by T. C. Harrington
It surprises me as to how many people do not associate trout fishing with Kentucky. Some may think of the small streams winding through thickets of rhododendron and mountain laurel in eastern Kentucky's Appalachians, but not of a quality trout river flowing dozens of miles. Yet the Cumberland River in Kentucky is one of the finest trout waters in the southeastern United States.
Located in the south-central portion of the state, this tailwater fishery was created in 1952 with the completion of Wolf Creek Dam, a hydroelectric dam that forms a 50,250 acre impoundment known as Lake Cumberland. Cold water discharges, averaging 52 degrees from this lake, allow for an ideal environment for trout and the insects on which they feed. This fairly consistent water temperature also allows for great fishing year round. Boasting a trout per mile rating that approaches famous western U.S. rivers through most of its 66 mile course to the Tennessee border, and producing brown trout up to 21 lbs and Rainbows to 14 lbs, it is truly Kentucky's best blue-ribbon trout river.
Since the natural reproduction of the trout is quite limited, the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife stocks this river annually with 150,00 rainbows and 60,000 browns from the Wolf Creek Fish Hatchery, which is located below the dam. About half of these rainbows are released there below the dam, with the rest being stocked, along with the browns, at six different access points downstream. There is a 20" minimum length on brown trout and a daily limit of eight trout per day, only one of which may be a brown trout. This leads to a good population of trout and many stories of fishermen releasing up to 35+ fish per outing. And there are many stories of browns 23" and beyond. The typical rainbow falls into the 12" - 14" range with 18" fish considered common.
As with other tailwaters, a variety of forage for the trout can be found. This cold water environment is ideal for insects such as mayflies, stoneflies, caddis flies, scuds, sow bugs, and midges. Sculpins and minnows are also in this forage base with the greatest numbers of them being on the lower portion of the river below Burkesville. However, it is the caddis fly that is the most prevalent and is what many large browns feed on.
Excellent dry fly action can be had during the hatches. Recommended patterns are the BWO, Elk Hair Caddis, Caddis X, March Brown, Sulphurs, and Light Cahills. Also, during the summer months, Japanese Beetle and flying ant patterns produce well. The most significant hatch is the American Grannom Caddis, also known as the Mother's Day Caddis. It initially appears around that time of the year with hatches occurring to near the end of June. In the late afternoon during this time, the air can be filled with them, causing the fish to go into a feeding frenzy. The best dry imitation for this is a #14 green body, tan wing Elk Hair Caddis or Troth type fly. As with other trout waters, anglers fishing nymphs seem to have the greatest success. Some Cumberland favorites are the Beadhead Prince, Pheasant Tail Nymph, Hare's Ear, Montana, Copper John, scuds, and sow bug patterns. Also, large stonefly nymphs, black or dark brown, in sizes #2 and #4 sometimes produce well. Most of this nymph fishing will call for the use of a strike indicator; however, some fishermen prefer using a dry fly as an indicator. Hopper patterns and foam beetles are good choice for this during the summer months. A strike indicator set at 3' to 4' will cover most nymphing situations.
Don't forget to bring streamers, such as Deceivers and Clousers. They account for some good-sized trout. Sometimes, when the fish seem to not want to bite, a Conehead Wooly Bugger or a Chicago Fly can save the day. Zoo Cougars are another good choice, especially when targeting these larger fish. Fished with a sinking line, this sculpin pattern can be very successful.
Rob Knisely, owner of Invicta Flies, feels that using flies that have a little flash added to them is a key to success on the Cumberland. One pattern that he has developed, Goode's Doubletake, is a nymph that incorporates this concept and has shown good results. It uses a strip of flash material for a wingcase under a coat of epoxy. This optical back is like that of the Copper John and the Flashback Pheasant Tail, but its longer tail better imitates those of the crawling type mayfly nymphs found in the area.
Leave the short rods at home when going to this river. The extra length of a 9' rod can be an advantage when trying to get a little extra distance and especially when mending a floating flyline during a long drift. Line weights of #4 through #6 seem to cover most of the fishing, as well as leaders 9'-12' in 4x - 6x. Those pursuing the larger fish may choose to go heavier at their discretion.
