[Doc Marshall]

Hey y'all,

I floated the Caney with my sons (their first time) and was shocked, once again, at the low numbers of trout being caught.

In the spring I was able to catch decent numbers of fat brookies, but only near the dam (and sometimes near "the stairs").

Yesterday I floated all the way from the dam to Happy and saw very few trout. I caught about 5 or so small stockers, which was far better than most. Most people we chatted with were coming up empty handed or had very low numbers. I did see the odd lunker brown trout, but mostly I just saw massive schools of trash fish (gizzard shad?). Whatever they are, they're everywhere!

I spoke to one of the owners of Caney Fork Outdoors and she claimed that the TWRA is stocking weekly. If that is the case, where are the fish? Are they all simply clustered below the dam, awaiting a glorious plague to wipe out the twin scourge of kayakers and fly fishermen? Maybe I am projecting my own dream of a cataclysmic armageddon to return the fishery to its former glory.

I ask because a few years ago, as a fly fisherman new to the sport, I could catch 10 - 20 fish at Happy Hollow, no problem. Now I go out and land 2 - 6 fish, but only after covering quite a bit of ground.

Curious to hear fishing reports from others out there.