The rains came to Middle Tennessee just after John's Trip. The storms were intense at times with heavy downpours. The creeks, rivers and lakes were high and off color. We waited a day and got back out on the river to see the effects of this years heaviest rain. Crossing over the first couple bridges revealed the Caney Fork was running the color of good hot chocolate, hold the whipped cream and marshmallows. So we launched the drift boat and prepared some rods, then we backed out into the flowing water of generation and drowned some flies.
Dan Hooked Up on a Rainbow
We threw streamers into murky water and Dan was the first to strike. The off-color water was making it a tough day of catching so we took an early lunch and watched multiple boats and other watercraft did their best to catch fish. Everyone who came by reported slow fishing and we agreed. We had a working plan and were stopped early for a reason.
Lunch for Me and Lunch for Fish
Up with the anchor and Anthony behind the oars. Dan and I in the casting braces and it wasn't long before we were into fish and using ______. The day was starting to pick up just a little as did the wind. The nymphs (oops it slipped) worked better than streamers for the rainbows and as we floated down the river we spotted the usual wildlife on the Caney Fork. After several fish were brought to the net it was Anthony's turn on the Hydros. He immediately picked up a real slab of a rainbow and it in front of the audience in another boat. We continued on and when we looked back that boat was fishing in the spot that Anthony had just claimed as his own. We weren't worried because we had a long way to go....
Good Colors and Healthy Weight
The new regulations of slot limits on the Rainbows and Brook Trout are helping the fishing. There are still a lot of anglers on the river. It was refreshing yesterday to see an angler on the bank catch a real nice rainbow, then he pulled out a fish measuring tool and show the fish to his friends. After that the fish went back into the water and he threw out his line again. A couple years ago that fish would have gone to the stringer, not that there is anything wrong with keeping and eating fish. The new regulations simply change the outcome, for most of us- for the better.
The fish were good with plenty of backbone. We fished the river pretty hard, but the catching was a little slow. That is to be expected after a heavy rain. The forecast isn't any better this week with the weather guessers calling for rain and storms for the better part of the week. The Army Corps is also forecasting heavy generation to keep up with the rains as Spring comes to the South.
The One That Got Away
Going Back
Caught & Released 
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