Gallatin Steam Plant questions

[catman529]

1. Are they catching any numbers of rockfish up in there yet?

2. Are there really pacu in there as I've been told by a friend?

3. Decent numbers of tilapia as well, or no?


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[MidTennFisher]

Plenty of rockfish, check the last two threads I posted about it. I've been catching 30+ inchers from my kayak, it's a thrill! Tilapia are in there but sometimes hard to find. When you find them, stay in that area because they tend to be in tight groups and if you venture 10-15 feet away you may not catch any. Never seen or heard of a Pacu being caught. I'd say that was a mistaken identity if someone said they caught one. Then again, if by some chance a Pacu got in that lake, they'd only be able to survive the Winter in that warm discharge so I guess it's possible.

I'd like to get out there in my kayak in search of a 40+ incher to qualify it as a T.A.R.P. but it's just gotten too cold for me to enjoy it since kayak fishing means getting a bit wet and it's just not comfortable. If we can get some days with a mid 40's high I'll try it but lately it's just been too cold so I've been small game hunting to get my outdoor fun.

 

[Mudbone]

Yes they are catching em pretty good. My old boss that you've met has been catching em in the mornings and evenings on redfins on top. Also cAught a mess of tilapia on his first time trying for em.

 

[catman529]

Good deal guess I have to get the boat ready soon.

If there are pacu or piranha, they would be pets that people turned loose I assume. Just something I've heard but not confirmed.


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[MidTennFisher]

I'll forewarn you, it gets very crowded there in front of that barrier. You either have to get there before sunrise or stay until sunset when most people start leaving. That's when the rockfish are more active and that's when the barrier won't be boat to boat crowded. That's why I haven't been since November. It's too cold before sunrise for me to want to get in my kayak! I want to fish Sunday afternoon-dark and I'm considering going there but I'm not sure. It may be too crowded. I also might fish Williamsport if the lakes aren't frozen, a buddy of mine is headed out there today to let me know what they look like.

 

[catman529]

I'll forewarn you, it gets very crowded there in front of that barrier. You either have to get there before sunrise or stay until sunset when most people start leaving. That's when the rockfish are more active and that's when the barrier won't be boat to boat crowded. That's why I haven't been since November. It's too cold before sunrise for me to want to get in my kayak! I want to fish Sunday afternoon-dark and I'm considering going there but I'm not sure. It may be too crowded. I also might fish Williamsport if the lakes aren't frozen, a buddy of mine is headed out there today to let me know what they look like.

is it that crowded during week days?


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[MidTennFisher]

During the weekdays it's less crowded. These fish have irregular feeding patterns from what I've learned. They typically are sunrise and sunset feeders but what I mean is that sometimes they're not very active at sunrise but that following sunset they'll be very active and vice versa. So you're gambling a bit with what time you choose to go after them. Seems like lately I've been there at the wrong time. I went yesterday and fished the afternoon until dark, very little activity and only one 2 pound rockfish was caught, several of us trying all sorts of different methods. If they were feeding, one of us would have figured it out.

Not too long ago I was there as the sun was setting and had one of the most awesome 45 minutes of fishing of my life. I landed 4 on topwaters, ranging from 18" to 34" and also had several more big blowups to get my attention. THAT was a time when I was there are the right time.

I think I might take a vacation day from work to get there in the morning, fish the early bite and if they're not active, take a nap and paddle back out there for the afternoon shift.

 

[catman529]

I'm working a lot of hours right now so time is limited. If I go it will most likely be afternoon till dark. Do people do much good after dark?


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[Aquaholic]

The colder the nastier the weather the better the fishing..... ;)

 

[MidTennFisher]

I'm working a lot of hours right now so time is limited. If I go it will most likely be afternoon till dark. Do people do much good after dark?


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Yep. I know a few guys who go out there overnight and fish. I won't do that this time of year, too cold for that. In the Summer I plan to do a float down the Caney overnight to chase rockfish. These fish hardly feed during the day unless you can drop a live shad or skipjack on their nose. For artificials and for the best overall feeding, it's sunrise, sunset, and dark hours.

 

[catman529]

That's what I thought, I know people wear em out on the caney at dark. I need a canoe or small flat bottom to float down without an outboard before I feel safe floating the caney at night. Gets shallow real quick


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[MidTennFisher]

You need a kayak!

As for the Caney at night, that's only a Summertime thing. In the cooler months you won't find many Rockfish in the Caney if any at all. They only go there during the Summer in search of cooler waters and current. I have a theory that many of those rockfish are at GSP right now due to the fact that you can throw trout imitating lures there and catch them. Rockfish sure do love a good Rainbow Trout.

 

[catman529]

You need a kayak!

As for the Caney at night, that's only a Summertime thing. In the cooler months you won't find many Rockfish in the Caney if any at all. They only go there during the Summer in search of cooler waters and current. I have a theory that many of those rockfish are at GSP right now due to the fact that you can throw trout imitating lures there and catch them. Rockfish sure do love a good Rainbow Trout.

