Caney Fork Flyfishing Saturday, November 1st, 2008

Barry H. from Murfreesboro, TN and I spent the day on the river Saturday. Barry has fished many different places here in the states. Just coming off a recent trip to the Awyhee River out west, Barry was up for a day on the Caney Fork to drown some nymphs and midges.

We met at the usual rendezvous point at an early 5:30 a.m. With coffee in hand, because of the crisp morning, we took off to the ramp. After launching the boat and shaking a few cobwebs off, Barry was soon hooked up with a small rainbow, which removed the skunk early. He landed the fish on a bead head pheasant tail and was soon back into a good casting groove. A few more casts and Barry was hooked up again.

The sun and the fog are just starting to rise...

We passed by a deep cut in the bank and offered up a pike fly. The fly flushed a large brown from the undercut in the back. As the fly swam for the safety of the boat the fish was hot on it’s tail. Just when the brown was moving in for the kill the fish forgave the fly for invading the space and returned back to the depths.

There were some long stretches of no rising fish, but we kept the day interesting picking off rainbows. The browns did not seem to be on the shoals like they have been over the past month. This is better for their well being and keeps the larger browns from getting freezer burn in peoples freezers. The browns appeared to be random, showing up here and there. The rainbows however were all stacked up on the shoals waiting for their next meal to come floating through the feeding lanes. The Tutto worked well today on the larger fish and the smaller fish seemed to go for the zebra midge more often than not.

This brown was holding in slack water

The weather is changing now as Fall gets up to full speed. The mornings are cool and have required a change from shorts and sandals; to layers of clothing with the addition of waders. As the mornings heat up the layers are shed and short sleeves suffice. The leaves are changing to the usual oranges, reds, and yellows. The colors on the trees reflecting on the water can make an orange indicator easily disappear without dipping below the surface.

There is a possibility of a mid week float or two out there and it looks like we have another float shaping up next Saturday. So, it will be interesting to see where the fish are holding as Fall passes and the fish get ready for Winter…

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We hit the Caney Fork again for another float. This time I fished with Anthony and Mark, a couple of regulars. We were on the water early and found a nip in the air. The flies for the day were BHPT’s, Hare’s Ears, Zebra Midges in various colors and a Tutto as an attractor. We passed the previously pounded water and coaxed a few to the hook early. We picked up a brown or two and several rainbows.

It Wouldn't Be A Fishing Report Without a Fish

When the early morning calm was interrupted by the late morning winds, the leaf action picked up as well. When the leaf action picked up the fish became tight lipped. My guess was the fish were dodging leaves and just forgot about eating. We brought the largest fish into the boat just before the wind started to pick up.

Anthony at the Oars of Mark's Hyde Skiff

The quote of the day came when we were talking about the cost of boats and if one of us hadn’t spent $3500.00 on a boat and spent it on a jet we could be somewhere a little more casting friendly. Mark made the statement “I ain't going nowhere in a $3,500.00 jet.......” This statement makes a lot of sense considering the cost of a good jet these days.

Some Fall Color and a Leaf or Two

Overall it was another great Fall morning and a windy Fall afternoon, which turned a little cold as the wind picked up. With a couple more rains the leaves will be off the trees and somewhere down stream. The water should clear up and things should turn back to normal. Midge hatches will be the winter fish food of choice and thread midges will start taking up the first couple rows in the die hard's fly box. More layers will be added to our wardrobe and we will pass the previously pounded water and coax a few to the hook early.

A Clear Sky on a Stunning Fall Morning

Rachel and Jamie H Back on the Caney Fork

The Santa Ana winds (also known as Santana winds) are strong, extremely dry offshore winds that characteristically sweep through in southern California and northern Baja California in late fall into winter.

The Buffalo Valley winds (also known as Drift Stoppers) are strong, extremely gusty upstream winds that characteristically sweep through Buffalo Valley and in an upstream direction on the Caney Fork in late fall and when you least expect them.

