“I really think it’s important to show the public how these streams can come back so well if we just give them a chance and make them stable and design them correctly. If you build it right, the wildlife will come back.” Sometimes, a stream just needs a little plastic surgery to help it get back on track. But what are the costs of these limnological face lifts? What do we have to give up in order to get those lunker bunkers and soft riffles?
Many thanks to our friends at Yellow Dog Flyfishing Adventures and Scott Fly Rods for their support of The DrakeCast.
A few weeks back, we heard about Kentucky’s Cumberland River below Wolf Creek Dam (Episode #5). This week, we head back to the heart of Appalachia. There’s another stream that flows out of Wolf Creek Dam. Actually it starts at the trout hatchery and empties into the Cumberland River. Naturally, the stream is called Hatchery Creek. And what’s interesting about this creek is that just three years ago, it didn’t exist.
Hatchery Creek is a completely artificial stream that was built to give the trout in the Cumberland River spawning grounds, provide anglers with a recreational catch and release fishery, and help offset negative impacts caused by construction and coal companies on nearby streams. So far, Hatchery Creek has accomplished all of these goals. But like so many things in life, it’s not that simple. Make sure to listen to this week’s episode of The DrakeCast to hear the entire story. Also, check out the drone footage of Hatchery Creek below.
While I was in Kentucky, I had a chance to fish Hatchery Creek with Bill Wilson, the fishing manager at the Louisville Orvis store. We both went out with Brad Redmon, a fishing guide on Hatchery Creek. We all caught some pretty decent fish (for more info on Brad Redmon, check out his facebook page).
Also, check out the drone footage of Hatchery Creek below.
Bill & Brad with a tube of Kentucky Chrome
