Cumberland trip 18-21 Report

[RICHYD4U]

Well, we made it back from our trip to the CR/CL alive....barely! (I'll get to that in a minute). We stayed at Kendall for all three nights. Got a kick out of the park ranger guy telling us not to put our tent on the grass...more like mud and moss! Anyways, still a nice camping facility. Hit the CR the first day and the flow was great, however the fishing was not. We only caught 12 trout, all stocker size. We did, however, almost capsize my new boat! We were fishing up by the dam when the back current starting drawing us in towards where the water was coming out! Having been on the water all day, the batteries were a little low, so when I jumped over to start up the outboard, a couple cranks drained the battery down. I couldn't hear if she was turning or not cause of the loud water coming out.......we ended up being sucked in, over and over again with water pouring in the boat! Luckily, a guy in a boat heard our frantic yelling and was able to come over and pull us out. His name was Rocky...don't know if he visits fishin.com, but if he does.....I owe you big time brother! THANKS!!!!

Anyways, spent the other two morning fishing up Indian Creek towards 76 Falls. Tons of shad and the stripers were there. Had a hard time getting them to hit anything. They seemed so focused on those tiny shad that they wouldn't touch anything! We did end up hooking up with two stripers and lost both of them (the two guys I was with aren't very experienced anglers). Justinhall joined us on our last day back in Indian, and was a disatisfied as we had been. Justinhall gave us some good suggestions for that evening and I want to thank him for that. If it wasn't for him, we would have blanked on the stripers. Hit the area Justinhall told us to that evening and ended up landing two stripers (6lb, 11lb). So the trip wasn't a total bust! Thanks Justin.

Did do some flyfishin on the river and up some tributaries. Did have one of the largest trout on that I had seen in a long time! Must have been at least 27"...never could tell if she was a brown or bow because when I turned her, she was off on the run! I held on as long as I could, going under logs and branches, but she eventually got the best of me and broke me off. Still landed two bows in the slot (18", 19"). Just not as many spawners as years past.

Anyways, good time with the fellas. Wish fishing could have been better, but at least we were seeing fish feeding. That kept our hearts pumping and rods casting! Once I figure out how to add pics, I'll do it. Anybody tell me how? Thanks.

-Rich

[mhall]

Nice report Richy, it sure has been up and down with the fishing down there this year.

[tqdean]

Rich,

Am heading down tomorrow for CR and CL over the next two days. If you don't mind giving me some advice on how you ended up getting the Striper to hit, can you please PM me? I am hoping not to get shut out so the family doesn't go hungry on T-Giving

Thank

[RICHYD4U]

Rich,

Am heading down tomorrow for CR and CL over the next two days. If you don't mind giving me some advice on how you ended up getting the Striper to hit, can you please PM me? I am hoping not to get shut out so the family doesn't go hungry on T-Giving

Thank

PM sent

-Rich

[Chubminnow]

I'm glad you lived to tell about it all...Thanks for the report!

[troutcrazy]

I've often wondered how dangerous it was up by the dam when they're letting water out...now I know. Glad you didn't lose your life...but more importantly that your boat and rod and reels are safe!

Sorry to hear the fishing wasn't as good. How far down did you go on the CR?

[Lowerider]

Thanks for the report. I've fished a lot of dams and that one does scare me. Dealing with the force of that backflow at the same time as shallow rocky areas can be a little nerve racking.

I've had that dam about **** me in with the anchor out!

[HURRICANEBOB]

Rich,

Glad you got back okay and sorry the Stripers didn't cooperate. Scary deal in story about the outflow and all. Glad to see you made it thru okay.

[FlyLie]

Yes, better luck with the stripers next time. I have not been out lately, but from the reports I have read, it's been tough the last few weeks. Fish seem to be scattered and not wanting to hit much of anything. Best reports have been from guys trolling flatline boards and they have been scattered .

Glad that backcurrent at the dam didn't get you. That sure can be a scary situation to be in. In a past life, I would fish below the dam at Newburg, IN for sauger, and if I was anywhere near the break to the wingwall on the Ky side, that current would draw me right into an eddy in the last gate. Used to fish it quite a bit, and as the current drew me in close, I'd fire up the big motor and pull out. Wasn't a great idea, as my motor was not that reliable. Since then I have had several nightmares about it . Looking back, I was just lucky and I just don't fish that area of the dam anymore.

[JUSTINHALL]

RICHYD4U,
You forgot to mention that you were screaming like a girl and was blowing your whistle to save you life!!!!!!
Sorry you had a slow week not uneventful but slow. Striper fishing this time of year is being at the right place at the right time. Those two stripers just before the ride home I am sure made the drive home easier.

[RICHYD4U]

RICHYD4U,
You forgot to mention that you were screaming like a girl and was blowing your whistle to save you life!!!!!!
Sorry you had a slow week not uneventful but slow. Striper fishing this time of year is being at the right place at the right time. Those two stripers just before the ride home I am sure made the drive home easier.

LOL! I was not screaming like a little girl.....I was screaming like a baby girl! Nothing like pulling the whistle out and blowing to realize that no noise is coming out and there is a spiders nest inside it! Ended up blowing the spiders clean out of it! Think I'll get a blow horn just in case.

My friend and I are still laughing about how quickly we became little girls when we realized we were screwed! Him and I were screaming while his father-in-law was just sitting on the back sit all calm. Hilarious! I'm still trying to regain my dignity after that display

Thanks for getting us on those stripers Justin, really saved the trip for us. Planning on getting back up there in the next few weeks. Take care.

-Rich

[JUSTINHALL]

LOL, at least you maned up to screaming like a litte girl!