Questions about fishing Carthage area..

[JeffsLowe]

Although I like fishing below the Cordell Hull dam, from the bank I never catch much, and the ONE time from a boat I had a bad experience. Put in below at the ramp between the dam and the Caney. Went up to the dam to catch bait, then trolled back up the Caney. After a few hours noticed the water started to get murky, then noticed the Caney was flowing backwards. Headed back and when rounded the junction it was like pulling into a flood on the Colorado River. Muddy, fast, higher than heck, and dodging floating trees and trash all over. Kinda unnerving for a guy not used to it...

So my question is, did we just catch it at a bad time, or is that a normal release? I liked that area, but that experience was not something I want to repeat.

Another question - does anyone know what the horn sequences mean at the dam? Maybe I am just dense, but I can't seem to figure out what means what.

Thanks in advance...

[TNBronzeback]

Chances are the flow from the cumberland was more than the caney creating the backflow situation. It will usually be like that in those situations. Ideal is caney flowing and cumberland flowing.
Good question about the horns. Might be something to investigate further. I know there is a horn and flasher when they adjust the lock section for portage, but not sure what the individual horns for generation are.

[tkwalker]

Chances are the flow from the cumberland was more than the caney creating the backflow situation. It will usually be like that in those situations. Ideal is caney flowing and cumberland flowing.
Good question about the horns. Might be something to investigate further. I know there is a horn and flasher when they adjust the lock section for portage, but not sure what the individual horns for generation are.

TNB ... Dead on about the flow ... The Cumberland is Generating and rising and this back flows into the Caney... Not all the time muddy and murky ... Depends on how much rain upstream and time of year with new plowed ground ... The Horn blasts 10 min's before the generation starts ... No second warning ..... Hope this Helps .... <'TK>< :)

[Lepomis]

I was at Cordell Hull dam years ago and saw what I would call a "drift dump" (I'm sure the COE has a more proper term for it). There was a huge amount of woody debris piled up behind the dam. They raised one of the spillway gates clear of the water and sucked the debris, which included sizeable logs, over the spillway. It took a while, but eventually the gate could be closed. This was within a few years after the dam was closed, and there was probably much more drift on the lake then than there is these days.

There's no way to know if that's what you encountered, and I don't know that they still do that, but seeing that much drift suddenly appear that close to a dam sounds like it.

[tkwalker]

I was at Cordell Hull dam years ago and saw what I would call a "drift dump" (I'm sure the COE has a more proper term for it). There was a huge amount of woody debris piled up behind the dam. They raised one of the spillway gates clear of the water and sucked the debris, which included sizeable logs, over the spillway. It took a while, but eventually the gate could be closed. This was within a few years after the dam was closed, and there was probably much more drift on the lake then than there is these days.

There's no way to know if that's what you encountered, and I don't know that they still do that, but seeing that much drift suddenly appear that close to a dam sounds like it.

I guided these waters for many years, The drift comes and goes. Primarily in the Spring, which is caused by high water which then recedes. This also causes the bank slides ... The COE Has a work barge that removes the drift in troubled areas, also most of the Buoys have to be reset or replaced... <'TK><:)