Finally figured out Center Hill's generation...

[Travis C.]

They have been running water for what...4 months keeping waders off the river. It will all come to an end March 1st. You will see generation cease and license revenue shoot through the roof. TWRA sits back with a big cigar and slips the Corps a bill under the table.

Just a conspiracy theory. Sure I will factor the rain in a small amount in my theory...

[jad2t]

Makes perfect sense. Also, that means the first weekend of less generation will yield a huge crowd of fishermen for the TWRA to have a field day with writing citations. Have they really been pumping for about 4 months? That means the first weekend they stop, probably the first weekend in March, could mean some good fishing! That's also the weekend of my next trip to Cookeville, works out well.

[agelesssone]

If people are fishing illegally, i.e. no license, over the limits, etc. then I hope the TWRA DOES have a field day. I only wish we had more officers to patrol the tailwaters of all the dams.

We see immigrants of all nationalities throwing cast nets and keeping everything caught, regardless of species, size, or numbers.

The revenue paying public that buys a license are being used to keep these fisheries viable and the ones who won't buy licenses are, in essence, stealing our resources.

[jad2t]

Originally Posted by agelesssone

If people are fishing illegally, i.e. no license, over the limits, etc. then I hope the TWRA DOES have a field day. I only wish we had more officers to patrol the tailwaters of all the dams.

We see immigrants of all nationalities throwing cast nets and keeping everything caught, regardless of species, size, or numbers.

The revenue paying public that buys a license are being used to keep these fisheries viable and the ones who won't buy licenses are, in essence, stealing our resources.

Oh I agree, I wasn't saying the citations would be a bad thing. I hate seeing people with casting nets keeping everything they catch. I one time talked to a Mexican guy who was very friendly and spoke good English...until I noticed a rainbow trout on his stringer that was definitely within the 14-20 inch protected slot. I notified him of the rule and he all of a sudden forgot English and said he didn't understand what I was saying...

[Travis C.]

Originally Posted by agelesssone

We see immigrants of all nationalities throwing cast nets and keeping everything caught, regardless of species, size, or numbers.

In this cell phone age, if you see this actively happening it never hurts to snap a few photos as well as keep a local officer's # handy.

Don't put yourself in danger by no means but if you can get a shot of a license plate and/or them in the act it helps the agents who are stretched thin to begin with.

[agelesssone]

How does one go about getting a phone number for a local officer?

[txnative]

TWRA dispatch number is 615-781-6581. They can take your information and location and pass it to the field agent over that area.


Chris

[bd-]

The Corps is getting killed with all the rain we've had this winter. Their target pool for summer is 630, and they're just barely getting below that for the first time all winter right now. The lakeinfo site says they're at 627.6 as I type this. That's probably 6 or 7 feet higher than they ideally want it this time of year. I expect you'll see them back off to one gen if they get down to the low 620s, and I'd think we'd get some open windows for wading when they get below that. The bottom of their target band is 618 so they'd cut off if we ever got down to that.

Unfortunately, we've got more rain in the forecast tonight...

bd

[agelesssone]

Thanks Chris, got it in my phone now.

Thanks for catching the skippie we used to catch the 25 pounder last night.

[txnative]

No problem. The only thing I like better than catching them myself is helping others catch them.


Chris

[jad2t]

Got the number saved in my phone too and I'll be on the lookout for people who break the rules. Have the 2012 regulations come out yet? I usually pick up the info at Walmart but haven't thought to do it this year yet. I google searched and found nothing.

[Travis C.]

Originally Posted by jad2t

Got the number saved in my phone too and I'll be on the lookout for people who break the rules. Have the 2012 regulations come out yet? I usually pick up the info at Walmart but haven't thought to do it this year yet. I google searched and found nothing.

Somtimes they will be out the last week of Feb but definitely after the 28th.

[txnative]

They're out. Picked up mine at Pointdexter's bait shop last Sunday.


Chris

[agelesssone]

Went to the boat show on Sunday, stopped at the TWRA booth to get the new regs, they didn't have any.

And the young man (TWRA uniform, gun, etc.) had no clue about the regs as far as when the new licenses could be purchased, when the 2011 ones expired. He told me the licenses were good for a year from the date you bought them and seemed perturbed when I told him they went from the last day of Feb, year to year. And he didn't know the new ones went on sale on the 19th of this month.

I decided to not ask him any more regulation related questions after that.

[bd-]

That's unusual. Usually the TWRA folks at the booth are very helpful and know their stuff. I've frequently seen Doug Markham there in the past. He certainly knows the regs like the back of his hand and wouldn't be clueless like that.

If this went down the way you say, the only explanation I can think of is that the officer you talked to was probably new - everybody makes mistakes. I guess it sounds like he probably should have put a little more study time in before they left him by himself answering questions at the booth though.

bd