Questions About the Caney
 

I'm going to fish the Caney Fork in a few weeks and having never before fished it before I have a few questions. Since we are doing the long float from the dam to Betty's Island, what are areas of the river we should avoid because they are dangerous and unfishable, and also should we be fishing the holes or cover on the bank or what? Also, should we be casting our lures with the current or against it? Lastly, do we have to use a fluorocarbon leader or is two pound mono fine? Thanks

Also I forgot something, is it better to fish the Caney with no generators or a few?

There really are no dangerous areas unless they are pumping huge amounts of water from the dam. You should be fine. Fish all aspects of the river. It is loaded with trout. Fish cover and holes. I usually cast up stream, you want your lures to be almost dragging the bottom. Fluoro is a must when trout fishing in clear water. And people will argue both ways about generation but my personal experience is the fishing is better without generators on.

If your main goal of your float is to catch fish, factor your time to spend more time in the first 2-3 miles. Though there are some fish below Happy Hollow but they are more concentrated between the dam and HH. If you can get there as early as possible once the sun gets up the fishing gets tougher.

Would fly tippet work as a leader?

I don't really fly fish so I really can't answer..Most of my reels are completely spooled with fluoro and the few that are not I just use the leftover few feet I get from a spool to make a leader line. I somewhat disagree with Farley on the first few miles somewhat in that I've caught just as many fish well below Happy Hollow. I would specifically focus on the the rest stop area. There are a few deep holes there and I caught a lot of 20"+ fish in that stretch.

Yes... 7x flouro. There are fish all through the river but I would say most concentrated from the dam to just past the rest area. Fishing is great with or without them generating but generally big fish or more active when they're pulling water.


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I have never fished at the rest area but plan on it this summer on vacation. I went there to scout it out briefly one day I was passing through and it looks like a good spot. Can you tell me the best spot to go? Left or right from the parking area?

Thanks,

Jon

Straight down the trail that goes from the parking lot to the river. Theres a huge boulder on the opposite bank and it is just past the little creek outlet that would be to your right. Good spot there, Caught a 24" bow there last year. If you go to the right upstream just before the shallow ripple area is good. Continue up stream almost to the bridge there are some deeper holes that also produce. Really that whole stretch of river at the rest stop has been real good to me. The only reason I haven't been there this year is cause I have a yak now and have been focusing on fishing the pond just below the dam. Haven't tried floating cause I'm usually solo.

Thanks I really appreciate your help. Do you use bait or artificial? Sorry to ask so many questions just never fished that area before.

Jon... I have only fished by going right. I don't stop walking until I go under the overpass. I stop just after I get under the overpass. I caught a 22 inch brown under there last year and have caught several other nice browns and rainbow. Just know your regs there (slot limit if you plan to keep fish). My go to is a whole nightcrawler hooked one time through the head. I wade out as far as I can go and cast almost to the concrete wall on the other side.

Good luck.

My best fish are caught on nightcrawlers using a Carolina rig with 1/8th oz weight. Be prepared to hook snags. Panther Martin's and Eppinger devil dog spoons also produce good fish and of course trout magnets under a cork also works really well.

If you want to go artificial, tie on a white or pink trout magnet. Other colors work too but those two are a good place to start. Throw it on 2lb mono with 2lb flouro leader or you'll be almost wasting your time. Run it under a float through deeper holes or twitch it through shallower water. 50+ fish days are not uncommon at all. They make it almost too easy.


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Thanks guys, I really appreciate the help.

Jon