Fishing the Caney

[Jimmy.dailey]

I try to fish the Caney fairly regularly but normally just at Happy Hollow. I have a kayak so will normally paddle up a mile or so and slowly fish my way back or just wade up from the ramp. I'm hoping to get a full float trip in this summer but it's difficult pairing my schedule up with someone to shuttle back.

I've always wanted to fish the pond right below the dam. I usually flyfish, so rust would everyone recommend to fish in that area? I have some large Clousers that I figured would be what to start with. Would those be heavy enough or should I also use some sort of sink tip?

PS this trip won't be for a few weeks so it will be after the heavy rain water moves out.

Thanks in advance for any feedback.

[Jim]

You can fish the pond below the dam with about any method you want. There are plenty stocker trout for any trout method. There are large fish (browns, walleye, drum, striper) for bigger bait methods. Move around and try different techniques. When the big fish turn on, it can be really fast action, but most of the time they are not feeding. The hour or two around when the generators turn on or off as usually really good for big fish.

It is fishable at most flows, but if the sluice is running, don't try to fish it.

FYI, there are some huge fish in the area above Happy Hollow. Find rock and tree cover if you want big browns. Not easy to catch, but they are there.

Good luck,
Jim

[Jimmy.dailey]

Thanks Jim. I've seen pictures of good sized fish piled from the pond just have never had the opportunity to fish it. I want to do the float trip to find some of those areas that will hold the good sized fish too.

I have also seen and heard about pretty big sturgeon being caught. Any idea of anyone catching those on a fly?

[Jim]

I completed the map of the lower Caney Fork River recently. It was a joint project with Trout Unlimited, TWRA, and TDEC. We mapped the river from the dam to the confluence with the Cumberland River.

Here is a link to the TN Wildside segment about the work:

Caney Fork HDSS (https://vimeo.com/jamesparham/caneyforkhdss)

This project was done for trout management in response to potential generation changes, but that isn't interesting to most anglers. One of the cool products that came out of the work that is of interest to anglers is full maps showing the best wade and boat fishing areas on the 27 miles of the lower Caney Fork River.

We are working to get this out to the public now. Hopefully, you will be seeing it in the next few months. It is good for me as I know where all the good fishing spots are on the lower Caney Fork. It makes it kind of hard to want to release it :D

And FYI, we have the Harpeth, Duck, Falling Water, Collins and Roaring Rivers in Middle TN done also. I'll pass more info on those as the products go public.

Good fishing,
Jim

[Jim]

As for sturgeon on a fly, anything is possible. I worked on sturgeon for 5 years and they were hard enough to catch on bait. I cant imagine the effort it would take to catch one on a fly. If anyone has done it, it had to be pure luck.

[butts0907]

Here is a link to the TN Wildside segment about the work:

Caney Fork HDSS (https://vimeo.com/jamesparham/caneyforkhdss)

This project was done for trout management in response to potential generation changes, but that isn't interesting to most anglers. One of the cool products that came out of the work that is of interest to anglers is full maps showing the best wade and boat fishing areas on the 27 miles of the lower Caney Fork River.

We are working to get this out to the public now. Hopefully, you will be seeing it in the next few months. It is good for me as I know where all the good fishing spots are on the lower Caney Fork. It makes it kind of hard to want to release it :D

And FYI, we have the Harpeth, Duck, Falling Water, Collins and Roaring Rivers in Middle TN done also. I'll pass more info on those as the products go public.

Good fishing,
Jim[/QUOTE]

Jim...good to see you back on here and the work you're doing seems awesome!! Definitely beats sitting in front of a computer all day!

[Jim]

Jim...good to see you back on here and the work you're doing seems awesome!! Definitely beats sitting in front of a computer all day!

Yep...I hope the fishing has been good for you. I get out some but with my boy is in scouts, karate, and flag football it seems like time flies by. We do get out to fish the creeks mostly and I fish after work when we are in a cool spot.

Maybe we should get out here this spring. You fishing at all or working too much?

[butts0907]

Yep...I hope the fishing has been good for you. I get out some but with my boy is in scouts, karate, and flag football it seems like time flies by. We do get out to fish the creeks mostly and I fish after work when we are in a cool spot.

Maybe we should get out here this spring. You fishing at all or working too much?

It seems as though I'm always working too much!! Right when I think I'm in a good spot, the IRS comes calling and it all starts over again! But I'd love to try and get out there more this year. The youngest just turned 4 so he's a bit more manageable now. Let me know when you have a free afternoon and I'll see what I can do!

[mpierce131]

Hey Guys, New to Forum but I've been watching for a while. This sounds like an awesome project!! Can you tell me if the pool will be fishable this weekend with as much generation as they are having? I have to go up that way tomorrow and would love to stop in to take out my gheenoe. Thanks!

[Alphahawk]

Hey Guys, New to Forum but I've been watching for a while. This sounds like an awesome project!! Can you tell me if the pool will be fishable this weekend with as much generation as they are having? I have to go up that way tomorrow and would love to stop in to take out my gheenoe. Thanks!

No way to fish the Caney now. The sluice gate is open and you can never be in the Pond when sluice gate is open. It looks like an angry ocean up there now. Give it a couple of weeks...not sure how long it will take them to get lake level back down...so until further notice the Caney is not fishable.


Regards

[mpierce131]

Thank you sir. Appreciate the heads up!