On the drive up to the river I listened to the new Chesney CD, which is more of an island feel. After spending some time on the Gulf Coast, earlier in the month, the rasta reggae rhythm, the lyrics with boats and fishing got me back in the mood to be on the water. The weather guessers predicted sunny skies, about 65 degrees and a 7-9 mph wind. They were close…..only forgetting the warnings of the Buffalo Valley winds.

I stopped by their cabin on Saturday morning and picked up Jamie and Rachel who came in the night before from Florence, AL. We were off again for a day on the river. Jamie and Rachel have been great clients this year. We started with the Caney in June, followed by the Elk in August and what better place to wrap up their year of tailwater trips than the Caney Fork. Both are enthusiastic and appreciate a day on the water.

We were on the water staying on top of 5350 cfs of cold Caney Fork current. We stopped, threw some streamers and floated some nymphs in the slack waters. This got everyone back in practice and into the rhythm of the float. Rachel achieved the “perfect drift” and when the water stopped flowing we slipped out of our safe haven and into the current seam. Even though the wind won most of the day, Rachel and Jamie both fought fish and landed fish, which were out in their full colors as you can see from the photos below.

The Fall Colors Are Starting To Turn

The Brook Trout are in Full Fall Color

This One Had Some Tail Power

Jamie With A Nice Bow

Missed A Double By A few Seconds

They Are Eating Something

Sundown at the End of the Day...

****UPDATE****

Sunday,October 26, 2008

Mark R and I went back to the Caney for some fishing of our own. We fished the stretch from Happy to Betty's Island and caught several fish. Mostly bows and some brook trout. The brookies are as colorful as any fish I've seen and this includes the wild brookies in the Smoky's.

There wasn't much action in the deeper holes and we found no fish willing to eat by the structure. However, there seemed to be fish on every shoal and we finally managed one brown at the end of the day. Overall this was a decent day on the river.

Jim's Big Fish Weekend

This weekend I spent a couple of days fishing with Jim A. from Johnstown Ohio. Jim and I have fished a few times this year and he came down for two day float on the Caney. Jim has been fishing a few years and this trip to the Caney Fork was Jim's "Big Fish Trip".

Jim with the Hyde and a nice rainbow

The Browns are Getting More Color

The Brook Trout are Getting Even More Colorful

Completes Another Slam

Another Nice Rainbow

Another Brookie

High Water

MEND!!!

Wild Flowers

The Brook Trout Were Out This Weekend

Jim At Rest

Jim's Nice Brown

Another Rainbow....Thanks for the Tip Dan-O

The Obey River

We took a couple boats to the Obey on Saturday to float on one generator. Throughout the week we did our research on the river and recounted our memory banks (which are steadily depleting) for the flies we have used on the Obey over the years past. My research consisted of several minutes of online surf, where I found a link to the TWRA Fisheries Report dated 2001. The report is not lengthy, but did give some general information on the river. Some of the information includes the following:

"Dale Hollow Dam is located on the Obey River about 7.5 miles from its confluence with the Cumberland River A USACOE campground is situated on the banks of the river, downstream of the dam".

"The dam was constructed in 1945 and maximum discharge through each of three turbines is about 2,000cfs; under normal operating conditions, maximum discharge through each turbine is about 1,800 cfs. Like other Tennessee tailwaters, the river is unfishable by wading anglers during hydropower generation. A continuous minimum flow of 25 cfs is provided".


Some on our trip were ready for anything when they showed up for the drive to Celina, already sporting their life jackets. I must admit, as we all did, the flow was not as swift as we suspected. Upon our arrival we were somewhat relieved that the days generation of 1665 cfs would provide a swift but safe float for the boats.

We started the day on streamers and after trying 5-6 different color combination's, without success, I switched to nymphs and immediately picked up a healthy rainbow. As we drifted over shoals we picked up a few fish here and there, but nothing like we hoped and certainly nothing like we've caught up there in the past. Most of the river's offerings of rainbows were run of the mill hatchery graduates who, when provoked by the nymph, would happily play our game of hide and seek.

