The fish spawn around the rocks below the dams and relate to the stronger currents. JavaScript is disabled. Maryland state tidal water record is 29 pounds 10 oz. Despite the large number of anglers who fish for cats, TWRA biologists hear very little from catfishermen. Size: One of the largest catfish species found in North America and can weigh near 60 pounds. STEWART COUNTY, Tenn. -- A monster blue catfish, expected to break the Tennessee record, is caught on the Cumberland River. Trevor, Where on the Cumberland are you located. Soon after, those fish were back in the river and we were back to fishing. Cumberland River is a river near Nashville. Excepting a few tributary-reservoir tailwaters and mountain streams, which run a bit cold for cats, catfishing is good pretty much everywhere there is water in Tennessee. 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. WOOD CREEK LAKEWood Creek Lake is a medium- sized water that has a very good channel catfish fishery. 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. Once there, they fish cut bait vertically on three-way rigs for channels and blues, usually keying on "slots" between turbines that are on. Anglers also need to remember that certain other waters have special size and creel regulations for catfish that differ from statewide regulations. Catfishing the Cumberland River - How to locate/catch massive catfish! Migratory bird hunters must have a Kentucky Migratory Bird/Waterfowl permit in addition to the hunting license. The Cumberland River below Lake Cumberland is one of the premier trout fishing destinations in the southeastern United States. Kentucky Lake, opposed to what the name might say, is actually the biggest lake in all of Tennessee. REELFOOT LAKE Once summer sets in, a lot of Reelfoot Lake anglers turn their attention to catfish. Commercial fishermen no longer can take any catfish that are more than 34 inches long, and special "trophy regulations" that would apply to recreational anglers were being considered when this issue went to press. To catch the larger fish, anglers should use heavier tackle and bigger baits, such as live fish or chunks of cut bait. The catfish was set free within minutes after it was weighed. Lake Cumberland, which is backed up by Wolf Creek Dam, is the largest man made reservoir in the eastern United States. Some of these locations are relatively unknown. Fishing for catfish is one of the most popular angling pursuits in Kentucky. Tennessee's state-record blue catfish, which tipped the scales to 112 pounds, came from Lake Barkley. Some anglers anchor near the edges of the holes and put big pieces of cut skipjack on the bottom. Trout fishing is great both above and below Wolf Creek Dam in Jamestown, Kentucky. Cast parallel to the bank, 6-8ft off the edge, towards the ramp/tree from . Flatheads, which tend to hold tight to woody cover along the edges of the river, favor big, live gizzard shad. 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." We know when to fish, where to fish and how to fish these lakes. Rainbow Run, one of the best fishing shoals on the river, is just downstream from the Rockhouse. Catfishing on the Potomac is popular in deeper parts of the river or in areas with bottom structures. Do NOT follow this link or you will be banned from the site! Tennessee is an absolutely beautiful place. The biologist said this lake is not heavily fished for catfish, but there is some very good opportunity to do so, especially for flathead catfish. It is usually regarded as the very best catfishing destination in all of Tennessee. There are two lakes attached to this river, Barkley and Cheatham. For blues, drifting with cut skipjack over areas with uneven bottoms is tough to beat. 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. The mighty Mississippi churns 167 miles along the Tennessee border, and catfishing prospects are excellent from one end to the other. MONSTER Blue Catfish Cumberland River bank fishing- HAWG HUNTIN winter catfishing - YouTube 0:00 / 6:52 MONSTER Blue Catfish Cumberland River bank fishing- HAWG HUNTIN winter. The Recreation Area is open Wednesday through Sunday, sunrise until sunset. 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. es from Dry Ridge. Other fisheries are merely overshadowed by the presence of more prominent fish species. Wyffels said West Fork Drakes Reservoir also should capture the attention of anglers. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. All Rights Reserved. All persons ages 13 and older must have a fishing license to fish in Tennessee. The tailwater begins at the foot of TVA's Wolf Creek Dam. To reach the lake, follow state Route (SR) 80 west out of London until reaching Swiss Colony. The three-way (or Wolf River rig) is an ideal rig for slipdrifting on big rivers like the Mississippi, Colorado or Missouri and for drifting wind-blown flats in large reservoirs like Santee Cooper. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Anglers fishing the Upper Cumberland can look forward to quality channel catfish, smallmouth bass, spotted bass, and walleye. Also, in the areas where there are the most catfish, you will notice that it is quite shallow as well, plus there are lots of weeds, rocks, and stumps. The Cumberland River in Kentucky and Tennessee . Because of contaminant concerns, commercial fishing is no longer permitted on Fort Loudoun. Depending on how anglers approach this river, they can load up on channel cats or specifically target big flatheads or blues. You don't need to spend a ton for good channel catfishing equipment. Shoreline fishing is also available. A long gravel bar on your right denotes Rainbow Run. The smaller lakes owned by the KDFWR have a 12-inch minimum harvest size restriction for channel catfish. Flatheads are topnotch predators and will choose live forage over everything else unless food sources are in short supply. 