By CJ Lotz

The best fishing on the Cumberland River in Tennessee and Kentucky will remain accessible to boaters and anglers thanks to the Freedom to Fish Act passed by Congress this week. The bill prohibits the Army Corps of Engineers from installing physical barriers that bar boats from entering tailwaters of ten dams along the waterway.

On May 21, Congress voted in favor of the bill, which places a two-year moratorium on the Army Corps’ plans. The Senate approved the bill, spearheaded by Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and introduced by Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), last week. The Freedom to Fish Act wil also require the Army Corps to take down physical barriers, like buoys, already in place at several dams on the river.

The bill will become law and be put into effect once signed by President Obama.

“While angling and boating access are important to the area’s economy, the proposed barriers along the Cumberland River were also unnecessary and counterproductive from a safety standpoint,” stated Gordon Robertson, vice president of the American Sportfishing Association, in a press release. "Particularly concerning with these proposed closures was the lack of public input that went into the Army Corps' decision. If anglers had been provided an opportunity to weigh in on this proposal, Congressional action might not have been needed."

The Corps cited public safety concerns (including 14 drownings since 1970) and a 1996 regulation as cause for implementing the restrictions, which would have been permanent. 

Comments (1)

from FSU70 wrote 3 weeks 22 hours ago

The Corp, like the IRS and EPA have become and arrogant lot and I'm glad this passed. Their safety concerns are bogus. 14 deaths since 1970 ? Most of the lakes above the dam have had more accident related deaths than that. No body is proposing closing off the lakes ........ yet !

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from FSU70 wrote 3 weeks 22 hours ago

The Corp, like the IRS and EPA have become and arrogant lot and I'm glad this passed. Their safety concerns are bogus. 14 deaths since 1970 ? Most of the lakes above the dam have had more accident related deaths than that. No body is proposing closing off the lakes ........ yet !

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All submitted comments are subject to the rules set forth in our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.