Flowing out of Cumberland Lake's Wolf Creek Dam are the cold, clear waters of the Cumberland River. The river flows 75 miles from the dam to the Tennessee state line and contains some of the best trout fishing found in the entire eastern United States.

The Cumberland River is heavily stocked and monitored by the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources (KDFWR), which helps maintain the river as a premier trout water in the southeastern part of the state.

The state instituted slot limits in 2004 to protect an age and size class of trout with true trophy potential. All trout in the 15- to 20-inch range must be released back into the river to fight another day. The real trophies, those over 20 inches, have an allowed limit of one fish per day, per angler.

Additionally, a creel limit of five fish per angler, per day is in place to prevent overharvest. Combined with heavy stocking, fertile waters, a slot limit, and moderate creel limit, the scenario for excellent trophy trout fishing is in place. The results speak for themselves.

The rainbow trout 15- to 20-inch protective slot limit, the five-fish creel limit, the minimum 20-inch size limit, and one-fish creel limit on brown trout have worked very well, says KDFWR fisheries research biologist Dave Dreves. There has been a dramatic increase in the number of brown trout 20 inches and over since the institution of the trophy regulations in 1997.

The rainbow trout slot limit and reduced creel limit has just been in place now since 2004. Its full effect has not been realized yet because it takes about three years after stocking for results to be fully observed. But already the catch rate of 20-inch rainbow trout has increased and is near an all-time high.

The outlook for trout moving up the size scale and approaching trophy size is also increasing and promising. The survey also found that there continues to be exceptional numbers of fish in the 12- to 14-inch size classes that should move into the protected slot size over the next year. There should also be increasing numbers of 20-inch rainbow trout as fish move through the protective slot limit.

The catch rates and relative abundance of trout was considered extremely high according the recent creel survey. The slot limits and overall program appears to be working. Undoubtedly, it is solid evidence that the more restrictive regulations implemented in 2004 are having the desired effect, the survey stated.

The KDFWR and nature is doing all it can to produce high numbers of big trout for Bluegrass anglers. While some anglers may reluctantly release a fat 19-inch trout back into the water, doing so gives that fish a good chance of becoming a real trophy and reaching the lofty 20-plus-inch range and beyond.

All that techno-speak seems to be good news, but what does that mean to the average angler trying to get a few tugs on his line? It simply means that your chances are well above average of not only catching a limit of fat trout, but also catching a trophy is a high probability. Even if you don't boat the elusive 20-inchers, sliding your hand under an 18-inch rainbow or brown, admiring and photographing it, and easing it back into the river is a very enjoyable experience, too.