2-piece outfits.

[elnutsmalljaws]

Never fished the river but my guess is the fish would be stacked up on the bluff walls when the water gets below 48 degrees. If so find a couple of days when the air temps are above 55 degrees to let the bluffs heat up and the fish will get in tight to warm up. Learn to cast side arm so the bobber and jig both land parallel to the bluff so the jig will fall down the face of the bluff and hang on. This works at Dale and I would guess it would work at the river as well. Just a thought to add.

[Todd2]

Put in at Steele Branch. There are plenty of areas upstream or downstream of there that will support floating that fly.

Thanks for all of the good info. What's the ramp like at Steele Branch? We'll be in a 17ft fish and ski. Are there any areas that I need to watch out for in particular? I've always taken it out on lakes and have heard a few horror stories of folks running up shallow in creeks and rivers. Thanks again...