Tailwater Recon

After a couple months of talk and waiting, the weather, and lack of TVA generation allowed Kent and I to float an unnamed section of tailwater  we had been researching in the great state of “TennNorthCarolinaessee”. One that is controlled by the TVA dictatorship. This particular section isn’t stocked, and is suppose to be bad fish habitat. Well there are several streams that support wild and stocked fish that feed the main river. Not to mention the upper reaches are fairly fertile as well, and its possible that some land owners may stock fish as well.

Access was the main issue, considering you have to float over a small dam ( no portage, and a 5 ft drop was pretty fun) and take out under a bridge right of way, using 4 wheel drive to plow your trailer as close to the water as possible, this section probably sees few people.

I would kill for a boat ramp!

We hit the water around 10, and after a short time are into fish. This kept up as we approached the small spillway. Once over it, the fishing slowed a bit, but we were still into fish. Kent even hooked a nice smallie in the 3 lb range, only to watch him spit the hook just shy of the net. As the day progressed we found ourselves amongst a tan caddis hatch and fishing picked up. We were taking fish on drys, emergers, nymphs, and streamers. The fishing once again picked up and we were landing a mixed bag of wild and stocked fish of all sizes. I  hooked into a bow pushing 18 inches and had my ass handed to me after several blistering runs, one of which went into my backing, before it too spit the hook at the net.

I will say the fish were full of life, healthy and used the current to their advantage.

As the day was winding down we hit a deep stretch with gravel bottoms, drop offs and lots of structure. So we were took turns pounding streamers as the other rows. I remember it well, I was drinking  beer looking at a fallen tree thinking that looks fishy as I make a cast, strip a few times before the rod was nearly jerked from my hand. It was a slab of a bow that acted like a steelhead and just ripped line off my reel as it headed for structure, all while putting on an aerobatic display. I finally managed to coax her to the shore as I kept side pressure and Kent rowed to the far side where I could wade and net her. Once landed we noticed something had made a meal from a piece of her. Maybe a Musky, who knows?

It was my turn on the oars, so Kent hits the same stretch I did, and managed a nice 20 inch brown, again we do the samething, row other side and try to land the fish. Only this tim Leroy had other plans. Just as I get in range to slap him with the net, he bolts and spits the hook. I think Kent lost his religion. So we head down river and a little while later I tangle with another nice bow, which gave hell of a fight. Kent shortly followed with yet another brown which pushed 18 inches. Now I am not sure where these fish came from. Probably a feeder stream, or one of the few land owners stocking them, or maybe they were washed down from the upper river. I do know the state doesn’t stock this area. Not to mention it was some of the best looking water on the river. Clean gravel bottoms, mixed with moss and sand. Lots of structure and riffles.

It was a killer day. I will be back!

Ryan