Cumberland River Shock results are SAD !!!

[troutcrazy]

I'm with you Rich when it comes to proper catch/release methods. I rarely pull a trout out of the water, and if I do, I always wet my hands and lay the trout over on it's back to calm it.

The numbers of fishermen on the river has increased greatly over the past several years. I remember 6 years ago going on Thursday's (my day off) and being the only person on the river for hours before ever seeing another boat. Now I can't find a parking spot at Helm's Landing on Thursdays when the river is fishable. I'm not complaining about the numbers of boats...it's just an observation of the increase.

With that increase has come the grass covering the bottom of the river no doubt carried in by another boat from another river, trash along the banks, poor sportsmen on the water, and increased pressure on every gravel bar in the river. Would any of these ideas help revive the river and return it to it's previous condition...at lease as close as possible.

1) Complete construction on the dam (obvious need)
2) Release more trout once that construction is completed
3) Move slot to 12" to 20"
4) Make a large section catch and release only (temporarily)
5) Raise trout permit fee's (this is to detour the casual fishermen) I don't even know if raising the price of the trout stamp is possible...just a thought.

These I'm sure are not popular thoughts...they may be wrong all together, but I fear the end of a wonderful treasure if we do not take some measures to protect it.

[coombro]

complete construction of the dam is the obvious solution. Bring back the daily flows and the rising current. There have been troubles in the past and the cr bounced back as it will again. Fish kills are not new and depleted oxygen and warmer water we've seen before. The trout capital of the south and thats what it is. Supply and demand. Possible we had to many fish in the river? Now we just have to work a little harder.

[RICHYD4U]

The problem is just that...the CR is in an area that was not intended by God to have trout. It is in a warm-species area. Anything that goes wrong will return it to just that....a warm-species fishery....i.e. not enough water, too much water, too warm, uneducated trout fishermen, etc. It is just very difficult to maintain a trophy trout fishery in this part of God's vineyard.....basicly, the stars have to align just right for it to happen...and that is what had happened, for awhile, on the CR. Now the stars have moved out of alignment. JMHO

When I moved out here from out West, I was blown away by the CR! I never dreamed of finding such a trout fishery out here, so for that, I am very grateful. I hope the CR can return to it's original glory, but I fear it will take many years and some genious trout-management (and that is after the dam is fixed). For now, looks like the CR will be a walleye, striper, and 10" trout fishery.

-Rich

[coombro]

i for one one have fished waters of the west for trout. Dont see where theres that big a differance is. U spook a trout he runs. Caught trout on nothing ,but a gold bare hook out west. Caught monster rainbows in Michagan in not much more than a ditch. Cumberland is far from the tragic lose its being made out to be. I have had a banner year on the river. Best so far since repair work has began. Change your style cover more ground. If your not catching the trophey fish dont think their not out there they are. we've landed the big boys just not broken any records. Keep your eyes open you'll see them they are out there. I've been fishing the cumberland since the early 80's i've not seen it all,but i've seen a lot.It's not gonna die.

[Jbyrd]

The numbers of big fish (Over 15") Are way way down. People have not been catching that many big fish this year either. They are just not there this fall like they have always been. And I was told the reason that they raised the creel limit is that they figured they were going to die anyway. Due to the water Temp / Quality. They released fish unscheduled from the Hatchery a couple of times. Rather than see them die in the raceways.

And some old timers say the Deer population is suffering from the increased Coyote population. Not the Bag limit. Cause there has not been that many checked in. One old timer also pointed out. " How many fawns do you see lately?" Not very many! Anybody that likes to Deer hunt, Needs to Coyote hunt every chance they can! JMHO

Less does to have the fawns = less fawns. The debate goes on . But I have hunted for 30 years and the season went from 5 days to basically 27gun days (16 modern gun and 11 muzzle loader with todays modern muzzle loaders it is just like more gun days. PLUS 4 months of bow season, and MORE doe days than you can count across the state. PLUS unlimited does in some areas. OK ,sorry for rambling but this hits a nerve with me. The people in power at the kdfw today won't get out in the field and do surveys they rely on numbers of deer killed. What they don't realize is hunters that are killing deer are alot of hunters that are only seeing one or two bucks. Where you used to could let them walk now after a week if it is the only buck you see then they are killing them.

