Caney Fork Sugar
 

The spring of 2016 has been all sound and fury on the Caney.
This past weekend was no different.

Fished both Saturday and Sunday in AM.
Sunday most memorable.

Started at 3:15AM and pulled out around 10:30AM.
In the dark we caught 7 browns, one very respectable. In the inky darkness I swore it was a smallie. It was tail dancing and bulldogging like an angry green fish. When it was netted and the light came on, I was shocked. My friend took the pic, I'll try to post later.

As the sun rose, the bite changed but the action was good. Between 5AM and 7AM we caught 12 more, respectable 17-18 inch fish. At around 7AM the bite stopped. We changed one aspect of our fishing and 8 more fish in a row. It is amazing how one little tweak makes all the difference.... and why I have 20,000 lures at home for just such a scenario. You just never know.

Around 9:30, the bite slowed greatly but we still pulled one out around every 10 mins.

At around 10:15 I noticed a fin waving at us. I thought a dorsal fin but it was not. It was a big fish. Since generation started at 11, we puddled over. It was a huge catfish which had seen better days. After a quick chase, I netted him and took a picture (waiting on my buddy to send me). He was massive but prognosis negative. Soon the sirens blew.

One final note if you are fishing and have to cut the line every single fish because it swallowed it, change your technique. The old wives tale which says it will rust out just is not true. Some fish will make it for a time but studies show mortality rates explode with hooks in the gullet/throat. Certainly large hooks. Please do not fish with six 6.0 hooks for trout. Especially if you are only catch and release. It you are keeping them I understand. Heck, we all have it happen but not every single fish. Take your time and change your methods.

Good fishing.

It's crazy how many of those fish have line in their mouths at the dam!


Mike

Surgery
 

In one outting I removed the following.

3- Hooks
1- Hook with sinker
1-Spinnerbait with 6 feet of string.
2- with only string sticking out!

Hell, I don't even catch that many fish in a trip :)

Total
 

Word to that.

I am up to 386 for the year since March. That is the number caught in my boat with friends. I bought cheap Chinese counters. Yellow = Browns; Red= Rainbows; Blue = Brooks. Browns far outnumber the rainbows but bows are gaining now that the stockers flood the river system. A guy at work bet me I couldn't catch 1,000 in one year. I'm going to hit 1,000 this year or expire trying.
Might have to live there November and December. Quit my job and start a fund a fisherman website. "A dry hook is a terrible thing to waste."

How many brooks this year? I haven't seen any yet.


Mike

Brooks
 

Zero brooks.
Usually catch more in spring
This year brook free

The brookies died either last year or the year before due to disease at the hatchery, no word yet on when they will re-stock them if they're even going to.

Best,
BW

It would be sweet to see them stock palomino trout. Well that's if the Caney could support them.

I still hold out for Taimen in the Caney.

Unfortunately, the river is not longer enough and there is probably not enough food base for them to flourish. :D

I'm with Travis
 

Yes. Bring it on.

IF that happened, you guys on here would simply remember me as the one who disappeared never to be seen from again except for the random folk stories of a bearded crazy man walking the Caney's gravel bars and loud giggling in the night.

How long do those fish get? :D

Close your eyes
 

Now imagine how long they get.... now open them.
You are going to need a bigger boat.

Any boat would be bigger than what I have. Boatless.:)