The Results of Another "Technically Perfect Drift"

The jewel of the day came with a 13" Brookie caught against the bank around a rock bluff. The bluff had turned loose of some boulders and the boulders had fallen into the edge of the river. A "technically perfect drift" was all this brook trout could handle and the fish came out to eat the #12 BHPT. In turn we snapped the photo and the fish was returned to grow another inch or two over the winter.

We will return to the Obey and try to catch this river on falling water as generation permits. The generation schedule is not favorable at this time, however there will be days in the near future that wading and floating will be definite possibilities.

Two Trips To The Caney August '08

We've spent the last couple weekends on The Caney Fork River. I've wet a line and watched others from the comfort of the rowers seat. There are some good fish in the Caney and some interesting sights to be seen. Instead of giving the play by play, I thought we would just do this report in pictures with captions.....

Do You Hear Something?

The Reward For "The Perfect Drift"

They Always Look Bigger Underwater

Mark's Nice Brown

A Triple Caught & Released

Dan Using Both Hands On This One...

Caney Fork Fauna

Another "Perfect Drift" and Another Reward...

Brown With Kipe...

...Brown Without Kipe

There Is More Than Just Fishing On The Caney Fork...

These Little Brook Trout Are Doing Just Fine....

A Double of Brownie's Caught and Released

Completes The Third Slam of the Day

I Do Get To Fish Some Too

Dump Those Worms Out of That Folgers Can & Start Bailing...

Thanks Anthony, Dan and Mark.

High Pressure on the Elk 8.16.08

Last week I sent an email telling every one of some new things we were going to try. One of those things is to have guest bloggers. This week we have our first Guest Blogger. Dan Sharley is a fly fisherman and water color artist http://www.dansharley.com Dan and I have fished together on several occasions and he has shown he has some excellent skills behind the fly rod as well as with a brush. I will let Dan tell the story of his day on the Elk River and after you read it, take a peek at Dan's blog at www.sharleyfishinart.blogspot.com

High Pressure on the Elk 8.16.08
I woke to rain. Not much, but rain nonetheless. Maybe it was the giddiness of the upcoming trip to the Elk with David and Anthony W, or the excitement of actually having some rainfall on my crunchy, brown lawn, but I was a little absent-minded in the morning. So much so, that I hooked up with my fishing buddies … but left my cooler – and my lunch – in the back of my truck … which was a problem, since the truck didn’t make the hour-and-a-half trip to the river.

Undaunted, and now armed with $10 worth of gas station junk food to comprise for my rations for the shore lunch (mmm, Vienna sausages and beef jerky), we arrived at our put-in destination below the dam. We joined a couple-dozen similarly-minded folks…..and, their boats. Dismayed by the crowd, but still enthusiastic for the fishing, we negotiated the conga line of canoes, johnboats and other assorted watercraft and dumped David’s Hyde drifter into the cool waters of the Elk.

The Drifter Is Prego (It's in there somewhere)

Making our way downstream, Anthony and I picked up a few rainbows on the usual flies, while David manned the oars for the first part of the trip. Later in the morning, Anthony took over for David so that the ol’ guide could throw a few loops on his off-day. Dave’s a pro in every way, and he quickly connected with several fish, including some stout rainbows. I managed to fool a few too, before rotating out and giving Anthony a chance to join the fun.

Anthony is the left-handed king of the perfect drift, but with the rain and the cold front moving off to the south, high pressure set in and made fishing pretty darn tough. As such, we spent much of the day watching Anthony’s orange indicator bob harmlessly downstream through some traditionally-fishy places. He did connect on a few, but was not fairly rewarded for his technical expertise.

We landed a fat, beautiful male brown trout after a spirited fight. The colors were classic German-brown and the fish sported some absolutely-perfect spots. After the trout was photographed (poorly) and released, fishing slowed even more. For the remainder of the float, we had to work extremely hard to get fish to bite – even through the employment of an assorted selection of perfect flies (and perfect drifts).

