LIMESTONE DRIFT KENTUCKY WATER, TOLD STRAIGHT
FIELD CARD Releases & Access · No. 07-1
Trout tailwater · US 127 south of Jamestown · the dam reach

Cumberland River tailwater

The first three river miles below Wolf Creek Dam: Kendall, the unpaved Ray Mann Road ramp on the Boyd's Bar bend, the hatchery and its man-made trout stream, and Long Bar with its 12-acre island from the Albany side. The stage gauges are here; the discharge gauge is not.

US 127 · THE DAM REACH Sites at KDFWR coordinates · river line and roads schematic
US 127 · Jamestown–dam–AlbanyKY 55 · KY 1058 · KY 379KY 3063 · Wells Bottom RdKY 61 · BurkesvilleKY 704 · KY 912KY 953 · KY 1424KY 100 · KY 214 · TompkinsvilleKY 90 · Burkesville–AlbanyDam / tailraceWolf Creek DamUSGS 03414000USGS 03414002ParkingLong BarBank + 12-acre island · KY 3063Boat rampRay Mann RoadNo fee · unpavedParkingHatchery CreekBank · no fee · USFWSCampsiteKendall RampFee · Corps campgroundN02 miSchematic · sites at KDFWR coordinates · hollow discs are other corridors · gold squares are USGS gauges
Three numbers to get right
What you hearWhat the primary sources actually say
"Check the gauge for the flow."No discharge gauge below the dam. USGS 03414000 and 03414002 read stage, temperature and oxygen only; the first discharge series (00060) is 03414100 at Burkesville.
"One turbine is wadeable."KDFWR, dated: "45 means one turbine of generation and 90 means two." June 2020: near the dam, daybreak to about 10 a.m. under typical summer schedules; mark the bank and leave when it rises. Corps: releases "change without notice."
"Statewide trout rules."Not here. Brown 20 in / 1 (statewide 16). Rainbow 15–20 slot, 5, one over 20 (statewide 8, no size). Brook 15 in / 1 (statewide release). Trout permit, dam to the state line.
What the schedule does on this reach
KDFWR, December 2019: above two turbines the upper river is hazardous. Kendall's ramp was rebuilt after the February 2019 flood and reopened September 2023; the Corps named Ray Mann Road as the alternate launch meanwhile. US 127 bridge, about 3.4 river miles down, is being rebuilt with two piers in the river — KDFWR: "likely to continue through 2026." The Corps publishes no travel times and we print none.
Hatchery Creek is its own water (KDFWR 397): upper section, outflow to the boulder waterfall, "5 Trout aggregate daily limit"; lower section "Catch and Release only and only artificial baits may be used." Trout permit on all of it. USFWS grounds sunrise to sunset; no camping, fires or overnight parking; (270) 343-3797. Kendall Campground: seasonal, reserve on Recreation.gov; 270-343-4660.
LIMESTONE DRIFT
CUMBERLAND RIVER TAILWATER · US 127 Access and limits
Four sites on the dam reach, plus the hatchery creek
SiteFeeKDFWR record, in the agency's words
Kendall Ramp · CorpsYes"US 127 S of Jamestown; right on road to fish hatchery before crossing Lake Cumberland dam; go to end of road." Light boats, paved single lane, no dock, restrooms year-round, camping seasonal, cleaning station, picnic area.
Ray Mann Road RampNo"US 127 S of Jamestown; Right on Ray Mann Road." Unpaved single lane, no dock, no restrooms. "Takes the place of the old Little Indian Access site."
Hatchery Creek (bank)No"Take a right at Wolf Creek Dam to the Wolf Creek National Fish Hatchery. The stream is behind the hatchery." Paved parking, restrooms and accessible pier, limited hours.
Long Bar (bank)No"US-127 north of Albany, turn left onto KY-3063, turn left onto Wells Bottom Rd and follow signs." "Access to adjacent 12-acre island for wade and bank fishing." No facilities.
Helms Landing (next ramp down)NoOn the KY 379 card. KDFWR: "a little over 4.5 miles downstream from Wolf Creek Dam."
Limits — all four trout rules differ from statewide
SpeciesSizeDaily creel
Brown trout20 in minimum1
Rainbow trout15–20 in slot — release all between5, only one over 20 in
Brook trout15 in minimum1
Cutthroat trout20 in minimum1 (statewide is the same)
Trout permit required for every licensed angler from the dam to the Tennessee line, tributaries to the first riffle, and all of Hatchery Creek (KDFWR guide 2026–27). No culling: "Once an angler holds a trout in their possession on this section of the Cumberland River, it counts toward the daily trout creel limit." No chumming "with bait, corn or other attractants." Striped bass: statewide. Hatchery Creek (own record, wid 397): upper section "5 Trout aggregate daily limit", no size limit; lower section "Catch and Release only and only artificial baits may be used." Verify against the current Fishing & Boating Guide before keeping anything.
Releases: USACE Nashville District Project Hydropower Schedule, lrn-wc.usace.army.mil/preschedule.shtml · KDFWR: "45 means one turbine of generation and 90 means two turbines" · (606) 678-8697 · USGS 03414000 Rowena (stage, temp, DO) · 03414002 Long Bottom (stage, temp, DO) · Corps Resource Manager (606) 679-6337.
Sources: USACE Nashville District Wolf Creek Dam page and Project Hydropower Schedule (release disclaimer verbatim); LRD release NR 23-33 and Recreation.gov for Kendall; KDFWR waterbody records 186 and 397, the 16 access-site records, 2026–2027 Fishing & Boating Guide, 2026 Fishing Forecast and trout-stream classification; USFWS Wolf Creek NFH pages; USGS 03414000, 03414002, 03414100.
Conditions change. Verify the release schedule, access and regulations before you travel. Revised September 2026.
QR code: https://limestonedrift.com/waterways/cumberland-river-tailwater/#ld-alertslimestonedrift.comAlerts and the water page
Water alerts. We email when something on this river actually changes — access, rules, the schedule's home. limestonedrift.com/alerts/?w=cumberland-river-tailwater