Normandy

[Alphahawk]

After seeing juices report on Normandy I had to go. Started fishing at 1:00 p.m. and did not leave until dark. It was an awesome day. In four hours of fishing had 99 trout. I was cold as I could be but when you are catching fish you can deal with it. There was one fly guy there to my left and a spin fisherman to my right. All of us catching fish. The fly guy told me had 80 take downs and stuck 25. Not sure about the other guy but he caught a bunch. Most of my fish were 11-12 inch fish.....pretty chunky stockers. Caught them on pink...or it may have been bubble gum colored Trout Magnet under the float using my new Yamaga Blanks Blue Current 8' 3" TZ Long Cast. I used 2# test line with a 2# test fluro leader on a Daiwa Certate 2004 reel. I did catch a few twitching but under the float was fast and furious so stuck with that. Been a while since I have fished....I had a ball. Now....as to why I stopped at 99. I had 99 fish and told myself one more to make it 100. Well I hooked my 100th fish.....but did not get it to the net...came close...but after a 5 minute battle the hook pulled out. I had hooked a big brood trout and he fought so hard and made so many runs I knew the hook was just going to slowly work itself out...and it did. I got to see him real close and it was a beautiful fish. After that battle it was dark...and I said time to go....will try to catch my 100th one tomorrow. Life is good.

Regards

[FishAddict]

Healthy looking fish there. Sounds like great fun.

[tsuggs]

Great report and pics alpha,You n juice are pullin me to normandy.What size/kind jig head,how deep on the float?

[Alphahawk]

Great report and pics alpha,You n juice are pullin me to normandy.What size/kind jig head,how deep on the float?

I had on a TM 1/64 jig head under the float with one size B split shot about 18 inches above the jig head. Where I was fishing I had the float set at 4 feet. You can catch them all along the river but I was fishing a transition area where there is a small ledge. If you have never fished Normandy on low water you wouldn't know it was there. I have fished it with flow as low as 40 CFS so I pretty much know the transition areas. But as I said you can catch them anywhere but they will stack up in a transition area. They are going to crank flow up again Friday...so hope it doesn't rain me out in the morning...a great little spot to fish for about 7 months out of the year.

Regards

[tsuggs]

Thnks!

[XxthejuicexX]

Good looking fish! I thought I did well but you knocked it out of the park. I'm going to have to go out on low water and find those ledges :) I need to get some more Tmags before my next trip out. It seems I lost over 3/4's of my box of Tmags over the summer, my box must have opened and dumped them ouy while fishing.

[XxthejuicexX]

How was the water clarity? When I was down there it was not that clear for some reason. I usually throw natural colors but I could not get a hit on the meal worm or bison. I caught fish as soon as I switched to the black/chartreuse

[IdahoBoy]

I am surprised they decided to ramp up the cfs on the weekend when people can get out. Would love to take the wife for her birthday!:D

[Heiny57]

Sounds like fun day.

[Alphahawk]

How was the water clarity? When I was down there it was not that clear for some reason. I usually throw natural colors but I could not get a hit on the meal worm or bison. I caught fish as soon as I switched to the black/chartreuse

Water color was not good. I fished it two weeks ago and even though water was high it was pretty clear. I caught a few fish with Bison but I could tell that was not going to get em today....switched to pink and a fish on every 2nd or 3rd cast. As you said the colors were really good on those fish.....and the color on the one that got away was stunning.

Regards

[Alphahawk]

I am surprised they decided to ramp up the cfs on the weekend when people can get out. Would love to take the wife for her birthday!:D

That is always subject to change. Just keep an eye on the TVA website.


Regards

[jad2t]

Nice fish Randy, sorry you lost the big one. The most nervous I've been in a long time fishing was this Summer when I landed my personal best Rainbow on a TM and 2# test. It wasn't a giant, only 19 inches but you have to be so delicate fighting a fish like that on such light tackle. I was so nervous I was going to lose it.

[Alphahawk]

Nice fish Randy, sorry you lost the big one. The most nervous I've been in a long time fishing was this Summer when I landed my personal best Rainbow on a TM and 2# test. It wasn't a giant, only 19 inches but you have to be so delicate fighting a fish like that on such light tackle. I was so nervous I was going to lose it.