A Nice Elk River Brown

As always, David made the trip worthwhile, managing to continue to place us in great spots and even hook us up to the few trout brave enough to feed on this bluebird-skied afternoon. Overall though, it was another nice day on the Elk.
We’ll be back. Thanks for another great float.

Dan S.
www.dansharley.com

Rachel & Jamie H. on the Elk River, TN

Saturday, August 9, 2008 I took Rachel and Jamie H. from Florence AL. on their second trip this year. Rachel had a birthday and Jamie booked her a trip. When they got to the river I had already unloaded the boat and rigged the Sage with a couple of my favorite flies, then caught a couple fish. I gave Rachel the Sage and Jamie the fly box, then it was off to drop the truck.

When I returned both had caught fish, Rachel caught six fish and caught the bug for a new Sage rod. We got into the boat and left the masses of the gravel bar. We started fishing just below the bend pool. We picked up a few fish before the Scud Pool and then I put Rachel on my favorite run and Jamie on my second favorite run. Rachel had several fish on and then it was time to move on.

The water on the Elk was slightly stained, to the point where you really couldn’t see the bottom past a few feet. But, some of the usual fish came out from the usual places and have sore lips to prove it.

Jamie cast out in front of the boat in one of the more swift parts of the river; he mended a great drift and was rewarded with a good rainbow. I have been trying to catch a fish in that run for over a year and Saturday Jamie came through. Good job Dude!

We moved down through a short stretch of slow water and then into another run that is filled with downed logs. Little did we know downed logs and trees would be our nemesis later in the float. Rachel hooked a nice rainbow in this run as the fish came out from under one of the logs. The cool thing about this fish was that Rachel saw the fish come out and take the fly. Even though it seems to be harder to get a good hook set when you see the fish come to the fly, she set the hook, Rachel…..one (1)……fish zero (0). The fish ran back under the log and she brought him out…….Rachel two (2)…..fish zero (0). She brought the fish over that log and the fish tried to pull itself under another log……Rachel three (3)……fish zero (0). After that she brought the fish to the net & the fish had a photo op…….Rachel four (4)……fish zero (0). Then we moved on.

Rachel Four (4).........Fish Zero (0)

We hit Pig Alley which usually produces well, but the fishing slowed to a crawl and we called a timeout for lunch. The last float with Jamie and Rachel we skipped lunch, but on this float we made up our minds early that we were going to eat the burgers and not try to sustain ourselves with Cheetos alone.

We found one of the best lunch spots I’ve seen on any river. It has a small gravel bar, with shade, and a great view of the river. We presented Rachel with the “Birthday Snickers” after the burgers and then we were off to float the rest of the river.

The Birthday Snickers

We stopped at a couple places on the river and backed up a couple times to hit them again when they produced results. One time Rachel called the fish and was rewarded immediately with a strike and rainbow trout to the boat. Jamie called one by a rock wall and when he put the fly, exactly where he called, he was rewarded with a bow of his own.

Then…….we came to the top of Van Zant Bend Island. There was something noticeably different; it was a large tree that looked to be across the entire right pass of the river. Just before we moved into the swift water I decided to stop and wade down to it to take a look see. This proved to be the right move. When I got to the tree it was all the way across the river. It was too big to go over and to many branches to go under. I waded back up to the boat and announced “now we are entering the adventurous part of our float”. We would go down the left side of the island, which meant we would be pulling the boat over several small shoals and under a couple more blow downs. We made it after we pulled the boat a good portion of the length of the island. We estimate an additional 45 minutes of time to our float.

After we floated back into the main part of the river it was smooth sailing, well smooth rowing to the ramp. We fished mostly BHPT’s, midges, and sow bugs, all of which caught fish at one time or another throughout the day. The weather was in the 80’s and nothing short of spectacular, especially when we considered it is August.

Pig Alley

I am looking forward to fishing again with Rachel and Jamie in the fall, this time we are going back to the Caney Fork, where Rachel will continue her quest for the Caney Fork Slam.