[RICHYD4U]

i for one one have fished waters of the west for trout. Dont see where theres that big a differance is. U spook a trout he runs. Caught trout on nothing ,but a gold bare hook out west. Caught monster rainbows in Michagan in not much more than a ditch. Cumberland is far from the tragic lose its being made out to be. I have had a banner year on the river. Best so far since repair work has began. Change your style cover more ground. If your not catching the trophey fish dont think their not out there they are. we've landed the big boys just not broken any records. Keep your eyes open you'll see them they are out there. I've been fishing the cumberland since the early 80's i've not seen it all,but i've seen a lot.It's not gonna die.

The difference is the waters out west have always had trout and are cold waters in which trout dominate. If you can't see a difference between the trout fisheries out west, and the CR....well, I can't help ya. Apparently you haven't fished the Green River in WY, or the Snake River in ID, or the Salmon river in ID, or the Provo River in UT, or the Weber River in UT, or Strawberry Reservior in UT, or Hams Fork in WY, or Henry's Lake in ID, Yellowstone River in WY (try catching fish in any of these with a "bare gold hook")....I could go on and on with examples. The simple fact is, if anybody had a choice to go fishing for trout, those would be on the top of their list (if they new anything about top trout fisheries) and if they wanted to fish for bass, they would come here..............as I said in my previous post, trout are not native here, nor are the conditions suitable for trout without man made dams. That is a HUGE difference. You can catch trout out west in a "ditch" or even a tiny creek that rolled out of a mountain canyon, full of fisty rainbows and native cutthroat (ran by my house).

I love the CR, and have stated that for years on here. I know its not going to die, never said it would, it's just going to take years for recovery. Face it or not, the river looks like crap. Nasty colored water, algae everywhere, and water temps sky high (for trout). Once they get the dam fixed and began flowing cold, clean water again....things will recover....slowly. There will still be some German Browns caught over 20", nothing like in years past. It will still remain the areas top trout fishery (what else is there?). And when flows drop back down, I'll be out there with my FF trying to catch some 10"ers and pray for an occasional 15"+.

[RICHYD4U]

i for one one have fished waters of the west for trout. Dont see where theres that big a differance is. U spook a trout he runs. Caught trout on nothing ,but a gold bare hook out west. Caught monster rainbows in Michagan in not much more than a ditch. Cumberland is far from the tragic lose its being made out to be. I have had a banner year on the river. Best so far since repair work has began. Change your style cover more ground. If your not catching the trophey fish dont think their not out there they are. we've landed the big boys just not broken any records. Keep your eyes open you'll see them they are out there. I've been fishing the cumberland since the early 80's i've not seen it all,but i've seen a lot.It's not gonna die.

The difference is the waters out west have always had trout and are cold waters in which trout dominate. If you can't see a difference between the trout fisheries out west, and the CR....well, I can't help ya. Apparently you haven't fished the Green River in WY, or the Snake River in ID, or the Salmon river in ID, or the Provo River in UT, or the Weber River in UT, or Strawberry Reservior in UT, or Hams Fork in WY, or Henry's Lake in ID, Yellowstone River in WY (try catching fish in any of these with a "bare gold hook")....I could go on and on with examples. The simple fact is, if anybody had a choice to go fishing for trout, those would be on the top of their list (if they new anything about top trout fisheries) and if they wanted to fish for bass, they would come here..............as I said in my previous post, trout are not native here, nor are the conditions suitable for trout without man made dams. That is a HUGE difference. You can catch trout out west in a "ditch" or even a tiny creek that rolled out of a mountain canyon, full of fisty rainbows and native cutthroat (ran by my house).

I love the CR, and have stated that for years on here. I know its not going to die, never said it would, it's just going to take years for recovery. Face it or not, the river looks like crap. Nasty colored water, algae everywhere, and water temps sky high (for trout). Once they get the dam fixed and began flowing cold, clean water again....things will recover....slowly. There will still be some German Browns caught over 20", nothing like in years past. It will still remain the areas top trout fishery (what else is there?). And when flows drop back down, I'll be out there with my FF trying to catch some 10"ers and pray for an occasional 15"+.

Love the CR.

-Rich

[troutcrazy]

The difference is the waters out west have always had trout and are cold waters in which trout dominate. If you can't see a difference between the trout fisheries out west, and the CR....well, I can't help ya. Apparently you haven't fished the Green River in WY, or the Snake River in ID, or the Salmon river in ID, or the Provo River in UT, or the Weber River in UT, or Strawberry Reservior in UT, or Hams Fork in WY, or Henry's Lake in ID, Yellowstone River in WY (try catching fish in any of these with a "bare gold hook")....I could go on and on with examples. The simple fact is, if anybody had a choice to go fishing for trout, those would be on the top of their list (if they new anything about top trout fisheries) and if they wanted to fish for bass, they would come here..............as I said in my previous post, trout are not native here, nor are the conditions suitable for trout without man made dams. That is a HUGE difference. You can catch trout out west in a "ditch" or even a tiny creek that rolled out of a mountain canyon, full of fisty rainbows and native cutthroat (ran by my house).

