1,000 acre lake

[RUGER]

I have seen a steady decline in the quality (size) of bass we have been catching there over the last few years.
Also a HUGE decline in the number of bream I can find... and ain't seen a crappie in forever.
After seeing a post on here about someone knowing a couple different people stocking their own ponds with big bass and then I stumbled across this and it makes more sense.

This is an old post, from 2017, on their facebook page.
This was a reply to someone saying if people would stop taking more than their limits there would be more and bigger bream in the lake.

"I agree but according to the Watershed Authority they have no authority to write any citations nor does TWRA because it's a Watershed Authority managed lake."

So that answers the question I had of why, after all the trips there I have never seen a TWRA officer there.
It's really a shame as there were some really nice bass being caught there.
I'm sure there are still a few in there but I am convinced there is nowhere near as many as there used to be, or should be.

I stumbled across this as I was looking for any new reports or updates on whether or not the TWRA is going to take over the lake.
I guess it will be July before we know for sure, but from everything I have read the rino's budget is going to be passed so it should be a done deal.
With the Bill Dance signature lake deal they got going on I am sure if this lake is going to be included TWRA would be in charge.

Maybe they will do a better job than they have over the last two years with seemingly everything else they have turned to and help make this place as good as it can be, and was.

NOW.... if twra can dictate limits etc. on privately owned property and waters,,, why can't they enforce rules there?
That's kinda odd.

 

[PossumSlayer]

I have seen a steady decline in the quality (size) of bass we have been catching there over the last few years.
Also a HUGE decline in the number of bream I can find... and ain't seen a crappie in forever.
After seeing a post on here about someone knowing a couple different people stocking their own ponds with big bass and then I stumbled across this and it makes more sense.

This is an old post, from 2017, on their facebook page.
This was a reply to someone saying if people would stop taking more than their limits there would be more and bigger bream in the lake.

"I agree but according to the Watershed Authority they have no authority to write any citations nor does TWRA because it's a Watershed Authority managed lake."

So that answers the question I had of why, after all the trips there I have never seen a TWRA officer there.
It's really a shame as there were some really nice bass being caught there.
I'm sure there are still a few in there but I am convinced there is nowhere near as many as there used to be, or should be.

I stumbled across this as I was looking for any new reports or updates on whether or not the TWRA is going to take over the lake.
I guess it will be July before we know for sure, but from everything I have read the rino's budget is going to be passed so it should be a done deal.
With the Bill Dance signature lake deal they got going on I am sure if this lake is going to be included TWRA would be in charge.

Maybe they will do a better job than they have over the last two years with seemingly everything else they have turned to and help make this place as good as it can be, and was.

NOW.... if twra can dictate limits etc. on privately owned property and waters,,, why can't they enforce rules there?
That's kinda odd.

That makes to much sense.

 

[fairchaser]

I experienced the same thing as you on my one and only trip to the lake. Probably never go back! It's a beautiful lake too!

 

[WTM]

folks treat bluegill as a baitfish, nuisance fish etc. they think bluegill are plentiful, heavy spawners, etc. the truth is that they are the slowest growing fish in the lake and live in social colonies. once you remove the large males, they will decline and become stunted. remove the bass that keep them in check and theyll become stunted. great bluegill lakes are also great bass lakes. disrupt one and you disrupt the other.

even as big as ky lake is ive noticed a decline in the larger bluegill. i can still catch 8-9" fish in numbers but anything over 9" is rare anymore.

unless theyre being fed or are hybrids they grow 1" per year on average. a 10" bluegill is more that likely 7-10 years old. do the math, those big males cant be replaced in the time it takes for them to grow.

what rakes my arse is the guides that still think the old ways that they are an unlimited resource and we need to take only large males and throw everything else back. these are the same guides here lately that are finding empty spawning areas where they once loaded 48qt coolers up with them.

these small lakes just dont have a chance and i imagine most folks dont know that there may be limits on bluegill in some of these family fishing lakes.

as far as enforcement, i would think TWRA would have enforcement authority on those watershed lakes just like they do on TVA lakes.

 

[West_Tn]

They are for sure taking over the lake. They are also renaming it. They already have the name, just haven't officially announced it yet. I don't know that TWRA taking over management of the lake will actually help, but I can promise you from a management standpoint it can not get any worse than what it currently has.

