That's hearty praise and a true testimonial to the quality of the river's fishery. Additionally, boating anglers will find ramps on the Kentucky side of the river at the Wickliffe waterfront, Hickman Harbor, the Columbus -- Belmont State Park and the Laketon Road Ramp. The catfish love to mate and spawn in the rocks below both of the dams, where the currents are quite strong. Well we have fished lock c in the morining and had great luck, And also right at sunset is good to. With its three great rivers - the Cumberland, Tennessee and Mississippi - and the countless smaller flows that feed them, Tennessee clearly possesses some of the best catfish waters in the nation. Here are six overlooked lake and river systems that are prime places to catch big flathead, channel and blue catfish in our state. River Information Stream Levels/River Mileages Fishing Tips Fisheries Overview Links to detailed ramp information Varilla Ramp 4 Mile Ramp Artemus Rock Access Barbourville Ramp Williamsburg Ramp Redbird Ramp Tennessee's Cumberland River is known for producing large blue, channel and flathead catfish From photographs, Autry's fish appears to be a flathead, which can weigh up to 123 pounds. If you fish in the Woods Reservoir, the fish you are most likely to encounter is the channel catfish. Statewide creel data shows that catfishing makes up 11 percent of all angler effort, according to Tim Churchill, reservoir coordinator for the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA). Channel catfish - Best fishing is during May along rocky banks and during summer along the main river channel and adjacent flats. If you are looking for some great trout and striper fishing, the beautiful Cumberland River has it. Hands down, this is the most popular trout fishing destination in Kentucky. When in Doubt, Fish Streamers (And Dont be Afraid to Go Big) Add a Stinger Hook. Excellent Video en. The fishing regulatory body for Tennessee is Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. Lake Habeeb at Rocky Gap State Park - Five miles east of Cumberland, this popular lake is packed with smallmouth bass, crappie, channel catfish, sunfish and brown and rainbow trout.Rocky Gap State Park also offers a tackle loaner program on-site. Class I rapids downstream of this area provide lively paddling. The entire length of this shoal is worth many casts. Look for a cable that goes across the Cumberland River. Come join the discussion about safety, gear, tackle, noodling, tips, tricks, reviews, reports, accessories . Bob Crosby. He likes it best when just a couple of generators are on. thanks. :sad2: A forum community dedicated to catfishers and enthusiasts. What you do need to be aware of is that there is a warning in place which states that catfish from this area should not be eaten, but you can still fish for sport here. The bream live in the deepest parts of this lake, but the catfish can be found mostly anywhere, especially in the narrower and shallower channels. Spoiler: keep reading to learn more about that one. Bank fishing there is viable for catfish but sometimes difficult with a lot of the snags as most of accessable areas for bankfishing are rocky. I think," said Tom Evans, grinning. Also, the lake is a canyon reservoir with very steep sides and, according to Crosby, this is intimidating to some fishermen. Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, Brent grew up spending his summers out on the water, exploring the many rivers, streams, and lakes of the region. In fact, one of the most prolific fish in Tennessee is the catfish, an odd looking yet delicious tasting fish that can reach epic sizes. The entire length of this shoal is worth many casts. Trophy brown trout swim in the Cumberland River, as do bountiful numbers of rainbow trout. Good fishin to ya. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Throw at least 2 hooks on each (if legal). Some bobbers or floaters will do just fine here, of course in combination with live bait. The season for fly fishing runs from April to October, and there is good fishing to be found year round in some of the lakes that are a part of the larger river system. Catfishing Cumberland River Blue Catfish - Big Catfish. If you are looking to catch a lot of big jumbo catfish, the Cumberland river might just be the best destination for you. It starts in Harlan County in eastern Kentucky on the Cumberland Plateau, flows through southeastern Kentucky and crosses into northern Tennessee, and then curves back up into western Kentucky before draining into the Ohio River at Smithland, Kentucky. Why Do Crappie Turn Black? Anglers who fish with live bait also catch some giant flatheads in the tailwater, usually in deep slack areas around lock walls or below spill gates when they are closed. Another fishery there that is starting to get some notice is the flathead population. Fly fishermen all over the state sigh as their friends flood Instagram with huge brown and rainbow trout from the Cumberland. 4 oz Rockfish, a 22 lb. Blue, Channel, and Flathead Catfish can be caught throughout the entire river, but the largest ones are found from DC down to Indian Head. How deep is the Cumberland River in Kentucky? This 149-acre lake has good numbers and numerous larger fish. Cumberland River Fishing Cumberland River Near Clarksville is located in Montgomery County in Tennessee. Trout fishing is great both above and below Wolf Creek Dam in Jamestown, Kentucky. GALLERY: Final weigh-in produces more big ones at Guntersville. They hear what fishermen have to say, and they see cats that show up as by-catch when they sample for other species. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Tennessee's Cumberland River is known for producing large blue, channel and flathead catfish. For anglers using a spinning rod, a red, white or chartreuse in-line spinner attracts strikes from trout. Now biologists and anglers alike are starting to see some really nice fish. People just don't go there much to fish for catfish.". If you go to the Cumberland River in June or July, you are advised to go about 10 miles downstream of the Old Hickory and Cheatham dams, in the narrow parts. Is it Only Males? The Cumberland River in Kentucky. Their menu is modern American with Caribbean influences, featuring fantastic seafood platters, burgers, salads and homemade desserts . Autry Hogan, 7, holds the catfish with help from his dad, Joshua Hogan, pictured with Kye Hogan, 4, and grandfather Gary Hogan. There is a concrete boat ramp and a second gravel ramp. It is owned by the city of Russellville and can be found off SR 106 approximately five miles southwest of Lewisburg. The Cumberland River rises quickly when electrical generation begins from the dam. These rocks served as signposts for boat pilots back during the steamboat era. Adults range in size from less than a pound to hundreds of pounds. Smallmouth River -- Nolichucky River . Flathead catfish don't show up consistently in the harvest at Woods, but that may be a result of anglers not targeting them. Charles Lawrence. Our state parks are exceptional, and our favorite Nashville-area state park to go fishing at is probably Radnor Lake State Park, which is known for its excellent fishing. Blue Catfish -- Cumberland & Tennessee Rivers . He said there are not a lot of really huge ones, but there are good numbers and many quality-sized fish present. Blues are the most consistent big game, but all three species offer good prospects. I had 3 poles 2 with bigger chunks and 1 with little chunks. It starts near the Alabama border and runs all the way down to the Tennessee line. Other fish include invasive carp, trout species, minnows, etc. The latter receives some 7,000 stocked channel cats each year. For the best catfish fishing and learn how to catch catfish see catfish1.com Browse more videos Playing next 15:21 Many anglers use a -ounce egg . Numerous other small state lakes have catfish opportunities worth mentioning. With so many different areas that contain tons of blue, channel, and flathead catfish, you really cannot go wrong. This is also true for many of the connecting rivers, lakes, and basins too. With a 5 year old i'd recommend if you want to stay in clarksville to possibly fish from Tryce landing or even riverside behind the Wendy's where the red river meets. Town Creek Delayed Harvest - Town Creek is roughly one mile from Oldtown.A portion of the creek lies within the Green Ridge State Forest. 2023 Outdoor Sportsman Group. The Mississippi is chock-full of all three main species of catfish and one biologist even remarked, "There is no way the catfish population in the river could ever be impacted by sport fishing." BARREN RIVER LAKEThe numbers of channel cats at Barren River Lake are especially good with excellent numbers of fish ranging from 12 to 20 inches. Again, cut shad or skipjack are the mainstay baits. He has since expanded the blog to include gear reviews, fishing reports, and even recipes for cooking up your catch. The Morris Ferry Boat Dock offers bait and tackle, plus a good boat ramp on Woods Reservoir. The laid-back bar and grille has ample and outdoor seating, drawing large crowds on weeknights and weekends to soak up the gorgeous view and delicious food. Tailwater fishing is actually great below every dam on the Tennessee River, and Tennessee Valley Authority recreation areas provide shoreline access to all the tailwaters. Hall is an innovative angler who has experimented with numerous bait presentations. Give a Gift The first two pools of the Tennessee River -- Fort Loudoun and Watts Bar -- produce high numbers of heavyweight catfish. Crosby said the lake is stocked annually with both blue and channel catfish, and there are some very large fish present. Top catfishing waters, a marina, miles of kayaking, canoeing . While the fish here may not be huge, there certainly is an abundance of them. Trotline Fishing For River Catfish With trotlines, you strech line across a span of the river and secure both ends (to trees, docks, whatever you can tie each end to. The only trouble with lock c lately is there have benn alot of campers and swimmers and that can kinda mess up the fishing. Stonecoal was also home to the state record rainbow trout (31.7 inches) until 2014. The lake can be accessed off SR 467. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. The tops of ledges that separate flats from the main channel and the mouths of creeks are good areas to set up with channel catfish in mind. Tennessees Cumberland River is known for producing large blue, channel and flathead catfish. Systems that are prime places to catch big flathead, channel, and basins too,! Bait and tackle, plus a good boat ramp on Woods Reservoir, the lake is annually., Kentucky worth many casts the steamboat era the channel catfish - best fishing is during along... Catfish do n't show up consistently in the Cumberland River is known producing. Trout and striper fishing, the lake is stocked annually with both blue and channel catfish and... 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