I love the CR, and have stated that for years on here. I know its not going to die, never said it would, it's just going to take years for recovery. Face it or not, the river looks like crap. Nasty colored water, algae everywhere, and water temps sky high (for trout). Once they get the dam fixed and began flowing cold, clean water again....things will recover....slowly. There will still be some German Browns caught over 20", nothing like in years past. It will still remain the areas top trout fishery (what else is there?). And when flows drop back down, I'll be out there with my FF trying to catch some 10"ers and pray for an occasional 15"+.

Love the CR.

-Rich

Wow Rich...a double posting...you really wanted to get your point across...lol

I have fished the Missouri this past year, Big Springs (blue ribbon trout stream), Clear Springs (blue ribbon trout stream), the White, and the Ashtubula and I've caught fish in all of them...of course this means one thing. I AM AN AWESOME FISHERMAN! I think the CR is just as good as any I've fished. In fact, because it's more familiar I have better luck on the CR.

I don't think there are too many fish...I think it all has to do with the dam...and the increased pressure on the river. Trout are smart and if they've seen it enough they aren't going to take it. If it looks too out of place the trout aren't going to take it. If the line cast a shadow....you get the point. It's a great place in our own backyard and it will continue to be a great place.

We'll all have to meet up sometime and fish the CR together...maybe I'll share some of my secrets...more importantly I hope to steal some of you all's..

[Rock_Fish]

Well I hope it returns to its former glory also! The KY management people knew that is was happening. Or they would not have raised the creel limit this past year from 5 to 10. After years and years of holding it at 5 to build a world class fishery. What is funny though is they did not change the slot or lift it. If a 14" fish is going to die. Than surely a 15-20" fish would die ?

[RICHYD4U]

Wow Rich...a double posting...you really wanted to get your point across...lol

I have fished the Missouri this past year, Big Springs (blue ribbon trout stream), Clear Springs (blue ribbon trout stream), the White, and the Ashtubula and I've caught fish in all of them...of course this means one thing. I AM AN AWESOME FISHERMAN! I think the CR is just as good as any I've fished. In fact, because it's more familiar I have better luck on the CR.

I don't think there are too many fish...I think it all has to do with the dam...and the increased pressure on the river. Trout are smart and if they've seen it enough they aren't going to take it. If it looks too out of place the trout aren't going to take it. If the line cast a shadow....you get the point. It's a great place in our own backyard and it will continue to be a great place.

We'll all have to meet up sometime and fish the CR together...maybe I'll share some of my secrets...more importantly I hope to steal some of you all's..

Lol, sorry about that. I'm a little passionate when it comes to my trout fishing. I was born a trout fisherman that developed into a bass fisherman also. My first and true love, will always be fly fishing for trout. I'm just really depressed this winter since the CR is hurting.....

We will definitely have to have a CR get together and swap some info. I would love to learn more about spin fishing the CR since I've had little success doing it. I would also be more than willing to share what I've learned about FF over the past 25yrs. Now....if we could just get the CR to cooperate....we'd be in business! Take care.

-Rich

[coombro]

Trout are trout. I've fish in wyo,colo,ark, on various waters. All bodies of water are subject to warmer temps low oxygen and such as to deplet their quality of fish. Trout hatcheries exist in the western states also to replenish the supply and demand. A couple years back an Idaho trout hatchery lost some 250,000 rainbows to a desease called ich. Found in your local aquarium. They do realease sterile trout in western waters. Let a 5lb trout peel my drag and native or not he fights. I like sticking a fork in either one. I've fished out of mckinsey boats in wyo to the alpine lakes and streams of the rocky mts. An expert I'm not nor claim to be but western fish are no smarter than our fish. Adapt and change to the waters and conditions with witch you have. A river is for ever changing and so must your technique. While fishing the snowy mts of wyoming an indian told me try a #8 gold aberdeen hook and a splitshot during the spring run off. I did and the trout tore it up. Must be the flash.

[FlyLie]

The way you guys keeping going at it, Peter may need to consider establishing a new discussion board just for trout. LOL

Relatively new to the LC/CR area, but looking forward to spending some of my "golden years" on the river teasing those trout.