Water flow is a prime factor concerning the fish and how one goes about angling for them. When fishing below any hydroelectric dam, the generation schedule should be checked ahead of time (Wolf Creek Dam Hotline 1-800-238-2264, then 4, and then 34). This will give you an idea of what to expect with water conditions and the changes that will occur as the day progresses. While good fishing can be found during periods when there is little water is being released from the dam, the flow from a single generator running creates the best fishing. The stretch of river most affected by this is from the base of the dam to about 5 miles downstream. This added current stirs up food and causes an increase in the activity of the fish. Also, when the water is dropping can be a good time. This change in level will send some of the fish towards the edges. As strange as it may sound, there could suddenly be trout feeding between you and the bank.
The water can rise quickly and be hazardous. There can be a difference of 10' from a very low water condition to maximum generation. Try not to be caught out wading on the other side of the river when this happens. Usually the sound of the water gurgling against your legs changing in pitch is a good indicator, as well as the force of the current as you try to wade upstream. When more than one generator at the dam is in use, the river can be just too difficult and dangerous for the wading angler. However due to the speed which the water travels, about 4mph, good wading conditions can be found downstream at other access points.
There are several of these public access points along the Cumberland; some are walk in only, where others include boat ramps. These tend to be 10 - 15 miles apart due to the geography of the area and with private property. The closest to the dam is the Kendall Campground and boat ramp, located near the base, and the furthest is at Martinsburg near the Tennessee state line. When selecting a spot for wading, try to fish upstream from the Burkesville area where many shallow spots can be found during low water periods.
For more information on trout fishing in Kentucky, contact the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources at www.kdfwr.state.ky.us
To check the generation schedule for Wolf Creek Dam go to http://lakeinfo.tva.gov
To see more of Rob Knisely's patterns, check out Invicta Flies at http://members.tripod.com/invictaflies/index.htm
It surprises me as to how many people do not associate trout fishing with Kentucky. Some may think of the small streams winding through thickets of rhododendron and mountain laurel in eastern Kentucky's Appalachians, but not of a quality trout river flowing dozens of miles. Yet the Cumberland River in Kentucky is one of the finest trout waters in the southeastern United States.
Located in the south-central portion of the state, this tailwater fishery was created in 1952 with the completion of Wolf Creek Dam, a hydroelectric dam that forms a 50,250 acre impoundment known as Lake Cumberland. Cold water discharges, averaging 52 degrees from this lake, allow for an ideal environment for trout and the insects on which they feed. This fairly consistent water temperature also allows for great fishing year round. Boasting a trout per mile rating that approaches famous western U.S. rivers through most of its 66 mile course to the Tennessee border, and producing brown trout up to 21 lbs and Rainbows to 14 lbs, it is truly Kentucky's best blue-ribbon trout river.
Since the natural reproduction of the trout is quite limited, the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife stocks this river annually with 150,00 rainbows and 60,000 browns from the Wolf Creek Fish Hatchery, which is located below the dam. About half of these rainbows are released there below the dam, with the rest being stocked, along with the browns, at six different access points downstream. There is a 20" minimum length on brown trout and a daily limit of eight trout per day, only one of which may be a brown trout. This leads to a good population of trout and many stories of fishermen releasing up to 35+ fish per outing. And there are many stories of browns 23" and beyond. The typical rainbow falls into the 12" - 14" range with 18" fish considered common.
As with other tailwaters, a variety of forage for the trout can be found. This cold water environment is ideal for insects such as mayflies, stoneflies, caddis flies, scuds, sow bugs, and midges. Sculpins and minnows are also in this forage base with the greatest numbers of them being on the lower portion of the river below Burkesville. However, it is the caddis fly that is the most prevalent and is what many large browns feed on.
