In your opinion, has the quality of Fishing on the Chick improved, remained steady or declined?

[Nauticman]

Re: In your opinion, has the quality of Fishing on the Chick improved, remained steady or declined?

ChooChoo’s post makes some good points. Looking at TVA’s operating guide for Chickamauga Lake, I was surprised to see that they had changed the timing of full pool from 4/15 to 5/1. I have no idea why they did that and if it affects the spawn negatively. Maybe a biologist could chime in.

 

[Nauticman]

Re: In your opinion, has the quality of Fishing on the Chick improved, remained steady or declined?

ChooChoo’s post makes some good points. Looking at TVA’s operating guide for Chickamauga Lake, I was surprised to see that they had changed the timing of full pool from 4/15 to 5/1. I have no idea why they did that and if it affects the spawn negatively. Maybe a biologist could chime in.

 

[Smalliefan2]

RE: In your opinion, has the quality of Fishing on the Chick improved, remained steady or declined?

Bass resource released it's readers poll on favorite lakes. Ist, tie, Big "G" & Lake Fork. 2nd, tie Chick and Big Sam.
One change noticeable is much of the rock in areas where the "c" rig was used are gone. Used to be able feel the rock as you reeled up, now it is smooth. The 200k cfs from a couple years ago seems to have washed the rock away.

 

[xpress19]

RE: In your opinion, has the quality of Fishing on the Chick improved, remained steady or declined?

Stop posting your big fish on social media. I have met so many people across the country from Arizona to Nebraska...Fishing is definitely tougher , too many fishing guides exploiting our fishery for money...Just my opinion.

 

[RobN]

Re: In your opinion, has the quality of Fishing on the Chick improved, remained steady or declined?

I am not sure if this link will work but here is an article referencing the change Choo Choo mentions: If I understand it, the TWRA was opposed to the change and stated there would be years where the spawn would be impacted.

https://www.chattanoogan.com/2004/5...5th.&text="One-and-a-,of water at full pool."

 

[ChooChooSnakeMan]

Re: In your opinion, has the quality of Fishing on the Chick improved, remained steady or declined?

RobN, thanks for posting the link to the article. I've picked these quotes from the article and these are fishery biologist who are making these statements. Looks like TVA made the change knowing it would impact our fishery. I want to be fair so if there are any TVA people who have knowledge of why it was decided to raise the lake level a whole month later than what had been standard practice for such a long time please let us know.

Quote from the article are:
"Myhr says that will have a devastating impact on game fish that spawn in April. He says their best, historic spawning areas are liable to be left high and dry by low, or fluctuating water levels.

"I think fishermen have something to look forward to they don't want to see," said Myhr. "They can look forward to missing year classes of bass and crappie and redear sunfish (shellcrackers). I think they'll all be negatively impacted by this operation."

TWRA Aquatic Biologist Kirk Miles adds, "Fish are going to be ready to spawn and there's a good chance they're not going to have the best spawning habitat available."

 

[Allison2002]

Re: In your opinion, has the quality of Fishing on the Chick improved, remained steady or declined?

All these pro tournaments and out state tournaments surely dont help. Zooming through no wake zones and there excuse is I'm not from around here o well may be it will get better not. Some body is making a dollar on these out of town tournaments I wonder who not TWRA they could but o well.

 

[Nauticman]

Re: In your opinion, has the quality of Fishing on the Chick improved, remained steady or declined?

Thanks to RobN for posting Richard Simms’s article. This article is 17 years old and documents TVA’ s intention to bring Chickamauga to full pool by 5/15. So, it’s been 17 years of this way of operating the lake level. The fishing has been great until lately, so, intuitively, this way of operating has not hurt the fishing. Furthermore, TVA’s operating guide dated 2021 shows the lake to be filled to full pool by 5/1 (look it up).
It’s plain to see that fishing pressure is the main reason for the decline as several posts on here have stated.
These days, if I am fishing an offshore spot, there will soon be a bass boat circling me (or even two boats) to scan the spot I am fishing and that’s during the week.

 

[Flathead]

Re: In your opinion, has the quality of Fishing on the Chick improved, remained steady or declined?

Nauticman - 4/21/2021 6:06 PM

Furthermore, TVA’s operating guide dated 2021 shows the lake to be filled to full pool by 5/1 (look it up).

Just looked at operating guide on tva app. It's not showing full pull 5/1. Looking on my phone and it looks like 5/15 to me.

 

[finbully]

Re: In your opinion, has the quality of Fishing on the Chick improved, remained steady or declined?

More than a single cause I suspect.

 

[RobN]

Re: In your opinion, has the quality of Fishing on the Chick improved, remained steady or declined?

You are welcome and I agree the pressure is not good for the fishery as a whole - I interpreted the article as that certain years it might negatively impact the spawn as there are so many environmental variables that also impact the spawn and lake levels, and your right the trend over the last few years is more recent Vs the change 17 years ago. Regarding the pressure I am not sure there is a good answer as even today the lake still fishes better than most. I am thankful we have it in our local community.

i

Nauticman - 4/21/2021 6:06 PM

Thanks to RobN for posting Richard Simms’s article. This article is 17 years old and documents TVA’ s intention to bring Chickamauga to full pool by 5/15. So, it’s been 17 years of this way of operating the lake level. The fishing has been great until lately, so, intuitively, this way of operating has not hurt the fishing. Furthermore, TVA’s operating guide dated 2021 shows the lake to be filled to full pool by 5/1 (look it up).
It’s plain to see that fishing pressure is the main reason for the decline as several posts on here have stated.
These days, if I am fishing an offshore spot, there will soon be a bass boat circling me (or even two boats) to scan the spot I am fishing and that’s during the week.

 

[bronzeback45]

Re: In your opinion, has the quality of Fishing on the Chick improved, remained steady or declined?

...what derek said!

Ditto!

 

[Fshn Cpa]

Decline for me. According to the chick lake level info. the rate of the lake coming to full pool the last six years has been about the same. I usually launch at Harrison Bay and would guess that half of the rigs are from out of town.

 

[aliciaayers]

well here is my 2 cents worth , and as far as Im concerned it is terrible ! So bad that Im not hardly fishing at all. I dont have a boat, so Im that lady a lot of you have seen fishing from bank. docks and this year the best time for me was at early emergent grass and i caught some decent fish and has gone downhill from there , fish I caught were smaller, and then no catches at all, so I am not wasting my time , Also like others have stated SO MANY PEOPLE using the lake now, jet skiers, paddleboards, etc. and way way too many tournaments ! Too much spraying and then the fish kill?I dont think they have gotten to the bottom of that mess or just not saying exactly what happened , whatever Im sure was harmful to all species . couple weeks ago was up there and saw at least 7-8 tx size fish dead and floating ? From riding all day in livewell or still part of fish kill or spraying ? Im with another opinion on here about the late summer pool levels. I think it def. has affected the spawning of all species . So if anyone wants to offer a backseat I would appreciate it cause its not worth my time trying to catch from the bank, there is no fish , way too much activity and people

 

[screwball]

Re: In your opinion, has the quality of Fishing on the Chick improved, remained steady or declined?

I don't have first hand knowledge of changing "full pool" timing of the Chickamauga Operating Guide, but what you say makes a lot of sense to me. It would be good to hear the philosophy behind this change and if the change has the intended results. If not, why not go back to an earlier lake rise for the benefit of the fish? Anyone from TVA on here know? TVA seeks a lot of public input, but this is an area where I don't think the public has any say. Correct me if I'm wrong, please.

TVA does not care whether you catch fish or not. their main concern is power/ flood control. trying to talk to them is a waste of time.