fishing and river reports

june 18, 2026

caddis pretty well have left and we have moved into some summer time mayflies. sulphurs and blue wing olives mainly, but other random mayflies some days in some places. still experiencing very low flows. very low water in places at certain times of day, especially on upper stretches. “drought means trout” on the cumberland, and fishing has been good this spring. water is summertime low and clear, making for highly visual and exciting fishing. a few tips for the conditions: fluorocarbon leaders and tippet are very helpful, even when fishing dry flies. may consider downsizing tippet if you are getting too many refusals. longer leaders are better. consider 12’ or even 16’ if conditions allow. 6x required on some days in some places, especially when fishing small dry flies. limit false casting!!! fish are concentrated in center channels and holes in the river. only takes an extra foot of depth in a flat to give them a spot. find the depth changes and structure in the middle and you will find the fish. yarn indicators/dry flies > foam/hard indicators.

plethora of nymphs will work right now. caddis still hatching in decent numbers. also seeing lots of summer mayflies start showing. have even seen some eastern green drakes! sulphurs and baetis some days. don’t sleep on the midges. trout dig them in the low water, especially black or brown (root beer) zebra midges and red stick midges. caddis and mayfly emerger patterns are doing well in the afternoons in lower water, especially on days with less wind. quigley cripple a good choice, particularly when prospecting thru random rising fish. parachute adams hard to beat too for shallow water risers.

lots of fun being had. bigtime numbers on some days. river full of nice brook trout right now. plenty of small rainbows too. can find some larger brown trout cruising around and holding in some runs. paddlefish cruising right now. seeing some sturgeon too. a few giants. buffalo spawning in deeper runs.

here are a few helpful generalities to keep in mind. river level and generation schedule can make or break your day. fishing is generally good until the water reaches a certain level in the afternoon. at some point (3+ generators at plateau), the river level becomes too high and swift and the fish tend to spread out and become difficult to find. usually best to get out early and take advantage of the morning and early afternoon. those are typically the best fishing times. location and drift more important than fly selection! in bigger water don’t get caught fishing too far into the main channel. most fish will be concentrated near structure and along seams near the bank, particularly areas with rocky depth changes. as the river level drops, they will move to slots and pockets out in the river. any number of different beadhead nymphs will do just fine. most of the standard generic trout patterns will work at one time or another. even though the river is big, the fish eat small. #1 mistake most new anglers to the river make is fishing flies that are too large. the fish on the cumberland, even the big ones, make a living eating midges, blackfly larva, and tiny sowbugs and scuds. give them what they want and they will find it!

please practice and encourage catch and release fishing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! take care of the trout so we can see them again tomorrow!!!!! be courteous and respectful to your fellow anglers. we are all in this together!