Excellent dry fly action can be had during the hatches. Recommended patterns are the BWO, Elk Hair Caddis, Caddis X, March Brown, Sulphurs, and Light Cahills. Also, during the summer months, Japanese Beetle and flying ant patterns produce well. The most significant hatch is the American Grannom Caddis, also known as the Mother's Day Caddis. It initially appears around that time of the year with hatches occurring to near the end of June. In the late afternoon during this time, the air can be filled with them, causing the fish to go into a feeding frenzy. The best dry imitation for this is a #14 green body, tan wing Elk Hair Caddis or Troth type fly. As with other trout waters, anglers fishing nymphs seem to have the greatest success. Some Cumberland favorites are the Beadhead Prince, Pheasant Tail Nymph, Hare's Ear, Montana, Copper John, scuds, and sow bug patterns. Also, large stonefly nymphs, black or dark brown, in sizes #2 and #4 sometimes produce well. Most of this nymph fishing will call for the use of a strike indicator; however, some fishermen prefer using a dry fly as an indicator. Hopper patterns and foam beetles are good choice for this during the summer months. A strike indicator set at 3' to 4' will cover most nymphing situations.
Don't forget to bring streamers, such as Deceivers and Clousers. They account for some good-sized trout. Sometimes, when the fish seem to not want to bite, a Conehead Wooly Bugger or a Chicago Fly can save the day. Zoo Cougars are another good choice, especially when targeting these larger fish. Fished with a sinking line, this sculpin pattern can be very successful.
Rob Knisely, owner of Invicta Flies, feels that using flies that have a little flash added to them is a key to success on the Cumberland. One pattern that he has developed, Goode's Doubletake, is a nymph that incorporates this concept and has shown good results. It uses a strip of flash material for a wingcase under a coat of epoxy. This optical back is like that of the Copper John and the Flashback Pheasant Tail, but its longer tail better imitates those of the crawling type mayfly nymphs found in the area.
Leave the short rods at home when going to this river. The extra length of a 9' rod can be an advantage when trying to get a little extra distance and especially when mending a floating flyline during a long drift. Line weights of #4 through #6 seem to cover most of the fishing, as well as leaders 9'-12' in 4x - 6x. Those pursuing the larger fish may choose to go heavier at their discretion.
Water flow is a prime factor concerning the fish and how one goes about angling for them. When fishing below any hydroelectric dam, the generation schedule should be checked ahead of time (Wolf Creek Dam Hotline 1-800-238-2264, then 4, and then 34). This will give you an idea of what to expect with water conditions and the changes that will occur as the day progresses. While good fishing can be found during periods when there is little water is being released from the dam, the flow from a single generator running creates the best fishing. The stretch of river most affected by this is from the base of the dam to about 5 miles downstream. This added current stirs up food and causes an increase in the activity of the fish. Also, when the water is dropping can be a good time. This change in level will send some of the fish towards the edges. As strange as it may sound, there could suddenly be trout feeding between you and the bank.
The water can rise quickly and be hazardous. There can be a difference of 10' from a very low water condition to maximum generation. Try not to be caught out wading on the other side of the river when this happens. Usually the sound of the water gurgling against your legs changing in pitch is a good indicator, as well as the force of the current as you try to wade upstream. When more than one generator at the dam is in use, the river can be just too difficult and dangerous for the wading angler. However due to the speed which the water travels, about 4mph, good wading conditions can be found downstream at other access points.
There are several of these public access points along the Cumberland; some are walk in only, where others include boat ramps. These tend to be 10 - 15 miles apart due to the geography of the area and with private property. The closest to the dam is the Kendall Campground and boat ramp, located near the base, and the furthest is at Martinsburg near the Tennessee state line. When selecting a spot for wading, try to fish upstream from the Burkesville area where many shallow spots can be found during low water periods.
For more information on trout fishing in Kentucky, contact the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources at www.kdfwr.state.ky.us
To check the generation schedule for Wolf Creek Dam go to http://lakeinfo.tva.gov
To see more of Rob Knisely's patterns, check out Invicta Flies at http://members.tripod.com/invictaflies/index.htm