Chasing rainbows on the Cumberland
WHEN I MOVED BACK to Kentucky full-time after 20 years of fly fishing in Alaska, I hung up my fly rod. Here in the Bluegrass State, I focused on bass, crappie, redear and catfish—but my love of fly fishing never waned. Through books and magazines, I kept in touch with fly fishing and often pulled from great memories of casting a fly to rainbows and grayling in the last frontier. During these times, I also researched the many fly fishing opportunities across Kentucky. I planned a trip for years, but never acted due to a mix of busy schedules and the many other fishing opportunities that Kentucky offers. But that changed when a special opportunity came my way.
My friend and fellow outdoor writer Bob Sawtelle invited me to fly fish the Cumberland River with him and Dave Debold, who owns the Louisville-based Double D Outfitters. Debold knows the Cumberland River well, including the generation schedule at Wolf Creek Dam and the sections of the river with the best current for catching trout on the fly. The winter months make for great fishing, Debold says, because the generation schedule allows for a later (and warmer) start.
Our trip called for a downriver launch, and the boat was in the water before daylight. The air was cool, but comfortable, and the sunrise was remarkable with fog rising from the river and the chatter of a kingfisher chasing breakfast. The sun was still hiding behind the bluffs when I landed my first fish. It was a solid rainbow trout—as pretty a specimen as I have ever seen.
The trout fell for a mop fly, one of the simplest flies I have ever used. It’s nothing more than a 1-inch piece of microfiber mop material with a small dubbing collar. Debold says the mop fly mimics a small minnow drifting down the river, and trout can’t resist it. I fished the mop fly under a small cork bobber, known as a strike indicator in the fly fishing world.
The Cumberland River is a Kentucky gem that I can personally recommend to anyone who loves fly fishing. The bald eagles, kingfishers and deer in a backdrop of beauty are just a few more reasons to see it for yourself. My experience was wonderful—yet another story for the campfire.