Generation below Old Hickory Dam

[FINNEY]

I have not been down there fishing in a couple weeks now. I drive by and look almost daily. To my understanding they are not generating at all. I know the flood gates are cracked open. The TVA website reads "will be spilling with out generation till further notice". But a feller told me that he saw a generator on saturday down there. Can any one confirm this man is full of crap or that they (TVA) are generating when I look away. Thanks!!!! Gonna get out somewhere today and wet a line.

[Travis C.]

Originally Posted by FINNEY

But a feller told me that he saw a generator on saturday down there. Can any one confirm this man is full of crap or that they (TVA) are generating when I look away. Thanks!!!! Gonna get out somewhere today and wet a line.

No generators ran from what I can tell.

You can check here to see what was run to come up with the flow for the day.

http://www.lrn.usace.army.mil/lakeinfo/

Click on the year to date for Old Hickory then scroll down and its recorded hourly.

This is also helpful on Center Hill when the sluice is running because it is not factored on the TVA site. The TVA site will only show number of units (generators) and if the sluice is open they won't be visible yet could be an extra 1500cfs bump. Worse is the site shows no generation so you go up there to wade and the sluice is wide open and now it can't be waded.

[Andy M]

http://www.tva.gov/lakes/ohh_r.htm
This is TVA's link for old hickory. They also have a smartphone app for all of there dams also. It's great for seeing the flows while your on the rivers and lakes.

[FINNEY]

Originally Posted by Andy M

http://www.tva.gov/lakes/ohh_r.htm
This is TVA's link for old hickory. They also have a smartphone app for all of there dams also. It's great for seeing the flows while your on the rivers and lakes.

I have this link in my favorites tool bar. It's great and easy to read. I live within a mile of the powerhouse.

[agelesssone]

I fished there twice this week, no generators pumping, only the sluice gates cracked a bit to keep the river from stagnating.

[jmsjordan]

Fished there last weekend, skunked. One boat there did catch on striper right up on the wall at the spill gates. Several boat, no fish.

[agelesssone]

Fished there Sunday night, my partner caught a five pound striper (rockfish) on his first cast. Then he caught a 13 pounder on his next cast. On his his sixth total cast he caught an 11 pounder. In the next half hour he caught three flathead catfish, the largest bottomed out my 25 lb. scale, est. weight 30 lbs. All the while, not only did I not catch a fish, I never even got A FRIGGIN BITE!!~

[jad2t]

Originally Posted by agelesssone

Fished there Sunday night, my partner caught a five pound striper (rockfish) on his first cast. Then he caught a 13 pounder on his next cast. On his his sixth total cast he caught an 11 pounder. In the next half hour he caught three flathead catfish, the largest bottomed out my 25 lb. scale, est. weight 30 lbs. All the while, not only did I not catch a fish, I never even got A FRIGGIN BITE!!~

Thats rough. We all have our days when we can't catch anything no matter what we try, that's the way this sport goes! I usually hold my own when fishing with my dad and we almost always catch the same amount of fish...be that a lot of fish or very little haha. One afternoon we went to Bedford Lake and he put 5 bass in the cooler. He caught several more but didn't put them in the cooler because of the 5 per person limit (we assumed I'd catch my limit eventually). I caught one, at the end of the day, and lost it halfway to the boat.

So what was the fisherman using that caught all those stripers?

[Travis C.]

Originally Posted by agelesssone

Fished there Sunday night, my partner caught a five pound striper (rockfish) on his first cast. Then he caught a 13 pounder on his next cast. On his his sixth total cast he caught an 11 pounder. In the next half hour he caught three flathead catfish, the largest bottomed out my 25 lb. scale, est. weight 30 lbs. All the while, not only did I not catch a fish, I never even got A FRIGGIN BITE!!~

My grandfather was my fishing partner and he'd sit smoking his pipe with a spinning reel bail open in the back seat. I'd fish fish fish then he'd raise his rod cast then reel in a fish and go back to puffing his pipe. Happend all the time and if I was smarter back then I'd paid more attention to the little things. He looked through completely different eyes than I did fishing and was an exceptional fisherman.

[FINNEY]

Drove down to the Dam this evening. Saw several boats out by the gates and several on the banks. I figure this rain is gonna turn the fish on for sure. I have not fished in two weeks. I am ready to get back at it.