Steam plant info

[fishbait61832]

Ok... Guys you have now talked about this steam plant and all the fishing in the winter long enough! I want to go..... I am from IL. so I do not get down there enough to wonder aimlessly looking for the ramps and places to stay. I fish Carthage and Barkley below the dams for stripers so I am not new to the fishing part but could you guys fill me in on the ramp locations and a place to stay? Also any underwater problems areas or places to stay away from while on the river is always welcomed news!

Before the flood last spring there was an island at the edge of the channel directly out from the discharge. Comming from downstream you could go in on the upstrem side of that island and it was 10-17' deep all the way to the mouth of the discharge and you could run on plane. Now the island is virtually gone and it is only a few feet deep right off the chanel. It gets deeper as you go in, but I come off plane at the channel. I see boats go in running on plane closer to the bank from way down on the downstream side, but I'm not familiar with where that run is. I idle in from the discharge mouth because it is fairly narrow from there. Hopefully someone can provide a better approach. There's some cheap hotels in Gallatin & Hendersonville. I'd launch from Flipper's/Bull Creek at the 109 bridge in Gallatin.

I wouldnt run on plane anywhere on the steamplant side of the island.The bottom changes depth alot and you can hit things very easy.You will make alot of people mad by running the canal on plane also.Its narrow and most people anchor and have lines out so its best to use your trolling motor and go around them.Running on plane spooks alot of the fish in such a narrow area too.The same goes for trying to troll the canal to the plant its just to small and theirs more people there every year so you have to deal with fishing in a crowd alot of days.When I went on my first trip I watched what the guys that caught fish were doing and the size bait they were using.That got me on the right track.Good Luck!

[txnative]

I'll be out there tomorrow. You'll know me as soon as you see me, just look for the blue yak. Feel free to idle up and ask questions. I've found that fishermen are a pretty helpful group, you just have to be courteous and most will be happy to help.


Chris

[lupanfreitag]

Slow is the word.
We ended up catching one decent rock fish, two flat heads, and a handful of dinosaur sized drum.
They were not pumping hardly any heat. I showed. Around 8AM the skipjack finally made their debut. That saved the day.

I went Sunday and fished the flats dowstream of the discharge and the water temps were about 55-56. In the canal it was only 57 degrees with little flow. No birds feeding, bass probably spooked by all the boats. I foul hooked some gizzard shad, but that was it. I didn't see many other success stories either unless you count skipjack. If you are new to the area and are thinking about going, take a weekday off and go when it is cold as you can stand it. Keeps the traffic down and helps the fishing. They will be pushing more heated water on high electrical demand cold days as well. I launch at Bull Creek (Flippers) and then enter the flats just NW of the second green channel marker from the discharge. Water runs about 3-4 ft. deep and then stay halfway between the channel and the bank until you get to the discharge. Trim up and go slow. You will do bad things if you run down the river then turn in at 90 degrees into the discharge channel.
Good luck!!!

[Travis C.]

How many people night fish up there this time of year?

I am itchin to go and am trying to plan few hours fishing somewhere either this weekend or next. Can't really decide which end of the dam I want to fish but have always wanted to try up there via boat. Fished up there quite a bit from the bank back before it closed but never a boat.

[lupanfreitag]

I'm from IL also. It took me a while. I put in a Flippers, other put in North of the Steam Plant.

[bd-]

Man, what a fat striper, lupanfreitag! His body shape almost looks like a hybrid.

bd

[lupanfreitag]

It was close to exploding. Probably stuffed with cold stunned shad.

I agree with going when its the coldest. This one was caught and released and it was snowing, guides were freezing after every cast and the air temp was in the mid 20's. The scale went up to 50 and it maxed it out so I have no clue of the actual weight.

Was that all you caught?The water looks kind of muddy its hard to tell from the pic.Was it muddy?Was you using shad or skipjack?Sorry for all the questions.

[fishbait61832]

That is a hog for sure!!!