Also I found an absolute giant out there on a bed Friday. Tried to get her to bite for about 2 hours with no luck, but caught the male about a 3lber. Went back Saturday to giver her another go. The conditions were completely different. No sun, cloudy and enough wind for some chop on the water. I couldn't see her at all, but knew exactly where she was. Threw a few different baits up there no luck. Swapped to another bait and got a bite. Didn't get a hook in her, but felt the weight of here so I knew it was her and she was still there.

After about an hour and a half and probably 300ish casts I made probably the 5th or 6th lure change. It was the magic one. Second cast with it BOOM hooked up. Man what a fight it was, and sadly in the end a fight I lost. She jumped, then went under the front of the boat, peeled drag like it was nothing. Jumped 2 more times on that side of the boat. I almost had her to the net but she made another run under the back of the boat, bad thing was my PowerPoles were still down and I couldn't work the rod and line over with her. I'm on one side of the boat and she jumps 15-20ft off the other side of the boat. Theres nothing I can do but hope I can pull her back under to me. The line was rubbing on either the poles or the motor though, and my line broke. Talk about a heart breaker. I've replayed it 1,000 times in my head thinking what I could have done different.

I agree with you though. I don't think there are nearly as many big fish out there as what there was. Even then I don't think there has ever been a large population of big bass. It has always just been to over run with dinks. Some of the big fish I've caught out there have had a 10lbers head and been paper thin sick looking and only go 5-6lbs.

 

[TNGunsmoke]

Still wondering if the family fishing lake permit and sportsman's license are gonna cover the lake fee to fish there, or if it's gonna stay a separate fee like the watershed authority fee they've had in the past.

 

[RUGER]

Still wondering if the family fishing lake permit and sportsman's license are gonna cover the lake fee to fish there, or if it's gonna stay a separate fee like the watershed authority fee they've had in the past.

I figure the sportsman's license will cover it and if you don't have that there will be a daily or yearly fee like at most of the other TWRA family lakes.
Total guess on my part though.

 

[WTM]

if they are paying for it out of the state's budget then they shouldnt charge one thin dime to use it. john stevens will more than likely take some heat over this issue.

 

[RUGER]

if they are paying for it out of the state's budget then they shouldnt charge one thin dime to use it. john stevens will more than likely take some heat over this issue.

Kinda like the Carroll County residents paying a wheel tax to pay for the lake AND have to pay a daily or yearly use fee.
Not very popular with some of the residents for sure.

 

[West_Tn]

Kinda like the Carroll County residents paying a wheel tax to pay for the lake AND have to pay a daily or yearly use fee.
Not very popular with some of the residents for sure.

Don't forget they also want to charge you $500 to have a friendly little fruit jar bass tournament.

 

[RUGER]

Don't forget they also want to charge you $500 to have a friendly little fruit jar bass tournament.

No kidding!!??

 

[West_Tn]

No kidding!!??

I guess they think all bass tournaments are the Bassmasters and fish for $100,000.

 

[West_Tn]

I see it's in the newspaper so I guess it's public knowledge now. New name Halford Lake.

 

[RUGER]

I see it's in the newspaper so I guess it's public knowledge now. New name Halford Lake.

Was Halford the name of the guy that started the watershed commission?

 

[West_Tn]

Was Halford the name of the guy that started the watershed commission?

I wouldn't think so. The guy is not from Carroll County, and hasn't ever lived in Carroll county. I'm not real sure what he has ever had to do with the lake. My guess is he helped set this deal up for the state to buy it.

 

[BuckWild]

Was Halford the name of the guy that started the watershed commission?

Rep. Curtis Halford, current state representative for House District 79

 

[WTM]

lol they need to watershed commission some hwy 22 in mayo/browning or whatever bottom. they had two fire trucks and 4 deputies blocking the road the other day.

 

[TNGunsmoke]

Had to dig around a bit to find it online, but here's the article from the McKenzie paper.

1000-Acre Lake to Have New Owner, New Name: Copyright 2022 - The McKenzie Banner

CARROLL COUNTY (April 2022) — Carroll County 1000-Acre Recreation Lake will have a new owner and a new name if legislation is approved by the Tennessee General Assembly and signed by Governor Bill Lee.

www.mckenziebanner.com