Caney questions

[Ramsay]

Ive been wanting to float the Caney in my yak this summer, but have been put off by week-end crowds. A few questions:

1. How crowded has it been on week-ends?

2. Might the high temps make it less crowded this week-end?

3. Does the cool water make the air temp reasonably comfortable evidence when 100 + degrees?

Thanks

[browntrout]

Ive been wanting to float the Caney in my yak this summer, but have been put off by week-end crowds. A few questions:

1. How crowded has it been on week-ends?

2. Might the high temps make it less crowded this week-end?

3. Does the cool water make the air temp reasonably comfortable evidence when 100 + degrees?

Thanks


I'll make this easy:
1: Beyond terrible!!!!
2. No way!!!!
3. See #2!!!

Roy

[Newbie]

I was thinking of going there today. hmmm, am glade that I hear your opinion Browntrout before I go.
Then I think that I will take the Kayak somewhere else.

[Travis C.]

#1- really crowded in the upper part of the river above Dam-Happy. Moderately crowded Happy-Betty's. Keep in mind those two sections make up only 9 miles of a 26 mile river.

#2- Nope

#3- Somewhat. I was there last night and it actually was cool after midnight (feeling of air temps). This morning I stayed out there until noon with a long sleeve shirt on for skin protection and just shorts under my waders. I wasn't complaining of the heat until I got out of the river and walked back to the parking lot. Then it was hot. I also wear a long billed flats style hat with a drop down neck protection.

With the coolness of the river if you are in it and drink lots of water it won't be any worse than a 90 degree day standing on a boat deck. Skin proctection and fluids would be my main concern.

Don't let the crowds keep you away from fishing it. There is a lot of fish in the river to be caught even with all the traffic.

[txnative]

Don't listen to Travis, the caney is horrible. No fish, millions of people, and the water actually amplifies the heat.


Well, that's what my selfish side says...


Chris

[Newbie]

I was here today:
https://maps.google.com/maps?q=Rock+Island+State+Park%E2%80%8E&hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=35.816804,-85.643749&spn=0.009309,0.021136&sll=35.824912,-85.587959&sspn=0.074464,0.169086&t=h&hq=Rock+Island+State+Park%E2%80%8E&z=16

it wasn't croded, there were just three boat and huge distance between them, you hardly can see them.

I don't know about the situation by the dam, but here, it was nice and it is shadow here, so it was cool.

:o caught tens of bluegills, they bother me.

[bd-]

Last time I was on the Caney, the crowds absolutely spoiled what used to be one of my favorite fishing places.

I am pretty tolerant of crowds, but it was beyond what even I could handle. All day, non stop, I had a steady flow of canoes and kayaks paddling over my line, running into me, making noise, etc. It has simply become not an enjoyable place to fish.

You can get away from it farther down on the river, but the lower river has been hitting close to 70 degrees occasionally because the Corps can't sustain enough cold water flow due to dam repairs. That's high enough to temperature stress them. So the trout down in the lower-traffic areas are not as abundant.

I imagine the hot temps will have more people, not less, on the river.

Until we get some regulation on private canoe rentals, the upper Caney Fork will be like Nashville Shores or some other for-profit amusement park.

The only difference is that the canoe rental places make all the profits, and we pay all the price to maintain it with our fishing license dollars.

bd

[jad2t]

I'm with bd on this one. I don't know that I'll ever fish that place in the daytime again. The crowds of canoes ruined my fishing and my fun the last two time I went. I may still make attempts at the dam during generation now that I'm learning how to striper fish but if I'm wading and fishing for trout, I'm either doing it very early in the morning or early evening until it gets dark. During the week it might be tolerable but I can't guarantee it.

[Alphahawk]

I'm with bd on this one. I don't know that I'll ever fish that place in the daytime again. The crowds of canoes ruined my fishing and my fun the last two time I went. I may still make attempts at the dam during generation now that I'm learning how to striper fish but if I'm wading and fishing for trout, I'm either doing it very early in the morning or early evening until it gets dark. During the week it might be tolerable but I can't guarantee it.

It's not bad through the week. I am just thankful I can fish it through the week. Having said that there are more canoes through the week this year than last year. It's a hard call. Fisherman don't own the river. I don't know how it could be regulated. The Buffalo is not a trout stream but it is not fishable on weekends either...not in my opinion. I don't know what the temps are down at Betty's Island but got to be much warmer than at the dam to Happy Hollow. I might try down there next time up. If I can remember will take my thermometer and report exactly what temps are.


Regards

[Fishmanjoe]

Newbie, that is way down river! Were there any trout there? I love that park.
I was here today:
https://maps.google.com/maps?q=Rock+Island+State+Park%E2%80%8E&hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=35.816804,-85.643749&spn=0.009309,0.021136&sll=35.824912,-85.587959&sspn=0.074464,0.169086&t=h&hq=Rock+Island+State+Park%E2%80%8E&z=16

it wasn't croded, there were just three boat and huge distance between them, you hardly can see them.

I don't know about the situation by the dam, but here, it was nice and it is shadow here, so it was cool.

:o caught tens of bluegills, they bother me.

[Travis C.]

I guess its a perspective thing for me or it could be I haven't had the same experiences with the floaters yet.

The canoe traffic doesn't bother me near as much as some. There were canoes, yak and even a fullsize boat floating by us on low at the Dam this weekend. We caught fish and I could have caught more not to the fault of the floating traffic.

On a funny side note...there were a couple guys fishing ahead of us down stream debating over whether the trout he caught was a Brook, Brown or Rainbow. I guess it could be confusing between a couple but not all three. :confused: Finally, one figured it out that it was a Brook because they are the only ones with teeth and spots.

Aren't there nice new-1yr old colored signs at about all walk-ins to show the difference?