Stones River Trout Fishing

[DaveS]

We're gonna meet up down there before spring is over, one way or another.

I'll be looking forward to it!

 

Dave

[DaveS]

It's all I do.  Trout, bass, carp, gar, gills, whatever bites.

I'm trying the "fly rod" thing, but I'm a menace to my self...you know..it's a safety thing! But hey, I'm trying!

 

Dave

[DaveS]

What's a god fly pattern for the Caney?

 

Dave

[Lumber_Jack]

What's a god fly pattern for the Caney?

 

Dave

 

Best place to start is basic tailwater nymphs

 

• Zebra Midge size 18-22, any color, I've had good success with OD Green and black

 

• Scuds 

 

• Bead Head Pheasant Tail

 

 

If fish are coming to the top but not rising all the way out of the water, an emerger patern is good to use.  This means the fish are feading just below the surface.  A good tactic is to tie on and emerger, then drop a midge about 10" below that.  sometimes the fish will turn down the emerger and strike the dropper fly.  There are other options besides Blue Wing Olive, but this is the most likely hatch on the Caney in the winter

 

• Blue Wing Olive Emerger

 

 

Its also good to have a blue wing olive dry fly for winter hatches.  

 

• BWO

 

 

 

There are certainly other options and you'll end up with a ton of different flies, but this is a good start.  The most sucessful fishermen have a plethora of options and change often to match what the fish are eating.  if you have the flies listed here, your bound to find what the fish are eating.  Tailwaters churn up insects and push them down stream consistantly, that's why midges and scuds are a good start.  They are always present in the food column 

[Lumber_Jack]

sorry the pics are so big

[Joe357]

Lumberjack,

 

All i do is wet fly and nymph fish. I tie my own flys. I just wish they would stop generating like they have been doing these last few years. I remember fishing the Caney and they would not generate until 11:00 am or 12:00 pm and only for a few hours and stop until the next day. That was some good days.   

[Lumber_Jack]

Lumberjack,

All i do is wet fly and nymph fish. I tie my own flys. I just wish they would stop generating like they have been doing these last few years. I remember fishing the Caney and they would not generate until 11:00 am or 12:00 pm and only for a few hours and stop until the next day. That was some good days.

It will get back to normal. The resevoirs are always drawn down in winter to prevent upstream flooding from winter and spring storms when trees and foiliage is down and runoff is at its highest.

Then we were plagued with 2 major rain events back to back. They have just been letting it loose to get the lake back down. They generally don't generate at night especially in the winter because it causes fog and ice over the interstate bridges, but they have been going 24/7 for a few weeks now.

[DaveS]

Thanks for the fly pics....off to the tying bench I go. Asuming of course you don't mind me tying those flies.

 

Dave

[Lumber_Jack]

Thanks for the fly pics....off to the tying bench I go. Asuming of course you don't mind me tying those flies.

Dave

Those aren't mine. I'd say most are Umpqua or Montana Fly Company. I just hijacked the pics off of a website. Tie away my friend

[TexasAggie]

I lived in Atlanta for a while and spent most of my wade fishing time on the Chattahoochee and the Nantahala. After the move to N'ville, I parked the fly fishing gear for other hobbies. I did a little research today (taking the good advice from this message thread) and discovered that the Caney is one of the top ten rivers in the southeast to trout fish. I dusted off the gear today and I'll make a trip over to the Dam area once it warms up.

I did notice (and this is Internet type information) that the TVA is bad about unscheduled dam discharges and that the alarm is hard to hear once you're further downstream. That makes me a little nervous about wade fishing (may need to invest in a canoe). Let me know it that's incorrect.

[MacGyver]

They've done a great job managing the Caney. People are catching some nice brown trout these days.

TVA's pretty good at letting folks know when they're going to generate, but the water comes up fast when they do. It deserves a healthy respect.

[Lumber_Jack]

I lived in Atlanta for a while and spent most of my wade fishing time on the Chattahoochee and the Nantahala. After the move to N'ville, I parked the fly fishing gear for other hobbies. I did a little research today (taking the good advice from this message thread) and discovered that the Caney is one of the top ten rivers in the southeast to trout fish. I dusted off the gear today and I'll make a trip over to the Dam area once it warms up.

I did notice (and this is Internet type information) that the TVA is bad about unscheduled dam discharges and that the alarm is hard to hear once you're further downstream. That makes me a little nervous about wade fishing (may need to invest in a canoe). Let me know it that's incorrect.

There is always a possibility of an unscheduled discharge. You must pay attention to water levels. It's easy to see the water coming up. When I enter the river I pick a spot on the bank or near me and check it. If its all the sudden under water, move to the bank.

I think you're hearing a lot of Internet chatter, it doesn't happen that often. I have the TVA app on my iPhone and its been pretty accurate. Also remember a dam release at 4 pm may take 2 hours to reach Betty's island so there can be benefits of fishing farther down stream if your up against the schedule. Just be careful

[TexasAggie]

Thanks for the information.

[Joe357]

Other item to keep in mind is the time it takes for the water to receed. The closer to the dam the sooner you will be able to Wade.
I think two hours and you will be able to easily wade by the dam, but not happy hollow or Betty's island

[Joe357]

Also there have been times the release schedule has changed but in the 9 years of me fishing the caney I can only remember it happening twice

[Lumber_Jack]

Other item to keep in mind is the time it takes for the water to receed. The closer to the dam the sooner you will be able to Wade.
I think two hours and you will be able to easily wade by the dam, but not happy hollow or Betty's island

Very true, I've planned to fish on Lancaster road right and shutoff and it took at least 45 min to an hour to be wadeable, and that's not that far from the dam.

[Independent_shooter]

I just bought two fishing yaks for my log cabin at Tim's Ford.  I have a number of options out that way (Tim's Ford, Normandy, Elk River, Duck River) .  I've never fished Stones River and it's in my back yard

 

I've caught many trout on the caney with ultra light set-ups and corn....just right down from the damn.  Have to make sure they're not generating :squint:

[Independent_shooter]

There's some good fishing on the Harpeth. I like to run the narrows because after floating for 8 miles, you take out less than 200 meters from where you put in.

Spring is good on the Harpeth. You start having to hunt for water once summer gets here.

That's a good thing when you miss your take out point!  Not saying that I've ever done that :pleased: