Tilapia at Gallatin Steam Plant

[gregintenn]

I've been hearing quite a stir about these lately. Anyone here went and caught them?

 

http://www.wbir.com/news/local/state-record-tilapia-caught-on-old-hickory-lake/385379045

Heck! I know this guy. I guess he'd be a good one to ask, huh?

Edited January 21, 2017 by gregintenn

[bersaguy]

I have not been greg but I do know of several other anglers that have been catching numbers of them. One guy brought 45 home with him about a week ago. They are being attracted to that warm water. If you go up there be careful of the under water rocks and boulders around the entrance to the warm water discharge channel once you leave the main channel.  Good luck if you go!!..................

[gregintenn]

Yeah....I once grounded a boat on a mud flat trying to get over there. I don't know Old Hickory very well, and I hate that about it.

[bersaguy]

1 minute ago, gregintenn said:

Yeah....I once grounded a boat on a mud flat trying to get over there. I don't know Old Hickory very well, and I hate that about it.

Don't feel bad buddy, I have fished Old Hickory for about 30 years and can pretty much go anyhwere I want to but about 6 years ago I was running up stream just past the warm water discharge channel and not paying enough attention in the fog that morning and I drove my Skeeter about 30 feet up on a mud flat betwen those 2 islands. Lucky it was all mud cause I was clicking about 60MPH when I went mudding. I called a buddy of mine and it took him and another buddy with both boats both sporting 250 hp motors and 5 broken ropes to pull me off that flat. I still think about that day every time I run past that flat and remember how stupid I was cause I knew better and just got careless 1 time and 1 time is all it takes...........lol

As far as not knowing how to get into the steam plant channel even as well and I know it there use to be a small island on the down stream point of the mouth of that channel as you turned into the channel. With all the high water the earth part of the island is gone but the rock part of it is only about 1.5 feet below the surface. Even like I said, as well as I know that area I shut down on main channel and go it on trolling motor now so I don't tear something up.

[gregintenn]

I got out and stood on, or rather sunk into, the mud flat and pushed mine off it. I was idling and didn't get as far upon it as you likely did.

[bersaguy]

21 minutes ago, gregintenn said:

I got out and stood on, or rather sunk into, the mud flat and pushed mine off it. I was idling and didn't get as far upon it as you likely did.

I knew when I trimmed my big motor up and then stood up and tried to rock the boat that it would require more than me pushing when the boat never moved when I tried to rock it.............lol

[Ronald_55]

Hey guys, my Dad would like to come down and fish, but does not have a boat. Can you bank fish this area?

[felinesNfreedom]

4 minutes ago, Ronald_55 said:

Hey guys, my Dad would like to come down and fish, but does not have a boat. Can you bank fish this area?

Nope. The GSP is best in the dead of winter when all the other water is freezing.