I live close by and fish Lake cumberland, it is a flood control, and electric generating dam, for the past 7 years there had been a problem with the dam and the water had been drawed way down while they was fixing the problem. There is now small trees that growed while the water was down some of these 15 to 20 feet, tall, that is now submerged plus numerous trees still sticking up out of the water, So the question is how do you think the lake will benefit over the next few years, thanks for your thoughts, Jeff

It'll take a little while, but would think it'll do nothing but help the fishing. The additional cover should give baitfish more habitat and allow their numbers to increase, and more forage should allow for more and bigger bass. I would expect with it being down so long though, that it'll take some time before you notice that since the bass will have much more area to spread out over making them seem hard to come by. 

It'll take a little while, but would think it'll do nothing but help the fishing. The additional cover should give baitfish more habitat and allow their numbers to increase, and more forage should allow for more and bigger bass. I would expect with it being down so long though, that it'll take some time before you notice that since the bass will have much more area to spread out over making them seem hard to come by. 

 

Ditto what WIGuide said. 

Ditto what WIGuide said.

X2

How much was the lake drawn down? Don't they draw it pretty far down during the winter? How much change are you talking about?

yes it is drawed down in the winter, summer pool is 723ft. winter pool is around 680 to 690,  it was held at appx 680 ft. for the 7 year period which allowed all the vegetation to grow,

The extra cover is also going to give your bass fry the next few years a lot more area to hide. Provided they don't mess with your water levels a bunch during the spawn you might see a big population increase in the coming years. 

The extra cover is also going to give your bass fry the next few years a lot more area to hide. Provided they don't mess with your water levels a bunch during the spawn you might see a big population increase in the coming years. 

I was going to say the same thing.

 

Another thing, all that terrestrial growth will likely increase nutrients, which in many reservoirs can be a good thing. This might show up in your seeing stained water (dissolved nutrients) and some phytoplankton blooms (green suspension) next summer. No guarantees of course, but all together this is a recipe for some boom years ahead.

I was going to say the same thing.

 

Another thing, all that terrestrial growth will likely increase nutrients, which in many reservoirs can be a good thing. This might show up in your seeing stained water (dissolved nutrients) and some phytoplankton blooms (green suspension) next summer. No guarantees of course, but all together this is a recipe for some boom years ahead.

 

Ditto on Bluebasser and Paul's remarks, but with an addendum.  Starting off I don't think fishing will be better.  In fact, with 7 years of the lake drawn down I suspect the survival of fry has been less due to less places to hide.  You would have had a better population now if it hadn't been drawn down all these years.  However, now that all the new vegetation is underwater cover, recruitment over the next few years should be better.  In a few years you should notice a better bass population, all other things being equal.