Cumberland River Fly Fishing Report - June 2026
Current River Conditions (Burkesville, Kentucky)
Coming back at you from the banks of the Cumberland River with another weekly fly fishing update. Lake elevation has fallen a little from last week holding at 706.1 feet in elevation. Published Dissolved Oxygen levels are ranging between 8-10 ppm and water temps between 49 and 55 degrees F. Just like last week, the river is still in great shape and has remained as clear in the upper third of the river as I have ever seen it.
The weather over the next seven days really has no significant rainfall predicted at the current time. Tomorrow, we are predicted to get .35 inches of rain and on Monday of next week we are expecting one inch of rain in a 24 hour period. I will believe it when I see it. In addition, as we are heading back below the operating guide published by the USACE, rain is most certainly a welcomed sight. The afternoon Sulphur hatch is still a spectacle. There are a lot of bugs on the surface and a lot of the fish that were keying on emergers are now taking the dries more and more.
What we are doing to catch fish on the Cumberland River in June
- What is the best way to catch fish during a Sulphur Hatch?
- The best answer to that question is to use long leaders in conjunction with light Fluorocarbon tippet. A second approach is distance. Keep the boat and your fly line off of the fish.
- As stated in the last Cumberland River Post, the water clarity is absolutely amazing. These types of conditions make the trout very wary and a lot harder to catch as they continue to receive daily fishing pressure. It is very reminiscent of fly fishing the Clinch River in Tennessee, which is also know for its excessively clear water and hard fighting Rainbows. My approach on the Clinch is becoming my new approach on the Cumberland. I use long leaders and long casts. This gives me an advantage over a lot of other folks but it works like a champ.
- Add distance
- Creating as much distance between your fly and the fly line is a lot easier than you think. Use a 12′ 4X or 5X leader instead of a 9′ 4X or 5X leader when casting dries or dry dropper set ups. I am a snob when it comes to leaders and Rio makes a good one. Pair the 12′ 4X or 5X leader with a two to three foot section of 5X or 6X Fluorocarbon to give extra separation between the fly and the fly line.
- The distance you are fly fishing off of the boat is also a pretty critical part of the equation. I know this is completely dependent on your ability to cast but I will say that I am now seeing fish spook as the boat approaches a lot quicker now than they were at the beginning of June. If you have not perfected your haul, now is a great time to practice that skill set.
- Downsize
- In crystal clear conditions, I downsize my leaders and my tippet. The clarity we are seeing is giving the fish an opportunity to examine our offerings for an extremely long time so every small detail matters. I have even gone to adding Fluorocarbon instead of mono to my dry flies and I really believe this helps a ton in really clean water.
- Cast Less
- Try to be accurate and try not to false cast too much. Most modern fly lines are pretty bright and I saw this actually happen yesterday so yes it is a real thing.
- Fish to your skill level
- If a good fish is rising at sixty feet and you simply cannot reach him, or reach him with a good enough presentation to persuade him to take your dry fly without spooking him, try another method. Move the boat up river of the fish and anchor or spot lock so you can swing a soft hackle down and in front of him. You can feed a wet fly down to the fish and retrieve it like a small streamer and this has amazing results.
Top Fly Patterns - Cumberland River
Dry Flies
Sulphur Breadline (Sizes 16–18)
Sulphur Parachute (Sizes 16–18)
Nymphs
Tungsten Bead Head Pheasant Tail (Sizes 16–18)
Tungsten Beaded Frenchies (Sizes 16–18)
- Soft Hackle Pheasant Tails (Sizes 14-16)
Streamers
Woolly Bugger — Olive, Gold, Black (Sizes 4–6)
Pro Tip: Take a Young Person Fly Fishing!
I didn’t do this on purpose, but this week, I was tasked with taking two young ladies fly fishing on two separate trips. One had never fly fished before and the other had fly fished once when she was ten. That is it, no other experience at all. It was fantastic watching the work ethic of both ladies as they learned to cast, hook, fight and land fish completely on their own and all in a days time. Trips like these are some of the most challenging and rewarding trips I get to do. If you have a chance to help a young person get out and experience the great outdoors, make sure you do not miss that opportunity. You will be happy you did.
The Cumberland River is a massive, world-class fishery, and because of its incredible reputation for trophy trout, prime hatch dates and peak weekends fill up months in advance. Whether you want to witness the explosive spring caddis hatch, cast grasshoppers against the summer banks, or hunt a personal-best Brown trout on heavy streamers, securing your dates early is essential.
Questions? Call or Text: 865-936-1557 or drop us a line through our Contact Page.
Real Time Updates: View our current Fly Fishing Reports to see what is happening on the Cumberland River right now.