Fished Kentucky’s Cumberland River tailwater earlier this week with Ben Post, Dick Kaukas and John Durbin. Enjoyed near ideal water conditions and perfect October weather. Fishing was fair. Four of us combined to landed 11 trout and should have had several more.
In case you’re not familiar with Kentucky’s slice of the Cumberland River the trout water starts below Wolf Creek Dam near Jamestown and continues for about 75 miles to the Tennessee line. Most of the fishing occurs between the dam and Burkesville, about 35 miles downriver.
We were fishing near the Crocus Creek access, about 8 miles above Burkesville.
Since this is a tailwater fishery the Cumberland has two personalities: placid and docile or wild and raging. We enjoyed a placid and docile low water day.
The Corps of Engineers is in the middle of a multi-year, multimillion dollar project to repair Wolf Creek Dam. It has leakage problems. Because of the work the water level at Lake Cumberland has been lowered about 40 feet below normal summer pool. Whether or not this adversely affects the tailwater fishing open to debate. 
The state biologists who oversees and manages the river say it does not. I know fishermen who disagree.
The Cumberland trout action has been a little slow of late but if you’re in the area it’s worth a stop. Local fishing information can be found at Strange Bait in Burkesville. The number is (270) 864-2248.
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