Cumberland and Stones River

[AllOutdoors]

What is the depth of Stones River? Thought I may give it a try sometime and was wandering how far up you can run. Isn't there a ramp nearby on the Cumberland?

Thanks

 

[Flintlock Hunter]

The tail water (below J. Percy Priest) is deep enough for most fishing boats to run almost all the way to the dam. I don't know the actual depth.

The waters upstream of the lake are also deep enough to run for several miles. There is are some good boat ramps in the Smyrna area. I use Mona ramp a lot.

 

[MidTN]

There is a ramp at the end of Neelys Bend Road and a Metro park near the ramp. Should be directly across from the mouth of Stones. There is another ramp at the end of Pennington Bend Road. I think the name is Lock Two.

 

[cummins]

you can run about 2 miles up stones from the mouth rigth pass the brige

 

[AllOutdoors]

Does the water get to shallow to run when you get up past the bridge?

 

[MidTN]

I've seen boats below the dam during the spring and summer, but not during the winter months.

 

[cummins]

when the water is low maybe 1/8 to a 1/4 mile pass the bridge it will get shallow then it has deep holes pass that you might get up there with a jon boat maybe

 

[B.D.]

The tail water (below J. Percy Priest) is deep enough for most fishing boats to run almost all the way to the dam. I don't know the actual depth.

The depth of the tailwater depends on whether they are generating or not. It also varies from place to place in the river.

The Cumberland backfills into the Stones below JPP Dam for a few miles. There's not a lot of current unless they're generating, and it's deep.

As you move upriver, you eventually will hit some rocky shoals. The first is just past the Highway 70 Bridge. There is a greenway along the bank that you can access from the Kohl's parking lot near Hermitage/Donelson. The shoals get progressively shallower and more numerous as you get closer to the dam.

If they are generating, all the shoals will be under at least 5-6 feet of water, and it's no problem to run all the way to the dam.

If they are not generating, the first couple shoals past the Hwy 70 Bridge are passable if you have a Gheenoe, Riverhawk, or small jon boat and outboard, but you have to be careful. The water at each of the first few shoals is deepest on the "river left" side (this would be the right bank if you're facing upstream). Proceed slowly because there are several big rocks. If you are worried about your prop, you might want to walk your boat through. It's about knee-deep with no generation.

You are well past the Cumberland backfill at this point so there is a small but steady current in this area.

Within another mile up, you go around a big bend, and upriver from that you will hit another set of rocky shoals that are not passable with an outboard when the generators are off. I usually park my boat and wade fish if I want to go farther up from there. By this time you're within a mile or two of the dam. The greenway trail is still nearby, running just out of sight along the bank through the trees.

This area has a lot of rough fish, including a TON of buffalo. There are some catfish and drum in the deeper holes. Bass fishing is fair with moderate numbers of largemouth and spotted bass, and bream fishing is very good with some very nice shellcrackers gathering in a few certain "secret" places along the river from May through July.

The fishing for bream and bass has improved quite a bit since the Corps started a minimum flow in the summer a couple years ago. Prior to that there were many, many more big buffalo and gar but fewer game fish.

bd

 

[AllOutdoors]

Thanks for the info guys. My boat has a jet outboard and can run pretty shallow. I would like to get up there sometime and give it a try. Now I will know what to expect. Thanks

 

[Living2Hunt]

i have never made it all the way to the dam. i loaded at nellys bend. but had had a 50 hp outboard on a 17ft aluminum boat. always get stuck at that bridge!

 

[tennoutdrsman]

Speaking Of Lock Two..I havent been there in Years..the last time i went they had built a fence around the top of the lock but you could still fish under neath the lil spot on the left..now i hear there is a boat ramp there???

 

[B.D.]

If you've got a jet, you should be able to run up as far as you want. Your best fishing will be from just downstream of Highway 70 on up to where I-40 crosses.

bd