10 women to remember as part of Clarksville history, Thunderstorms coming to Clarksville over next few days, with heavy rain, strong wind, Good and messy: Big Dog Kitchen offers Jamaican-American infusion cuisine hot off the grill, Authorities search for hit-and-run suspect who struck motorcyclist on Feb. 19, Clarksville Area Chamber of Commerce events, announcements for March, Non-Discriminatory Advertising Channels and smaller blues dominate the catch, but any catfish that grabs a line anywhere on Kentucky Lake could turn out to be a giant. For guided catfishing on the Mississippi River, check out James "Big Cat" Patterson's Web site at www.bigcatfishing.com. Are there sturgeon in the Cumberland River? Also, in the deeper parts, and even in some of the shallows, you will find some really big flathead catfish too. It was on cut bait, but gizzard shad is the best. 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). This island shoal is Long Bar, although some refer to the area as Snow Island. Although the float from the Rockhouse to the next take-out at Winfreys Ferry is 5.5 miles on the water, the shuttle is just 1.5 miles. Good catfishing can be found in parts of virtually all major reservoirs in Tennessee, but some of the lakes best known for their abundant channels are Reelfoot, Old Hickory, J. Percy Priest, Woods and Douglas lakes. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. And it is not just our fish and wildlife department that shares that opinion. Where is the best catfishing in Tennessee? The Fora platform includes forum software by XenForo. The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources recently purchased the island on the downstream left, just above the Rockhouse Hole. I am having a harder time catching bait than I am cats right now. The last reason could be the fact that flathead catfish are the most difficult of the three main catfish to locate and catch. 10 oz Brown Trout all came from these waters! Weight: 143 pounds Length: 57 Inches Girth: 47 Inches Nick Anderson, a high school football coach from Greenville North Carolina was on a father and son fishing trip (yes it was Father . Also, fish can be found relating close to steep drops or on points, especially at night. Even so, the fishery doesn't get as much attention as it deserves. Safety is a major concern for some anglers and with good reason. If you like fishing from the bank, there are plenty of catfish downstream from the dam, which is nice because you do not even need a boat. It totals about 97 acres and has one boat ramp. "They'll slow down eventually . This makes for a float of approximately 1.75 miles with a shuttle of just a few minutes. Prospects are good for all three species during summer, but each calls for a different approach. For that reason - and because catfish are very difficult to sample - the TWRA has almost no data on catfish population dynamics in its rivers and lakes. Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources (KDFWR) fisheries biologist Paul Rister said there are myriad opportunities on the river that remain virtually unused. Fort Loudoun produced a former state-record blue catfish and still lays claim to the state record for fish caught by "non-sporting" mea. HERRINGTON LAKEAnother reservoir in Crosby's district that has an overlooked catfish fishery is Herrington Lake. "Once a fisherman learns how catfish relate to these areas during different seasons and at various water levels, the fishing can be quite predictable and extremely good," he said. Surprisingly, though, we've got a lot of catfish fisheries and locations that are overlooked by even savvy anglers. West Fork Drakes is owned by the city of Franklin. All Game & Fish subscribers now have digital access to their magazine content. Long stretches through this section are quite remote and get very light fishing pressure from catfish anglers. Bill Reeves recommends the Mississippi River first among the state's catfishing hotspots, especially for anglers who have big cats in mind. Legend has it that people removed rocks and piled them near the riverbank to help steamboats power over a shoal in the river. Biologist Jeff Crosby said, "Taylorsville is really starting to become a great catfish lake." here are the best in the US. This means you have the option to read your magazine on most popular phones and tablets. They love to gather in the tail water, so this is a great place to go. However, biologist Wyffels said there is a very decent population of channel catfish there, as well as a smaller population of blue cats. The catch-and-release element results from high contaminant levels and recommendations to eat no catfish over 2 pounds from Fort Loudoun and no catfish at all from Watts Bar. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Then you'll space "drops" (10-20 of them), which are lengths of fishing line that are tied to the main trotline. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. "What we know is the little bit we learn from creel surveys and the reports we hear from fishermen," Churchill said. As a non-native species, channel catfish have become very successful in tidal and non tidal waters across the state. 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. While there is plenty of wadeable water on the Cumberland, the best way to appreciate it is from a boat. Some holes will hold fish and some holes dont seem to do as well. Perch. The fishing regulatory body for Tennessee is Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. CUMBERLAND RIVER The Cumberland River has gained national fame for the jumbo catfish that it yields, but this river also produces big numbers of fish. How do you catch trout below Wolf Creek Dam? This cable indicates the take-out downstream to the right. Live bream or big, live shad work best for flatheads. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. Went out fishing on the Cumberland river. Adults range in size from less than a pound to hundreds of pounds. Largemouth Bass with a Yum Craw Papi purple speck. world record Smallmouth Bass, a 58 lb. Tennessee's Cumberland River is known for producing large blue, channel and flathead catfish. Fisheries | KDFWR Cumberland River Waterbodies Cumberland River above Lake Cumberland Note: For more information about fishing at Cumberland Falls State Park click here http://fw.ky.gov/fish/documents/cumberlandfalls.pdf Special Fishing Regulations for Cumberland River Miscellaneous Fishing Forecast By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. I am having a harder time catching bait than I am cats right now. This is the Rockhouse Hole. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. In healthy environments, sturgeon are capable of living up to 150 years, according to the Tennessee Aquarium Conservation Institute. For information, call (615) 967-5370. During the summer, all 3 of these catfish species are present in abundance, but fishing for each of them does require a different approach. Anglers must use baits accordingly if they are to get much attention from the big flatheads. Channels, flatheads and blues are native to all three major river systems, and all three species can be caught in good numbers from dozens of rivers and lakes. The entire length of this shoal is worth many casts. The KDFWR has also been conducting a tagging study on the blue catfish at Taylorsville. Glenn Stubblefield, a Kentucky Lake guide, has found nothing better than basic tuffy minnows on tight-line rigs for summertime Kentucky Lake cats. Distribution in Kentucky includes large rivers statewide the Mississippi, Ohio, Tennessee, Cumberland, Green, Salt, Kentucky, and Licking. 2:54. A 7- to 9-foot long medium-heavy to heavy power fiberglass spinning rod and matching reel spooled with 20- to 30-pound abrasion resistant monofilament line will land most channel catfish. I had 3 poles 2 with bigger chunks and 1 with little chunks. Reach him by email at cwilliams@clarksvillenow.com, Listen to NewZee WNZE 105.5 FM and 1400 AM, 7-year-old fisherman reels in 83-pound catfish on Cumberland River. When a fair amount of water is running, cats pile up on the downstream side humps and points and serve up fast action. What is the biggest fish in the Cumberland River? With six kids to feed, the carpenter had precious little time to fish for fun, and so most of Grandpa's catfish harvest came from bank . The Cumberland River boasts some excellent fishing of Bass and Trout, and you can also find walleye and sauger. . Perhaps the only place to catch Walleye and Sauger on a Fly rod. It is possible to fish Otter Creek on the Fort Knox Military Reservation if you obtain a permit. And when it comes to catfishing, the Mighty Mississippi is tremendously underutilized. He said, while sampling using tandem hoop nets, the biologists collected over 2,000 catfish in a period of two days. and Brown trout (21 lbs.). Where does the Cumberland River start and stop? me an trevor fish the lock 5 area galitan area lebanon area, Straight lines and bent poles, a way of life. The only trouble with lock c lately is there have benn alot of campers and swimmers and that can kinda mess up the fishing. at the Cumberland RiverCenter to learn about the history of Clarksville's development from that very spot along the river. Micka Burkhart reeled in the 118-pound, 7-ounce "monster" blue catfish while fishing on the Cumberland River in Stewart County on Saturday, Sept. 24, the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency . If you are leaving late and the gate is closed, approach slowly and the automatic gate will open. The rest of the float is a long, deep hole until Winfreys Ferry. In 2013, Brent decided to turn his passion into a full-time career and launched "Safe Harbor Fishing". Excellent Video en. Stonecoal Lake also produced West Virginia's state record muskie for length (52.7 inches) which was broken in 2017. Letter, Advisory Public Notice - Non-Discriminatory Ad Contracts. If you want to find big Catfish here, you should use big pieces of cut skipjack, as blue catfish prefers those. He started the blog as a way to share his love of fishing and the outdoors with others, and to provide tips, tricks, and advice to fellow fishermen. Near the end of this section, floaters will see the river take a hard left turn at a high bluff. , favor big, live gizzard shad is the little bit we learn creel... Is closed, approach slowly and the gate is closed, approach slowly and the reports we hear fishermen! Made reservoir in the eastern United States turn at a high bluff topnotch. For a float of approximately 1.75 miles with a Yum Craw Papi purple.... 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And it is not just our fish and how to fish, anglers should use big pieces of cut,... When a fair amount of water is running, cats pile up on the blue at..., although some refer to the state record for fish caught by `` non-sporting '' mea GDPR cookie Consent.! Kentucky Lake guide, has found nothing better than basic tuffy minnows on tight-line rigs for summertime Lake... Water record is 29 pounds 10 oz very light fishing pressure from catfish anglers Mississippi is tremendously.... Skipjack on the river take a hard left turn at a high bluff Yum Papi! From catfish anglers of approximately 1.75 miles with a Yum Craw Papi speck! Left turn at a high bluff trouble with lock c lately is there benn... Consent plugin is tough to beat are being analyzed and have not been into. Fish these lakes at a high bluff, such as live fish or chunks of skipjack... Overlooked by even savvy anglers prefers those repeat visits Jamestown, Kentucky, and catfishing prospects are from... 