TVA spraying on Chickamauga
- Thread starter kingcab
- Start date
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Tva will kill it all and ruin the lake just like they did before and then play dumb and say it wasn't them and the grass is bad for the lake! If you were here in the late 80's there was a lot of grass and the lake was coming on then they killed it and the lake went to crap. Back then after they killed the grass it would take 18-20 lbs to win and that was ten fish limit! Not we need the grass to sustain the fishery that we have especially with the fl strain bass that do t really stay deep just my .02
bassinbrian
Well-known member
if they do it'll be just like Watts Bar. When we had grass on the bar in the 80's the fishing was great. We're getting it back but I've already seen videos of them spraying it. So here we go again! I certainly hope they don't kill out the grass in the Chic. It will be detrimental to the fishery.
jimwarden
Well-known member
As long as they don't use the pellets we should be good. Spraying while not ideal eliminates it only temporarily. It then comes back as the roots don't die. Pellets killed it roots and all as I understand it.
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I hope you're correct on that. I know in the late 80's it was helicopters and boats dropping pellets like crazy. I was fishing one day and the helicopter came over me north of the nuke plant and stopped dropping shy of where I was and then picked it back up, but a few still got in my boat. They killed every vegetation that was in the water back then.</p>
Many of the fish began to have sores on them back then too. There was a lot of protests back then, boat parades downtown and stuff like that. TVA didn't care one bit. There was nothing on the bottom of the lake after it all died out. I think the only thing learned back then was that nobody that mattered, cared about the fishery. I'm not seeing much grass on the lower end still. Even on sonar. I was hoping it was the spring weather and so forth. I'm not so sure now.
porthos33
Well-known member
I think we will be fine. They spray those same areas every year. Once that rain settles down and the sun starts staying out constantly you will see plenty of grass. Sure felt great out today!
I was one of those boats in the boat parades. I attended a meeting with the powers to be at TVA back then. They told us in no uncertain terms TVA is in the power generation and flood control business. They are not the least bit concerned with the fisheries side of the lakes that they control. I just know if I was dumping poison in the water I would be in jail.
Last year the grass lagged because it was dry and they didn't run enough water to supply oxygen for it to grow, this year it's been too rainy with too much current for it to grow. Which is it?
I found grass 1-2' off bottom in areas in early May. There isn't any grass there now.
I found grass 1-2' off bottom in areas in early May. There isn't any grass there now.
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I've been throwing SB's and CB's across flats for 2 weeks in areas from the nuke plant south, which is my usual area to fish, and will occasionally find a small patch, or pull a small bit up. Usually, if I feel grass, it's small strands maybe 12" long or so. I do get some of the brown crap though when dredging with a flatbill. I may ride up to the east side of the river from Skull Island to Soddy Creek next time out and check it for grass. There's usually tons of grass on those flats by now.</p>
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Yep, that's exactly what they say, but the grass does nothing to hinder power generation and power generation has nothing to do with killing the grass. If it did, TVA would have killed it all on Nickajack and Guntersville years ago. I can understand the private docks and marinas wanting it gone, but to kill it everywhere I don't understand. Why TVA is kowtowing at such expense to those that want it completely gone is beyond me. Let the dock owners and marinas pay to have their grass killed and leave the rest alone.</p>
Not sure how nobody can seem to find grass . The hydrilla is behind but there is all sorts of great weeds on most any flat south of Sequoya in 5-8ft . Pretty easy to find . I'm out nearly everyday and I haven't seen a spray boat yet on the main lake .
fischnrod
Well-known member
I wish I could find a good place that didn't have it, it drives me crazy cleaning it off my hooks every cast
decaturbullet
Well-known member
- Joined
- Aug 23, 2009
- Messages
- 380
same thing happened to me!! emoBang
fischnrod
Well-known member
To far and snakey
rsimms
Well-known member
Lot's of dynamics at play... usually water clarity has more to do with growth than anything. Years of drought and low flow usually lead to clearer water and more aquatic vegetation. Years of high flow and more turbid/stained water (such as this year) means less growth.
But, also, if you get periods of high water and extremely heavy flow in the winter - when aquatic vegetation root systems are weak - the heavy flow will literally rip the aquatics out by the roots. That happened in 1989. I remember duck hunting during a huge flood we had Christmas week. I sat in duck blinds on the river that week and watched as HUGE masses of milfoil floated by after it was ripped from the bottom by flood waters.
The majority of fishermen put 100% of the blame for the aquatic die-off back then on TVA. Personally, because of what I witnessed, I believe that Christmas week flood had a great deal to do with it.
silvertalon
Well-known member
- Joined
- Oct 31, 2015
- Messages
- 1,035
Don't know if anyone saw the Wesley Strader vid on Watts Bar a few weeks ago- He was filming the sprayers and was very concerned about the extent and threat possibilities. Makes me wonder how much of that can bleed down river and have an effect on Chick. Seems unlikely but... The other day after the Vol Team Trail tx, I didn't weigh in so I stayed out and looked around for Vegatation. Shallow sloughs had some Hydrilla getting thick (2' high in -4' of water. It should be way higher than that by now. I checked the reserve too and usually its choked off by now despite murky water being the norm. It was rather clear. In those shalla spots, I could throw a spinnerbait and knock and drag in the grass but there's not much of any grass away from the bank. I expect in a week or so it will be on top. Then I idled TN Slough (east of island), and by now grass should be up near the top but its just like anywhere else on the lake right now- 1-2' of growth in 7-9 ft of water. Its the same way Everywhere- Wolftever, Waconda etc. No grass. You're lucky to find 1-2' of grass in 6 ft of water. Bass don't need grass to survive and thrive. I lived on Table Rock/Beaver for 23 years and there is NO grass in White River. The bass just relate to rock and wood and stay near the bait and do just fine. I expect the grass here is just a month or so late. I'm sure we will be cussing it soon when it gets too thick. Unless u are a mat junkie of course.
