Are paddlefish found in Douglas Lake?

[Doskil]

Any spoonbills there or in the river above the lake?

 

[holstonangler]

100% sure they are in Cherokee. Not sure about Douglas.

 

[Biggun4214]

I saw 2 heads 20+ years ago. Haven't saw or heard of any since. The commerical fishermen never talk about them either.

 

[Doskil]

Thanks

Read somewhere they used to native to the upper French Broad NC/TN

 

[ewc]

Paddlefish are common in the entire Mississippi River drainage which includes the Tennessee River System.

See Etnier and Starnes 1993 - Fishes of TN.

 

[Biggun4214]

In 25 years of checking fishermen and commercial fishermen on Douglas, the French Broad, and lower Nolichucky two small heads is all I have ever saw. Historically they were here. If there were common then the caviar fisherman would fish the area during the spawn. The local commercial fishermen will also tell you they are not here now.

 

[kasey]

seen a guy catch one 4 years ago below the dam

 

[Canonman]

I have caught a bunch on cherokee. Once caught over 30 in one day. Biggest was 54lbs my dads biggest is over 70lbs.

 

[Tubakka]

There's not a harder fighting or better tasting fish out there. Wish there was another way to get them utilizing bait and line other than just snagging, but snagging is fun, not going to lie. Sore shoulder at the end of the day t hough.

 

[stik]

there is a shallow rocky point in front of my parents house on ft. loudon. you can wade out about 50 yds. or so and be only waist deep. i was standing in the water wearing the smallmouths out when about a 40 lb paddlefish comes swimming by. i grabbed the fish by the paddle and that sucker like to have drowned me!

 

[rbreedi1]

there is a shallow rocky point in front of my parents house on ft. loudon. you can wade out about 50 yds. or so and be only waist deep. i was standing in the water wearing the smallmouths out when about a 40 lb paddlefish comes swimming by. i grabbed the fish by the paddle and that sucker like to have drowned me!

Id like to have seen that :laugh:

 

[Doskil]

So I am guessing the paddlefish in the French Broad were long gone before Douglas was impounded or did the lake wipe them out?

 

[ewc]

While the population may not be what it once was, to say they are not there is silly-

 

[Biggun4214]

Show me proof they are still in Douglas. The commercial fishermen don't catch them in their nets, we don't find them in our surveys, and sportfisherman never catch them by accident. I see an occassional striper and musky and hear repaorts of others being caught. But like I said I saw evidence of 2 that were cleaned by someone over 20 years ago and the local commercial fishermen only talk about the fact that they were once in Douglas. I have worked Douglas for over 25 years in a law enforcement capacity as well as assisting with surveys and have some knowledge of what is there.
I have more reports of black panthers.

 

[ewc]

Show me proof they are still in Douglas.

I can't. And you can't prove that they are not there either.

I don't think the regional biologist would state unequivocally that there are NO paddlefish in Douglas. Rather, he might say that the population is not what it once was.

Either way, I respect your service and work, but I disagree with your opinion on this matter. FWIW - for a time I sampled as much as anyone in this state, so I know a little bit here too-

 

[Biggun4214]

I spoke with the Regional Biologist today and he agrees with me. He hasn't saw any evidence since the late 70's. If they were still in Dougals the net fishermen would occassionally catch one.

 

[ewc]

Doug said that?

If so, then I am wrong. I'd have stated it differently, but I respect his opinion.

Ask him about hunting at DH 15 yrs ago. Deer do swim fast-

 

[Doskil]

So could they be restocked there?

 

[Biggun4214]

It has been suggested. But with the amount of commercial fishing with nets on Douglas the possibility is very small.

 

[shopson]

They used to be in Douglas but it has probably been 30 years since I saw one. They also said there were no stripers there but that was disproven a couple of years ago.

 

[Biggun4214]

They used to be in Douglas but it has probably been 30 years since I saw one. They also said there were no stripers there but that was disproven a couple of years ago.

There have been a few stripers caught from Douglas over the last 12-15 years. TWRA is not sure how they got there. Could be from fish escaping from Morristown Hatchery, could be fishermen attempting to establish stripers in the lake.
When I first moved to Jefferson Co. no one caught smallmouth bass in the lake. Water clarity has changed and more tournament fishermen access the rivers than they did 20 years ago. This has help expand smallmouth in Douglas.

 

[Doskil]

The French Broad River that feeds Douglas is full of smallies.

I wish the TWRA would restock paddlefish into the French Broad like they have other areas.

 

[Biggun4214]

Douglas is probably to heavily commerically fished to try to re-establish paddle fish.
The Nolichucky and the Pigeon Rivers are full of smallies as well.