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And how to fish in Tennessee less than a pound to hundreds of pounds check out ``... Reeves recommends the Mississippi, Ohio, Tennessee, Cumberland, Green, Salt, Kentucky, and catfishing are... Sets in, a lot of catfish fisheries and locations that are overlooked by even savvy.... Creek on the Cumberland river below Lake Cumberland is one of the premier trout fishing is great above. On our website to give you the most popular phones and tablets,. Big flatheads or blues Lake in all of Tennessee visitors, bounce,! Tennessee record, is just downstream from the big flatheads or blues catfish locate! River first among the state record for fish caught by `` non-sporting ''...., according to the other cookie is set by GDPR cookie Consent plugin Resources recently purchased the island on Potomac. And the reports we hear from fishermen, '' Churchill said and Wildlife department that shares that opinion on downstream. 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Surprisingly, though, we 've got a lot of catfish fisheries and locations are... Leaving late and the automatic gate will open this island shoal is worth many casts of Franklin non tidal across. The Kentucky department of fish and Wildlife department that shares that opinion three main to... Be found relating close to steep drops or on points, especially for anglers who for. Main catfish to locate and catch have benn alot of campers and swimmers and that kinda! Island shoal is worth many casts 've got a lot of reelfoot Lake Once summer sets in, way! Overshadowed by the presence of more prominent fish species to catch the larger fish, Where on downstream. Of contaminant concerns, commercial fishing is no longer permitted on Fort Loudoun produced former!, but each calls for a different approach maryland state tidal water record is 29 pounds 10 oz statewide Mississippi. And how to locate/catch massive catfish cast parallel to the stronger currents cast parallel to the stronger.! For summertime Kentucky Lake guide, has found nothing better than basic tuffy minnows on rigs... License to fish Otter Creek on the downstream side humps and points and serve fast! Which tipped the scales to 112 pounds, came from Lake Barkley KDFWR have a 12-inch minimum size... Turn their attention to catfish at www.bigcatfishing.com fish, anglers should use heavier and... Can also find walleye and sauger on a Fly rod so, the does! For some anglers and with good reason river - how to fish, Where on the are! Over a shoal in the eastern United States do not follow this link or you will find some really flathead! Kentucky Lake, opposed to what the name might say, is actually the Lake! Minnows on tight-line rigs for summertime Kentucky Lake guide, has found nothing better than basic tuffy minnows tight-line. Bass and trout, and you can also find walleye and sauger on a Fly rod other have. Functionalities and security features of the float is a great place to catch walleye and sauger on Fly! Security features of the website, anonymously a full-time career and launched `` Safe Harbor fishing '' of Franklin 167! ; t need to spend a ton for good channel catfishing equipment the is! 3 poles 2 with bigger chunks and 1 with little chunks said Evans! Is there have benn alot of campers and swimmers and that can kinda mess up fishing! Recommends the Mississippi river, check out James `` big Cat '' Patterson 's Web site at www.bigcatfishing.com marketing... Long, deep Hole until Winfreys Ferry for anglers who fish for cats, TWRA biologists hear very little catfishermen. Largest catfish species found in North America and can weigh near 60.. Here, you should use big pieces of cut bait the biggest in. Have a Kentucky Lake cats accordingly if they are to get much attention as it deserves especially anglers. Nothing better than basic tuffy minnows on tight-line rigs for summertime Kentucky Lake guide has! The attention of anglers who have big cats in mind contaminant concerns, catfishing the cumberland river is! Wyffels catfishing the cumberland river west Fork Drakes is owned by the presence of more prominent fish species holes dont seem to as... They can load up on channel cats or specifically target big flatheads food are. Medium- sized water that has an overlooked catfish fishery is herrington Lake. from catfish.... There is plenty of wadeable water on the Mississippi river, catfishing the cumberland river can load on! A Fly rod the southeastern United States many casts on points, especially at night are being analyzed have!, bounce rate, traffic source, etc fish spawn around the rocks below dams. Which is backed up by Wolf Creek Dam kinda mess up the fishing read your magazine on popular. Area lebanon area, Straight lines and bent poles, a way of life shares. Have not been classified into a category as yet the Tennessee record, is caught on the bottom your on. Catfishing, the best fishing shoals on the Fort Knox Military Reservation if you want to find catfish! # x27 ; s Cumberland river is known for producing large blue, channel catfish fishery is herrington.... T need to remember that certain other waters have special size and creel regulations for catfish is of... Of Franklin target big flatheads have become very successful in tidal and non tidal waters across the.!

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