Obey River Tailwater Trip
July 15 - July 17
Obey River Tailwater Trip
Location: Obey River Tailwater (Celina, TN)
Dates: July 15th – 17th (Wed – Fri) (arriving Wed Jul 15th late afternoon/evening)
Coordinator: Joe Gahlinger (joe@derbycityflyfishers.com, 502-472-3975) I’ll contact
participants several weeks in advance of the trip to finalize details. We can coordinate
put in times/locations, arrange shuttles for kayakers if necessary, make sure first timers
are buddied up with a veteran to help navigate the river (no guarantee they will show
you their honey holes, but you might try a bribe;-) and talk about eating arrangements.
Level 2 Trip: This is rated a Level 2 Trip (see Trip Suitability for details.) Boat
operators should have experience navigating shallow water rivers and dealing with
rising water from dam releases. Kayakers, canoeists, etc., should have experience
fishing from a kayak in moving water. PFDs are required for all.
Number of Spots: 16 (based on number of rooms available at The Valley View Motel in Celina, TN)
Deposit: No Deposit. However, please sign up (link at bottom) so we know who is
coming and what the boat arrangements/needs are.
The Plan: We’ll arrive Wednesday afternoon/evening and fish the Obey on Thursday
and Friday. Note: There is a Cumberland Tailwaters trip scheduled for 17 thru 19 July at
Helm’s Landing. If you desire, you can fish the Obey on Thursday and Friday then travel
to the Riverside Retreat at Helm’s Landing Friday afternoon/evening to fish the
Cumberland on Saturday and Sunday. Note: These are separate trips and you must
sign up for each of them separately.
Description of the Waters: The Obey River Tailwater is a 7 mile stretch of the Obey
River that runs between the Dale Hollow Lake Dam and the Cumberland River. The
river is stocked with rainbow and brown trout year-round. Club members have caught
both species in good numbers and sizes (18+ inch fish are available.) The river is
subject to rapidly changing conditions based on the dam release schedule. It is a
narrow river with high banks, thus when dam release begins the river rises rapidly by as
much as 12 to 15 feet. The upper half of the river is shallow during non-release periods
but can be carefully navigated by shallow draft motorboats. The lower half is deeper and
easily navigated at low water.
Accessibility: Wading is limited and mostly only accessible via watercraft. So, this will
be a float trip (shallow draft motorboats, kayaks, canoes, etc.) There are three
concrete boat ramps (no docks or piers) along the river with ample parking available.
We typically launch and recover motorboats at the Donaldson Park ramp, which is at the lower end of the river. We motor up 2.5 to 5 miles depending on water conditions and fish our way back down to the ramp. For those with kayaks, canoes, etc., we’ll organize shuttles for launch and take out. If you do not have a watercraft but would like to come on this trip, contact Joe Gahlinger for help in getting a seat – but no
guarantees. DO NOT SIGN UP until you have made boating arrangements.
Meals: All meals are personal responsibility. Depending on your lodging arrangements
there may be informally organized dinners at a local restaurant. See Lodging options
below for in-room cooking amenities.
Lodging: There are a few lodging options:
1. Valley View Motel, Celina, TN – This is a no-frills motel we’ve used in the past. Its
biggest advantage is that it is five minutes from the Donaldson Ramp. Rooms have a
mini-fridge and coffee maker, but cooking is not allowed in rooms. These are small,
basic rooms so temper your expectations. They are clean and serviceable. The price is
$80/night/room (taxes and fees included.) There are two standard beds per room, so
room sharing is economical. Boat trailer parking is tight but manageable. You’ll need a long (50′ at least) extension cord to charge trolling motor batteries, so bring your own. Also, bring a 3-prong to 2-prong electric outlet adapter. I have eight rooms reserved in my name (Joe Gahlinger) for the trip (units 1 thru 8). You will pay when you arrive (cash preferred.) Tell them you are with my group.
2. Campsites are available at the Dale Hollow Damsite Campgrounds immediately
adjacent to the boat ramp just below the dam. You can get Campground information and
make reservations at https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/232564
3. Burkesville, KY – There are a couple options here, but no rooms have been
reserved. You will need to make your own reservations. Burkesville is about 30 minutes
from the Donaldson Park Ramp.
Riverfront Lodge – 305 Keen St, Burkesville, KY 42717 (270) 864-3300
$80/night
Alpine Resort – 700 Hill St, Burkesville, KY 42717 (270) 864-7100 $138 –
$149/night
Fishing License and permits: You will need a Tennessee All Species fishing license. A
3-day non- resident with Trout permit costs $40 (+$3.52 Handling Fees.) An annual non-
resident with Trout permit costs $98.00 (+$3.52 Handling Fees.) You can get more
information and buy licenses here.
Sign Up here.
