A High Water Grand Slam- May 17th, 2008

I took my brother-in-law Mark for a day on the CaneyFork. It was a planned trip that was called off and then at the last minute we decided to call it “back on”. We were on the water at 7:15 a.m. and started the float on a one generator release of 3400 CFS. We stopped at the usual wide spot so Mark could pick up his first fish of the day. We always stop at the same wide spot in the river and every time Mark goes he picks up a fish there. Today was a little different. While I was chatting with a couple of guys fishing on the bank, Mark picked up a couple 14” rainbows. It was time for him to sit behind the oars, while I caught up. We boated several more rainbows before we made it to the curve where cows walk on water. We picked up a couple more there.

Then we turned the corner and drifted off toward Lancaster. I told Mark we were coming up on the usual lunch spot and he cast right at it. His rod gave a big bend and the fight was on. Before it was over the fish had run us a couple hundred yards downstream when he got into the current. Mark boated a nice, healthy 17 & ½” rainbow. Mark got to sit down again…

We were downstream of Lancaster when we caught a brook trout fresh from the TWRA rearing pool at Dale Hollow, which measured 11”. This was our first brook trout for the year and it was a nice looking fish. The brook also completed the Caney Fork Grand Slam, which today included a couple of acrobatic shad, as well as the usual trout trifecta. Hopefully the TWRA will continue their stocking of the brook trout; because it is my understanding they grow pretty quick, as long as they can outrun the larger browns, rainbows, stripers and stringers.

We noticed after lunch the water seemed to pick up a little and when we were in the Chute it was rolling pretty good. We picked up a couple more nice bows and browns down the home stretch. When we made it to the ramp at Happy Hollow there were several boats waiting to take out. It wasn’t a traffic jamb, but it isn’t Memorial Day weekend….yet.

Dan’s dog Maggie was greeting everyone at the ramp and checking each boat for unused sandwiches and general doggy treats. She wasn’t disappointed with our boat. When I stopped by Dan’s house on the way out Maggie was back home and sunning herself on the back porch, while we sat watching the river and talking about past fishing days.

The fish were a little more cooperative in the morning than in the afternoon hours. I suspect with the high sun, high water and boat traffic, some fish decided to lie down until the pressure let up.

It was a good day and we were able to get a few hero shots to prove we did make it out to the water. The hero shots went well with our sore elbows and low back pain from casting streamers all day.