Clinch Wading

Hey Everyone. Just a quick question. I have been on the bank fishing some but I've never waded out into the clinch below Norris. I was thinking about giving it a shot this weekend. Does anyone have any experience? I know to check the generation schedules...as long as they aren't generating is it safe? I wasn't sure how deep/fast it was. I was planning to be down below Weir Dam and beyond.

Thanks a lot and tight lines!

I used to wade the area directly below the weir dam years ago. It's as safe as wading any other part. I don't remember any super deep holes. Like you mentioned, check the generation schedule and keep an eye on the water level just to safe. It raises in a hurry when they start generating.


If you're going to be stupid, you'd better be tough!

Keep in mind... look at the flow not just the generation... sometimes they release water while not generating... when they are not releasing or generating it is a easy wade..

Sako":1i89lb8r said:

Keep in mind... look at the flow not just the generation... sometimes they release water while not generating... when they are not releasing or generating it is a easy wade..

Click to expand...

That's a really good point. Thanks.

Can you help me out? I'm not sure what is low flow and what isn't. When I check outflows now it says around 3,000. Can someone help me interpret?

Thanks a lot for the help guys.

diesel920":3vxge66w said:

Sako":3vxge66w said:

Keep in mind... look at the flow not just the generation... sometimes they release water while not generating... when they are not releasing or generating it is a easy wade..

Click to expand...

That's a really good point. Thanks.

Can you help me out? I'm not sure what is low flow and what isn't. When I check outflows now it says around 3,000. Can someone help me interpret?

Thanks a lot for the help guys.

Click to expand...

It looks like they are not generating from 1am to 10am tomorrow. So, that should give you wadeable water until at least 10am.

Starting at 10am and going to midnight they are running 1 generator with an average discharge of 3400+ cfs. You will not be able to wade very much starting at 10 am. I'll let the folks that know the Clinch better than me tell you how long it takes the rising water to reach various areas down river.

Coldest river I know of sir, it can be dangerous, so be careful. I'm sure you know that already, but I've been on the clinch wading and as the river started rising a family came down on two canoes. One canoe had father and son other was mom and daughter. As they got to me and a buddy ( we're still in the river but headed out) father and son canoe flips some how. I rush back out in river and can't find the boy as the dad pops up my buddy grabs canoe and I see the kid as he flows right into my legs. He is fine, but shaken up. Thank god. By the time we get them to bank, water is Flowing rapid and mom and daughter are well around the bend. At that time I found a new respect for that river. On a happier note I catch a lot of big trout down there.

TVA uses the term " subject to change without notice". That's legal mumbo jumbo for " if you drown it's not our fault". Get the TVA app and realize >95% of the time they will stick to it. Don't think you can wade to the opposite bank you got into the river IF the water is going to rise on you in the next hour. ONCE THE WATER STARTS TO COME UP YOU ARE SCREWED AND NOW NEED TO GET OUT ANYWAY YOU CAN. You cannot wade in 3,000 CFS OR WORSE. Set a watch or phone when the gens cut on so you know you have to start getting out.

after that..... have fun.

The Clinch is similar size to the Hiwassee in which I fish often. It's also a TVA dam tailwater. On that size river, 3,000 cfs is deadly. Very swift water.

I made the mistake earlier this year of just checking the numbers of generators they were running and not the cfs associated with the numbers. When I got there, it was running 1 generator for an hour then going to 0, then back to 1 and finally 2. That 1 generator wasn't bad at all...I waded it easily and caught a bunch of fish and my biggest fish too. 0 generation is weird....sometimes they bite good and sometimes not. So in my mind I knew in a couple hours they were gonna go back to 1 generator and that it might trigger a feeding frenzy, and that it was very fishable. I put myself in position for that. Unbeknownst to me....when they were running that 1 turbine earlier, it was only 680 cfs. When they turned the 1 generator on again, it was 1,500 cfs flow...and nowhere near what it was with 1 generator earlier. That totally caught me off guard at how swift 1500 can be. I was in the middle before I realized I was in a fix. You can walk in 1500 cfs but it pushes on you really hard. Where it will get you is that you have to constantly brace against the current to keep from getting knocked off your feet. And you can't really pick your feet up like you do when you normally walk so you kinda scoot your feet...if you stumble on a rock or step into a slight divot/hole, it throws your balance off and down you go. That is what happened to me...I stumbled into a rock just enough to knock my balance off while braced against the current and it knocked my legs out from under me. I was 30 yards down in the blink of an eye. The current wouldn't let me get my feet planted back on the bottom...kept dragging me. I had a life jacket on and glad I did because my waders were starting to let ice cold water get in. That water is swift and cold...it can numb your legs quickly without waders...and for sure takes your breath. Remember that ice bucket challenge going around a few yrs ago? Yeah...that same shock. I was lucky to get out with just a scare and loss of some fishing stuff.

The Clinch is as peaceful, easy going, and easy to wade as any river around....until it isn't. Tva follows releases 99% of the time, however always check right when you arrive and be mindful of your surroundings. The weir controls flows enough that the rise of water is dang slow allowing plenty of time to get out when it turns on. Just pay attention to the noise of the river it changes as the water rises, and also the smell.

My BIL and I used to wade it in blue jeans. That's been about 40 years ago and my legs are still cold. By the time we would get back to Powell my legs would still be blue. We always caught fish and made some fond memories!

I never waded the clinch but waded alot in the holston and alot of mountain streams when younger yes very cold (clinch is even worse). Now as I am much older, I wade the south holston and holston and mountain streams. But the cold has a different effect, my feet and legs dont react as quickly or as easily. Though some of the areas I now wade are the same as I waded years ago. Be very careful its not just the generation schedule or change its also the cold you will feel. And that belt on your chest waders will not keep out the water if you go down and cant get back up quickly, it is not for sustained immersion in water floating until you can get to a calm spot in the water.

Thanks for the advice everyone. It's really helpful.

While I have a couple experienced clinch folks here I have another question. How far upstream is it safe to boat? Obviously Weir Dam is a stop but I have no idea how deep it is and wasn't sure if I put in at say Miller Island if there was a safe rule of thumb for heading upstream. (talking a fiberglass bass,fish/ski style boat).

I have only fished the clinch a little from the bank, I'd like to get out and see what else is in there.

Thanks again!

Hopefully this drawdown table will help you. It's pretty close for me. Good luck and remember 14"-20" throw back. Close the mouth and squeeze the tail when measuring.

What about fishing th Clinch from a kayak? any of you guys do it? Tips???? Put in/take out etc???