I know it's only summer time in there but was thinking ahead to this summer. You may be right about the fish moving down to GSP. I have a trout colored Redfin too


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[shorefisherman]

wish cordell hull lake had a steam plant

 

[Aquaholic]

[youtube]DG4EVYOYJWs[/youtube]

Heres a little raw video from GSP on 1/8/2015...

 

[MidTNKayakAngler]

Thanks for the video Aquaholic.

With my work schedule I haven't been out there in about a month or more, and don't really care to with all the crowds. I need to find a weekday that is really nasty weather and I'm not working 12hr shifts with 10hrs off and make it out before it starts warming up.

Jeremy

 

[Aquaholic]

Thanks for the video Aquaholic.

With my work schedule I haven't been out there in about a month or more, and don't really care to with all the crowds. I need to find a weekday that is really nasty weather and I'm not working 12hr shifts with 10hrs off and make it out before it starts warming up.

Jeremy

I was told by a buddy of mine that was fishing up there for the first time this year that one of the crowd in a kayak crossed the barrier yesterday and was fishing the other side yesterday afternoon....We need to find out who it was and put a stop to it before they make us stay out past the white bouys..... :twisted:

 

[MidTNKayakAngler]

Thanks for the video Aquaholic.

With my work schedule I haven't been out there in about a month or more, and don't really care to with all the crowds. I need to find a weekday that is really nasty weather and I'm not working 12hr shifts with 10hrs off and make it out before it starts warming up.

Jeremy

I was told by a buddy of mine that was fishing up there for the first time this year that one of the crowd in a kayak crossed the barrier yesterday and was fishing the other side yesterday afternoon....We need to find out who it was and put a stop to it before they make us stay out past the white bouys..... :twisted:

I agree 110%. I've heard the same thing, and what I hear is he gets snagged and decides getting snagged gives him permission to cross the barrier and to retrieve his lure, and figures while he's up there he might as well fish. This is a bad move, if the Steam Plant personnel or TVA finds out, and want to move the barrier further out they have the right to. We are fortunate that it is where it is, and boundaries need to be observed and respected unless it's an emergency situation, and getting a bait does not constitute as an emergency situation in my book. If I'm out there and I see it happen, you can bet I will address this personally with the individual in the boat, raft, canoe, kayak, or any watercraft.

 

[Aquaholic]

Im following Merv's advice, I have some 5 oz sinkers..... ;)

 

[MidTNKayakAngler]

Sometimes those are needed :stir:

I know it's not anyone that I fish with, or anyone I would consider a friend

 

[Aquaholic]

I see his name is Matt Case.....

 

[MidTennFisher]

Stop posting his name! No need to put a target on someone's back. Talk to him personally if you have an issue with what he did and whatever you do, don't go telling TWRA. That will likely result in even further restrictions to fishing that area.

RUGER - Can you remove his name from this thread please?

 

[Aquaholic]

He has been spoken too before..... I havent put a target on his back , he did, he took it upon himself to put all of our fishing up there at risk, If hes one of your buddies you need to talk to him, Its not TWRA that he has to worry about , Its TVA and the rest of the people that fish up there....

On a side note I wish they would keep the Barrier up from now on, fishing up there in the last 2 years has been the best it has ever been since I have been fishing up there since 1991.....

 

[MidTennFisher]

I wish they'd remove it. Anyone else wondering how this guy managed to survive the extreme danger going over it to get a lure... TWICE?? He must have angels constantly looking over him. The barrier is unnecessary and I do have a major issue with TVA or TWRA, whoever is responsible for putting it there, keeping us from fishing an area of public water most of us would love to go fish. If we're perfectly allowed, thought it would be foolish, to paddle our kayaks below any dam in Tennessee regardless of generation schedule then why shouldn't we be allowed to paddle closer to the discharge?

 

[Aquaholic]

It has to do with construction of the scrubbing tower....nothing to do with the discharge... .....when it does open back up the fishing will not be as good as it is now.....these last.2 winters have been the best fishing ever...no boat traffic up there has created a sanctuary which has allowed the fish to feel comfortable feeding there like they do....open it back to traffic and that goes away....I've fished the Steamplant for close to 25 yrs....

 

[MidTNKayakAngler]

Enjoy your fishing now while the barrier is there. Because when it is removed you'll have 3x more boats there, people entering and exiting the channel on plane, pontoons anchored in the middle if the channel drifting 5-6 lines of live bait, people pulling planer boards up and down the channel. I've only lived here for 5 years, and have been fishing the area for 4 years, so I'm not familiar with how it was years ago in the glory days.

 

[Aquaholic]

These are the Glory Days RIGHT NOW......when the Barrier comes down it will go back to the way it was when a 5 fish day was great a GREAT DAY,Top Water action was very very rare .....My best day till last winter was a 5 fish day back in 1998....all fish were over 30 lbs and 2 were over 40...

The Barrier is probably the BEST thing to happen to fishing at the Steam Plant....The only thing better would be to leave the Barrier up and open back up to foot traffic....