Fly Fishing High Water

High Water on the Caney Fork

Center Hill Dam is releasing water from the recent rains and to achieve winter pool. Great Falls is pumping water into Center Hill Lake and with the "water in - water out" philosophy, the US Army Corps is running two generators 24-7. So with a two generator release what's an angler to do? Well we went fishing on two generators. All that extra water opens up a lot of options on the river. We hit some back eddy's and side channels in a search for soft water. Big streamers and deep running bait fish patterns are working as long as you can get them down. There are some stripers in the river and the walleye boats are in the dam pool fishing their bait under floats.

There are Some of These in the Dam Pool

The dam pool gets a little crowded and the water gets rough with all those waves from the boats running up to the generators and floating back down. There are some fish hitting the top right now too, but we haven't gotten a good eat, although we have had some chances.

**

The high water releases can be dangerous, so stay on your toes if floating the river. The water from the release is clear! The sluice has been turned off and the water temps are falling. Now the water release at the 2 mile point is a cooler 59 degrees. The good news is cool clear water - the bad news, there is a lot of cool clear water. Hang in there though the rains will let up and the lake level will fall, then we can resume our regularly scheduled fishing habits.    

                          

TVA is angler friendly on the Elk on the weekends. They have been running one generator during the week while drawing down Tims Ford Lake and turning off the water on the weekends. The fishing has been favorable with nymphs, soft hackles and with small streamers. The water temps are also favorable at 57 degrees which apparently is making for some happy fish. Even with the water still slightly stained the fish are responding well. The otters have been making their way up and down the river. Sometimes we see them a mile from the dam and at other times they show up at Farris Creek. Overall the Elk seems to be productive for man and creature.