Urban_Hunter
Well-Known Member
Never done it. Looking for any and all suggestions. Two dudes in Kayaks with light spinning gear. I'm guessing rooster tails? What to look for in the generation schedule? Looking for trout
Floating the caney
- Thread starter Urban_Hunter
- Start date
tree_ghost
Well-Known Member
Check the generation schedule. Rooster tails work pretty well usually. I like white with black specs for color.
UCStandSitter
Well-Known Member
Beettlespin in chartreuse ain't bad
Smithwicks or rapalas. I like the black and gold rapalas and silver/blue and orange in the smithwicks
Crappieaddict
Well-Known Member
Before you begin your float, spend some time in the calm water below the dam.
Urban_Hunter
Well-Known Member
What am I checking for in the generation schedule exactly
- Joined
- Dec 5, 2014
- Messages
- 8,687
In my experience they don't bite very well unless there's at least 1 gen running, and 2 is sometimes better.What am I checking for in the generation schedule exactly
You don't wanna go if it's more than 2 running.
Urban_Hunter
Well-Known Member
That's what I'm looking for! Thanks!
tree_ghost
Well-Known Member
I like it with no generators or 1 running personally
I wouldn't be on the river in a kayak with two generators running!!
peytoncreekhunter
Well-Known Member
MidTennFisher
Well-Known Member
I spent a lot of time in that river when I lived in TN and I am almost exclusively a kayak angler. That being said, I would not recommend you float it when even 1 generator is running. Especially during cold months. There are a lot of trees laying down that you may barely see on higher water that could flip a kayak. Please don't do it.
Those trout bite just fine with 0 generators running. Rooster tails and Trout Magnets will keep you busy.
This is the time of year to float it. In the Summer that river turns into the cold tailwater equivalent of a booze cruise. It's filled with drunks on tubes and kayaks coming by you in waves of 50+ from just after sunrise to sunset. Luckily that goes away after Summer.
Those trout bite just fine with 0 generators running. Rooster tails and Trout Magnets will keep you busy.
This is the time of year to float it. In the Summer that river turns into the cold tailwater equivalent of a booze cruise. It's filled with drunks on tubes and kayaks coming by you in waves of 50+ from just after sunrise to sunset. Luckily that goes away after Summer.
Well said!
MidTennFisher
Well-Known Member
I wish there was a reasonable way TWRA could manage use of the Caney in the Summer between kayak shuttle floats and fishermen. Maybe only allow it between certain hours and leave some hours nice and peaceful for fishermen?
I get that it's their river too but I just don't like our trout stamps funding a party river.
We moved in 2016 but by then it was already getting out of hand. On a visit to see family in the Summer of 2023 we stopped at Happy Hollow to eat lunch and I was so disappointed in what I saw.
The serenity of the Caney Fork has been ruined by all the kayak shuttle companies. Sunrise to sunset it's wave, after wave, after wave of 20-50 kayaks. People drunk as heck, trashing the river and making a bunch of noise.
I totally agree that the canoe companies have ruined the Caney. But, the trout license, stamp) dollars have zero to do with those companies. They merely support the hatcheries and the trout stocking.
MidTennFisher
Well-Known Member
Oh I know the trout stamp dollars have nothing to do with the companies. I meant I just hate that many of those dollars go towards stocking trout in a river that is a great trout fishery but is being taken over by large groups of kayak shuttles. So the nice trout fishing experience, that I certainly don't mind paying for via the trout stamp, is being ruined by the hundreds of kayakers floating that river every day.
The trout are used to kayaks! Fish on!
Setterman
Well-Known Member
Same thing happened to our mountain wma's except a nonstop roar of atv riders. They've destroyed the land, left trash everywhere and ruined what used to be a really nice area. It's so sad
Sure. They are there and might bite but the amount of intrusion and noise changes their behavior.
A fish that might have been in 18inches of water without disruption is not going to be there after the first oar hits the rock he's sitting behind.
MidTennFisher
Well-Known Member
I think the blasting of mumble rap, obnoxious "woo girls" screaming, and tossing beer cans into the river may have some effect on the fish behavior as well.
All of it comes with what the Caney has turned into. It's really sad. I've got so many great memories of fishing that place even on Saturdays and hearing nothing but birds and splashes on the water.
MidTennFisher
Well-Known Member
The only downside to that is giving them a seat at the table, so to say. If they start paying as much as we, hunters and anglers do, then they'll make the argument that they should be able to have 500 kayaks float the Caney every day and tear up the WMAs with their side by sides.
I like having the leg to stand on that we pay the most into the system so our use should be prioritized. TWRA should step in and have some sort of cutoff for the Caney so that the anglers who fund the trout stocking can have some times to fish in peace.
yeah just be careful if you do, cold shock death is real.
MidTennFisher
Well-Known Member
Sure they manage it. That's why they implement regulations for trout size and creel limits.
If I can't keep Brown Trout anymore (unless they're giants) then I see no reason why they can't set some sort of limitation of the shuttle groups of kayaks.
Wooden Arrow
Well-Known Member
some popular rivers out west now have limited entry permits for floats. may have to go to that, just like drawing a tag for a hunting area. wade fishing should not be affected...
MidTennFisher
Well-Known Member
I don't see it as unreasonable. They have an impact on the resource just like we do. Maybe not in the same manner but there is still an impact.
We have limitations like 14-20" protected slot for rainbows and brooks, and 24" minimum for browns. That was response to increased fishing pressure to protect the resource. I eat trout and hate throwing a 14-16" rainbow back but I see why they did it.
So why not impose a limit to another, rapidly growing, source of pressure on that resource?
- Joined
- Dec 5, 2014
- Messages
- 8,687
In regards to the OP's question- I see there's several folks who are in-the-know who disagree with what I posted. They're likely more knowledgeable than me about the Caney. I was just basing my comment on the parameters that the Canoe the Caney outfitters use.
Afaik they send folks down the river if 1 generator is in operation.
Isn't that their policy?
Afaik they send folks down the river if 1 generator is in operation.
Isn't that their policy?
BigCityBubba
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Dec 13, 2022
- Messages
- 3,231
I think another canoe rental opened not that long ago so it is even worse. Go during the week in the summer to avoid the hordes. If going on the weekend, be on the water as soon as you can see. You might get a couple of hours of fishing in before the hordes start passing you. The trout do bite when the hordes are moving through. As for what to use, rooster tail, panther martin, small floating and sinking rapalas, rebel craw, corn, night crawlers, and powerbait.
MidTennFisher
Well-Known Member
I think most of them will do 1 generator but those floats are also mainly in the Summer. You can still be in trouble if you spend too much time in that water in August in the event of flipping a yak but it's not near as dangerous as Winter time. That's the only reason I suggested to not do it this time of year with any generators running.
