Old Hickory milfoil

[Texas_Rig]

Has anyone else noticed the emergence of milfoil on the lake? I have been finding it everywhere I go it seems. I've found it in 2 feet of water all the way out to 12 fow, and growing as tall as 7 feet. I have yet to find a place where it's very thick though. The stuff I've found in deeper water is like one stalk here and one stalk there. I've found it a little thicker in shallower water but not very tall. It's crazy to me how many places I've found it. If the agencies that be do not kill it, then I think the lake has a good chance to become a very good fishery in the next few years.

[Buccaneer]

Texas Rig - Not sure how long you have been in this area but I moved to Hendesonville in 1998. Millfoil was thick in certain parts of Drakes Creek, Cedar Creek area, the stretch from Station Camp up to the 109 bridge on the Gallatin side of the channel, the cove by Cages Bend Campground, the entire Wilson County side from 109 bridge up to the steam plant, and all around the Steam Plant outflow down to the deep channel bend. Great matted grass frog fishing in the summer. The millfoil began to disappear as they systematically sprayed around the 109 area. Then we had some incredible cold winters, and I believe the 2010 flood virtually wiped out any remaining grass beds. A return of millfoil would be a tremendous thing for fishermen. Too bad the Corps will cowtow to lakefront homeowner interests and spray herbicide again. We'll have a brief window of opportunity.

[Texas_Rig]

I've heard of all the milfoil that used to be in there. I just got serious about bass fishing about 3 years ago, so I don't have any knowledge of it on that lake. But the areas you described are definitely the areas that I've found it mostly. I know that it has made a certain grass bed really good. It's growing on the outer edge of this grass bed and all the way out to the creek channel edge. I have fished it 3 times since I realized the milfoil was there and I've had a limit 2 out of 3, and had 3 keepers in it the other time.

[Buccaneer]

Texas_Rig - We have a member here, user name Jim, who has extensively studied the Old Hickory/Cumberland River watershed who might be able to shed some light on the water flow, water temp correlation to millfoil growth in Old Hickory. His knowledge of the historical data on this riverine fishery is rather unique.

[Adrian]

I pulled some up the other day on the Big Flat across from the Avondale ramp. My 6XD grabbed it. It came out of the shallows as I was casting into the shallows and dragging it deep.

It looked just like this:

[Alphahawk]

Originally Posted by Buccaneer

Texas Rig - Not sure how long you have been in this area but I moved to Hendesonville in 1998. Millfoil was thick in certain parts of Drakes Creek, Cedar Creek area, the stretch from Station Camp up to the 109 bridge on the Gallatin side of the channel, the cove by Cages Bend Campground, the entire Wilson County side from 109 bridge up to the steam plant, and all around the Steam Plant outflow down to the deep channel bend. Great matted grass frog fishing in the summer. The millfoil began to disappear as they systematically sprayed around the 109 area. Then we had some incredible cold winters, and I believe the 2010 flood virtually wiped out any remaining grass beds. A return of millfoil would be a tremendous thing for fishermen. Too bad the Corps will cowtow to lakefront homeowner interests and spray herbicide again. We'll have a brief window of opportunity.

The Corp has been known to spray for milfoil but more often than not when you see those air boats spraying it is most likely dock owners. It is relatively easy for them to get a permit to get it sprayed around their docks. There was a recent incident where a bass pro filmed spraying at I think it was Chickamauga. Of course all the blame was on TVA and nasty comments....but it seems the locals who had docks had gotten permits and had their dock areas sprayed. To the pros credit he came back on and apologized for blaming TVA. The grass thing has been a constant battle between fishermen and dock owners for the 55 years I been fishing....and will be I am sure for another 100 years.


Regards

[tkwalker]

Originally Posted by Buccaneer

Texas_Rig - We have a member here, user name Jim, who has extensively studied the Old Hickory/Cumberland River watershed who might be able to shed some light on the water flow, water temp correlation to millfoil growth in Old Hickory. His knowledge of the historical data on this riverine fishery is rather unique.

I have contacted Jim on this subject and asked if He could give us more info ... <'TK><

[deezelteck]

I noticed a bunch of the milfoil growing around the Saunders Ferry ramp Sunday..

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[Texas_Rig]

Last year I had found it in a couple spots but it was pretty elusive. This year it seems to be everywhere

[Jim]

Here are my thoughts without going back through the annual and monthly flow records for Old Hickory.

Milfoil and hydrilla on large reservoirs are very hard to control much less eliminate with spraying alone. TVA tried for years on some of the Tennessee River reservoirs without much success. Local control around docks and shorelines will work, but it is a constant maintenance issue.

The thing that really hurts Milfoil is hard winters followed by high flow and turbid water springs. The cold water slows growth and the turbid conditions block light from reaching the new growth and it kills them off. When we have flood years, it can really knock back the milfoil. When we have several beautiful springs (like this year) it can get re-established and then spread quickly. When Wolf Creek Dam and Center Hill Dam repairs are complete, Old Hickory is likely to get less cold spring runoff. This may also improve conditions for milfoil growth.

So the big picture for milfoil in Old Hickory is that it is primarily controlled by weather patterns. When we have several wet years, it can almost wipe it out and then when we get in stable or low flow years, it can rebound. It will need several years in a row to become a fully re-established. Once the milfoil beds are big, they can withstand wider flow conditions. A wet year next year may eliminate the milfoil from Old Hickory for a while again.

From a fishing stand point, most aquatic vegetation is a good thing, but it can be a problem for recreational boating and other lake water uses. As far as largemouth bass go, cold, wet springs are bad for bass reproduction and bad for milfoil. Old Hickory bass will benefit from both the warm, consistent flow springs from producing a good year class and from the growth of the milfoil. It provides cover and forage areas for small fish. After several good years of bass spawns and milfoil growth, the bass fishing will really pick up. Both bass and milfoil populations track the warm, low flow springs.

Hope that help some,
Jim

[Pinwheeled]

Thank you, Jim. Great insight 👍


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[XxthejuicexX]

I know this is not OH but I've found this stuff growing on priest.


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[Buccaneer]

Originally Posted by XxthejuicexX

I know this is not OH but I've found this stuff growing on priest.

I'm no expert but that looks like Coontail as compare to Millfoil. Then again Adrian's picture could be immature millfoil and not yet filled out. Regardless for the Old Hickory anglers, given Jim's explanation, there is reason for hope. I would love to see matted grass once again on the dead sea.

[Heiny57]

Originally Posted by XxthejuicexX

I know this is not OH but I've found this stuff growing on priest.


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Please keep this secret.

[Buccaneer]

Millfoil vs Coontail - https://blog.thepondguy.com/2015/06/...onds-lakes-qa/