Flow dependence

[polo-dog]

My fishing experience today made me more aware of how the fishing in these "river lakes" can be very dependent on the flow at the dams. I was wondering if in other's experience you all think that all, most, some, or few of the places that you guys catch fish seem to be dependent on the flow. It seems that most of the time I don't fish certain spots just because I know there is flow, I tend to fish where I've caught fish before. When I'm on the main lake, I think that the flow will be one of the things that will change my decisions about fishing on the river. Most of the time I fish it's during the week and there is always flow. I could understand that there would potentially be less flow on the weekends because of the lesser need for power generation. I usually fish Wolftever creek and sometimes the flow is into the creek and sometimes out of the creek and the direction does seem to position the fish if I fish near the creek channel. So I would say that where I fish is flow dependent some or most of the time.

 

[fishin3]

I have noticed that when I am fishing out of Cotton Port that if there is no flow there are no fish to be caught. But up on Watts Bar I do not pay as much attention to it. I think that IMHO that the upper end of the Chick (Cotton Port)is better fishing when the water is flowing and because the area I fish on Watts Bar is not in its river form the flow does not effect it the same. I prefer the river aspect of Cotton Port than the lake aspect of Watts Bar. I have fished the upper part of Watts Bar (Paint Rock) and it is more like the area of Chick that I like. The flow put the fish in more of a predictable places. That is just my spin on it hope it makes some sense to you.

 

[polo-dog]

fishin3, did you ever try those structures at mile marker 516?

 

[fishin3]

No not yet they are on my mind every time I go out but last time I went out went with a buddy that I did not want to show a new spot to for fear he would fish it next year in our company tournment LOL. My fishin partner and myself or going to try to drift it for catfish soon. I will post my finds on it as soon as I get to fish it. I believe I have c-rigged it up close to shore but not sure if it is the right spot. But it is marked on my map to check it out. Once again thanks for the heads up on it. And forgot where was that on line map that you found? Can you give me a link to its home page I would like to look at it for Watts Bar. Thanks.

 

[polo-dog]

http://www.lrn.usace.army.mil/opn/TNRiver/

 

[fishin3]

thanks polo-dog

 

[polo-dog]

Sure, anytime.

 

[polo-dog]

I just went to the TVA site and saw that once again there was no flow until noon scheduled until after noon. Is that typical? I don't fish on weekends very often so I'm not well versed on what the flow tends to be like that time of the week. When I went over the Veteran's bridge this AM on the way to Church there was no flow in the river and the water was way down. Do you guys that fish mostly on the weekends find that the flow is not starting until noon most of the time? It seemed like everybody and all their kin were out on the water Sat. AM when I was out there. The races also brought out the big boys and they just about swamped me out there on the river.

 

[fishin3]

I went fishing from the bank today below Watts Bar and there was little to no flow coming from there. As well there was little to no fish biting Oh well at least I was not at work.

 

[flip1up]

Love the current, and mostly struggle without it.

 

[JC1]

I also agree that fishing around here is flow dependant to a large degree. I think this is mostly due to the nature of the fish we persue being mostly ambush predators. While there are periods when gamefish will actively chase the large schools of bait, most of the time they prefer to conserve their energy and lie in wait for a meal to enter their strike zone. When the current is on they're on their game looking for targets being swept towards them and when the current is off they seem to be less alert and you just about have to hit them in the face with whatever you're offering them to get a response. I think low or no flow times make them harder to target also because the current not only makes them more likely to feed but it also forces them to hold tighter to cover to maintain their ambush positions, and therefor it's easier to predict where they might be. When there is no flow they can hold anywhere without expending much if any energy and then it's a real guessing game on where the hungry ones are. JC1

 

[polo-dog]

I agree JC1. Why go looking for food if you know where the food will come to you. Thinking like a fish is pretty straight foreward. I had a buddy once that moved to a subdivision near the mall to be near all of the good restaurants. Sound familiar?

 

[JerDog]

I always, always, always, fish with the current, never agianst it because I don't catch as many fish. Current is everything in my opinion.