Thanks Jimmy. You are spot on about the light gear. Usually the problem is the hook will work loose. But going to try again today.

Regards


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[IdahoBoy]

That is always subject to change. Just keep an eye on the TVA website.


Regards


It shows the inflow being significantly higher than average, but he outflow around 200cfs. The inflow should affect the tailwater cfs, should it?

[XxthejuicexX]

It was 205 when I fished and it poses no problem.


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[Travis C.]

Nice job Randy.

It's been forever since I put a bend in a rod and may be a while yet. Glad to see folks are still out catching them.

[Alphahawk]

Nice job Randy.

It's been forever since I put a bend in a rod and may be a while yet. Glad to see folks are still out catching them.

Thanks Travis...hoping you can get back out soon.


Regards

[Alphahawk]

It shows the inflow being significantly higher than average, but he outflow around 200cfs. The inflow should affect the tailwater cfs, should it?

As juice said...200 CFS is no problem. The inflow will at some point affect outflow. That is why outflow is scheduled to increase tomorrow. But sometimes those schedules can be off.


Regards

[Alphahawk]

Fished about 4 hours this morning. Nothing at all like yesterday....had less than a dozen fish. Had a bunch of take downs...bunch of hits while twitching....the fish were just nosing the Trout Magnet. But was glad for what I caught....sure is a lot of fun using the UL and 2# test. Ran into Matthew...white95v6...a super nice guy...enjoyed the conversation. Then Sambolie showed up...always good to see and talk to Ott. Life is good.

Regards

[Dakota]

Thanks for the report. So is the limit seven for trout? Also is there a size limit? Haven't kept any trout for the freezer in a long time.


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[Alphahawk]

Thanks for the report. So is the limit seven for trout? Also is there a size limit? Haven't kept any trout for the freezer in a long time.


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For the Duck River tail race trout you can keep 7......any size. The Caney.....Elk.....and other streams have other regulations in place to try to maintain a trophy fishery.

Regards


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[white95v6]

It was great meeting you also Randy. Enjoyed talking and fishing with you.

The elk has no special regs. Its 7 fish any side.

[Heiny57]

I have never fished Normandy and have little experience with trout fishing but I am thinking about giving it a go Mon, Tues. The TVA site says 840 outflow. Is that to much to fish? You guys are talking around 200's. What color TMs should I get to try? Can I use my 4# line I already have on my rigs?

Or should I stay home? LOL

[Alphahawk]

Stay home. Will be a little while for water to get back down. Anything under 300 you can fish. One hundred is ideal. You can use 4# test just make sure to use Fluor leader....you will catch far more fish using it. Try Bison...white...pink.....chartreuse.....you never know which will be the color until you go.



Regards


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[SAMBOLIE]

I have never fished Normandy and have little experience with trout fishing but I am thinking about giving it a go Mon, Tues. The TVA site says 840 outflow. Is that to much to fish? You guys are talking around 200's. What color TMs should I get to try? Can I use my 4# line I already have on my rigs?

Or should I stay home? LOL

Maybe Randy will follow up with expert advice. The following is only an opinion as I know little about trout fishing. Still, Merv, Jimmy and Juice know less than I.

840 seems like a lot of flow. Perhaps it is alright with minimum of 1/16 oz. head. I find very little to no difference in 2 and 4 #. For 4 # is use BP or Trilene XL because that is what I have on hand. 2# is TM line because it is fantastic and I have thousands of yards on hand.
This in black has been very productive for me for all species when UL fishing.
http://www.sliderfishing.com/1-Crappie-PanFish-Grub-Black-CBP1-CBP1.htm

Jimmy and Juice use 90# braid with 2# leader on surf fishing rigs (I think).

[Heiny57]

Thanks for the info guys, I thought that was to much water. What type of spinner was being used to catch them? I have used a tiny Mepps in Arkansas years ago.

[Alphahawk]

Thanks for the info guys, I thought that was to much water. What type of spinner was being used to catch them? I have used a tiny Mepps in Arkansas years ago.

Just too much water at that flow no matter the lure. If you use spinners...Mepps....Blue Fox....Rooster Tail.


Regards