Skip to content

Fly fishing in and around Louisville Kentucky

Derby City Fly Fishers

  • Home
    • Education and Instruction
    • Community Support
    • Contact Us
  • About
    • Board of Directors
    • By Laws
    • Conservation
  • Membership
  • Events & Trips
    • Calendar of Events
    • Classes & Special Events
    • 2023 Club Trips
    • Trip Information and Suitability
  • Derby City Fly Fishers Classifieds
    • Place Ad
    • Browse Ads
    • Search Ads
    • Edit Ad
  • Fly Tying
    • Fly of The Month
    • 2018 Fly Tying Year
    • 2017 Fly Tying Year
    • 2016 Fly Tying Year
    • Flybrary
  • Reference
    • Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife
    • Indiana Department of Natural Resources
    • U.S. Fish and Wildlife
    • Jack’s Knot
    • Fly Fishing Knots
    • New to Fly Fishing
    • Releasing Fish
    • Release Forms
    • Newsletters (Archive)
    • Stream Gauge Links
    • The Current Online Magazine
    • THE BEST PLACES TO GO FLY FISHING
    • Air Travel with Fly Rods
  • Stream Info.
    • Cumberland River
    • Hatchery Creek
    • Otter Creek
    • Floyd’s Fork
    • Elkhorn Creek
    • Ohio River – McAlpine Dam
    • Kentucky Blue Water Trails
    • “Fly Fishing Kentucky”, a book
  • DCFF Member Login
    • DCFF Member Login
    • Member Registration
    • My Account
    • Lost password
  • Member Discounts
  • Websites of Interest
  • Kentuckiana Fly Show
  • DCFF Logo’d merchandise
  • Picture Galleries
    • Obey River Trip Report June 2023
    • Greene-Sullivan/Shakamak Trip Report June 2023
    • Boundary Waters Canoe Area Trip June 2023

Hatchery Creek

You need to plan a trip to fish Hatchery Creek.  The creek originates at the outfall of the Wolf Creek National Fish Hatchery and flows about 1 1/4 mile down the valley into the Cumberland River.  It is a man made stream that was completed by the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources in the spring of 2016.  It is regulated as catch and release water with artificial lures only.

Fish barrier at Upper Hatchery Creek

There are two unique features about Hatchery Creek.  First, because almost all the water comes from the Hatchery, it is essentially a constant flow stream, not significantly effected by rain and storms.  Second, being man made, it has more fish holding structure per length than almost any natural stream. Be warned, however, the stream can become crowded on weekends and holidays during peak fishing times.

Jim fishing above second braided portion of Hatchery Creek

There are a variety of stream habitats ideal for aquatic life and trout in particular.  Aquatic insects have started to populate the stream and while no trout have been stocked in Hatchery Creek,  it is full of fish that have come up from the Cumberland River.  Even better, trout have been successfully spawning and you can catch wild rainbow trout in the stream!  Below is a trout spawning redd – a shallow depression in the rocks that has been cleared of moss – please stay out!

Trout Spawning Redd

To access the creek, you can park  in the Hatchery Parking Lot itself  and walk downstream.  There is also a gravel parking area nominally mid stream off Ray Mann Road on the Kendal Campground Annex Road (Ray Mann  Road is the first right as you come down from US-127 at the top of the dam.  Take the first left after you start sown Ray Mann Road to get to the parking area).

Don fishing the “Duck Pond” at the entrance to the 2nd braids

Upcoming Events

Oct 3
8:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Kentuckiana Fly Tyers Fly Tying Night

Oct 4
2:00 pm - 5:00 pm

KDFWR Trout Stocking Conservation Event – Bark Camp Creek

Oct 4
6:30 pm - 8:30 pm

Board of Directors Meeting

Oct 10
October 10 - October 13

North Carolina Fall Trip

Oct 10
11:30 am - 5:00 pm

KDFWR Trout Stocking Conservation Event – Chimney Top Creek

Oct 11
6:30 pm - 8:30 pm

EAT & TALK

Oct 17
11:30 am - 5:00 pm

KDFWR Trout Stocking Conservation Event – Parched Corn Creek

Oct 18
6:30 pm - 8:00 pm

MONTHLY MEETING

Oct 21
10:30 am - 12:00 pm

Quest Outdoors Fly Tying

Oct 25
6:30 pm - 8:00 pm

FLY TYING – CABELA’S

View Calendar

Derby City Fly Fishers Webmaster