Clinch River Report.....

[ghosthunter]

We caught a few trout but the clinch doesn't seem to be what it use to. I figured the slot limit would do some good and maybe it has I haven't hit it right, but the quality of fish seem to be down. I did get to watch a big striper take my float under and rip the trout I was using for bait right off my 8 O circle hook. That was exciting and I will be back after them. We floated all the way from Miller's Island down to 61 because I thought we'd have plenty of water to get back up river due to the schedule pumping 2 generators til 11pm. Well I was wrong. I had enough water to make it below Miller's Is. then I busted my prop and a nice rock. The motor seems ok, it just bent the blades. So, I had to make a run back down river to Peach Orchard to get a ride back up to my truck. That will be the last time I put in at Miller Island and from now on if I have cell service I will call TVA every hour or so. That's the second time I've had the schedule change like that.

 

[7mm08]

I caught and released right at 20 fish on Monday afternoon on flies on the Clich. If fish from about noon to roughly 2:30PM. About 8 of those fish were in the protected slot. The river is improving IMO IF everyone obeys the law and TWRA enforces the law.

 

[Winchester]

I took the wife and boys Sunday morning and we put in at Peach Orchard. It was our first trip to the clinch in a few months. We caught about 20 trout in 2 hours but a 2 lb Brown was the best one.

 

[Model70Man]

There are no trout in the Clinch.









I caught 30+ on Sunday.

 

[7mm08]

The last surviving trout in the Clinch:

 

[Timber Ghost]

The last surviving trout in the Clinch:

 

[JQT]

We caught a few trout but the clinch doesn't seem to be what it use to. I figured the slot limit would do some good and maybe it has I haven't hit it right, but the quality of fish seem to be down. I did get to watch a big striper take my float under and rip the trout I was using for bait right off my 8 O circle hook. That was exciting and I will be back after them. We floated all the way from Miller's Island down to 61 because I thought we'd have plenty of water to get back up river due to the schedule pumping 2 generators til 11pm. Well I was wrong. I had enough water to make it below Miller's Is. then I busted my prop and a nice rock. The motor seems ok, it just bent the blades. So, I had to make a run back down river to Peach Orchard to get a ride back up to my truck. That will be the last time I put in at Miller Island and from now on if I have cell service I will call TVA every hour or so. That's the second time I've had the schedule change like that.

The rest of you need to listen to this man. The Clinch has turned into ghostwaters... No fish !!!!

And, it is extremely dangerous.. Stay off the clinch !!!!!

 

[7mm08]

PS. I fish better than I hunt. That's with 30 years of flyfishing under my belt. This river is no cake walk, but does produce well IF you have the access, flies, and methods figured out.

JQT. It's only gotten better since the slot limits went into effect last year. It used to be even better when they stocked an 8-10" fish instead of the 3-4" they do now. This river had a better food source in the late 80's and early 90's in scuds (little shrimp-like insects) that made those fish grow to huge proportions. There are not as many of the insects now but maybe they are like everything else and come in cycles. Those fish don't grow on corn and nightcrawlers, and their major food source the insects are down now as what they used to be. Got my theories but I wish we had the sowbugs the White does in Arkansas. Clouds of those insects when you walk across the bottom. Those fish are monsters!

Model 70,
I am still waiting on those photos of the "big"fish kill below Massengill of the big fish from the spilling this year(TVA had to dump water secondary to HIGH lake water in Norris). Can you get them?

 

[Model70Man]

I'll see if they still have them and see if they will email me the pics.