The Truth About Generation

[Tubakka]

Look,
I was recently carousing over another forum that spoke of how dangerous this generation was and that even TODAY...at just 9000 CFS, it's "so dangerous" to fish. Over a year ago, I was told how unproductive and dangerous more than 1 generator on the Caney is. While I will admit, fishing it under the massive torrential flood it was a couple weeks ago might've been haphazardly productive, it was more trouble than it was worth, but even then it is easily navigated if you have some common sense. I wouldn't do it in a canoe or a drift boat, but a decent sized outboard motor powered craft not overloaded will do fine. What is it going to take to educate people that this river is not a friggin' Steven King novel..."THE CANEY"...it doesn't eat boats, it isn't possessed by the will of a disgruntled fly guide who drowned on a cold winter morn when the generators came on unannounced, and it isn't really THAT dangerous unless you're a complete buffoon, and with a little confidence and practice, it opens up a whole new level of angling. Just today, jacking around, we got a 23" and lost another, it's twin, and had several more relaly nice ones come up. It makes new shoals, no bars, and that darker water can really help your case, as well. Why don't most understand this? I'd be happy to make it clear and simple why it is perfectly fine to navigate and fish.

 

[Tubakka]

OH btw, "we" I mean "biglures"...congrats dude. you got the pic. Post it.

 

[rsimms]

I think we mostly agree ... where I pointed out on the "other" Forum that fishing heavy water (Caney, Hiwassee, Clinch or any Tenn. River Tailwater) is best left to "the experienced" angler.

What I don't understand is why you are responding to commments on another Forum, here???

 

[Tubakka]

I don't think it' the forum you're referring to simms. In fact, I'm pretty sure it's not. But it's been said on here too. Maybe not...I thought it was in general.

 

[Football Hunter]

ok

 

[bigluresonly]

OH btw, "we" I mean "biglures"...congrats dude. you got the pic. Post it.

 

[B.D.]

Tubs, maybe I have some perspective on this that you do not have. I have personally been on the Caney on 2 gens and watched a couple in a jon boat drift sideways into a tree while hubby was farting around with the motor. They swamped and were in the water in less than two seconds. If I had not been nearby they would have had a hard time getting out. On another occasion I helped some folks in a similar situation under generation when they turned over a canoe (though at least those folks had life jackets on).

Don't underestimate how little experience some people have with high, fast water. The Caney is flatwater, and it is extremely tame compared to some rivers I've been on, but it can still mess a person up in a hurry.

As a general rule of thumb, I firmly believe that if someone has to ask whether a tailwater is safe under heavy generation, they don't have enough experience to be out there.

You do what you want, but I'm not going to mock people who say a river under generation is dangerous, and I'm not going to go around claiming that the "truth" is it's safe. Someone is going to get hurt.

bd

 

[bob]

The ocean is the same way. The out going and incoming tides aren't a big deal at all to most people who live and fish there. Let me highly recommend a trip for you. Head to south Florida, go to Jupiter inlet and head out to sea though the inlet during peak high tide in your little boat. I've done it a bunch so hey it must be safe. Let us know how you do! Don�t even bother with PFD�s it�s 100% safe.

BTW Brown Trout is dumbest, most predictable, easiest fish to pattern, in freshwater. This is why most people fly fish only for them, it�s like dumbing down to their level�

So congrats, you can catch stupid fish with zebcos... Seriously, you should move on to the next level, bluegill on snoopy poles. I hear the sponge bob bobbers are the shizzle. Just kidding.

 

[gil1]

Although I had a good time spinfishing with Simms last year when the Caney's banks looked more like Reelfoot, I probably won't do it again for a while.

As you know, Tubbs, for me, it's more about the experience than the results (that's what all crappy hunters and fishermen say! )

a. On high water, I'm just nervous. I can't enjoy it as much. I've still got a bunch of experience but whether it's just one generator or more makes no difference to me, I'm just a little on edge when they dump water.

b. I can't enjoy fly fishing that much when they are dumping 2 or more generators. My shoulder hurts tossing streamers all day, and I can't get down to the fish for very long. It's just not very effective. Or I should say, maybe others are good at it, but I'm not.

I know your argument is for me to put down the buggy whip and pick up the hardware. We fly boys don't catch big fish. Well, that's not true, but even if it were, I prefer to fly fish just like you prefer your method. To each his own I say.

All those reasons conspire to make a high water Caney trip not worth the trip at all.

 

[4onaside]

Familiarity breeds contempt. And it will also get you killed. If you pay attention to business and err on the side of caution you will probably be OK in most situations. But if you are cavalier about a dangerous situation, just because you've done it before,and didn't get hurt, watch out. And Bob, these boys enjoy catching big trout using the methods that they do, so ease up. LOL
Are you familiar with the term, "whatever floats your cork"?, speaking of which, where can I get a sponge bob bobber?

 

[bowriter]

Tubbs just hasn't had the true Caney experience. He isn't old enough or experienced enough. Just hope we don't have to go try and recover him.

 

[Tubakka]

I'm not encouraging reckless boating. I've done that. I'm saying it's stupid to act like the things going to eat you. In a 12 foot jon boat? no...but in a 16 foot aluminum or a fiberglass boat like my own? Sure you can get hurt, but that can happen on any water at any time. You should awlays be alert and have flotation on hand. I'm not encouraging reckless endangerment, but to completely ignore a wonderful fishery due to unjustifed FEAR, not respect, is folly.

Bob,
I fish for more than brown trout. I fish muskies, bass, cats, and am learning walleye and smallies soon. And no offense, but the larger trout are not so stupid. By larger, I am not talking about the 20-25" dinks I'm getting. I'm talking about the fish that I'm beginning to learn and study that go up into the 15-30 pound range, and believe me, I'm doing my homework.

And I'm quite familiar with the nature of an inlet. I watched idiots nearly swamp their boat every night I went to Sebastien Inlet. Oh, and while at Sebastien inlet, I routinely took snook up to 42" and reds to 50". On artificials. And yes, I have pics.

 

[Tubakka]

Gil,
Isn't this what weighted lines and streamers are for?

 

[Tubakka]

I wasn't questioning the stability of the drift boat. It was my understanding the drift boat was designed for areas containing white water shallow runs where upstream travel was impossible, and the navigational abilities of them to orient around midstream structures and take a beating shone through. I've been in a drift boat on several occasions. I found it cramped, whispy in handling and unnecessary. I think they're great as a bath tub to float down stream in, but in rivers like the Caney where even on low water there are few areas that could even be stretched in the imagination to justify using one over a powered craft...although I saw a guy one time with a 5 hp mounted on the back, and wanted to applaud. My issue with it was more...on this heavy a water, that anchor does you know good in the front, and if all you have is oars, unless you're very experienced, or ridiculously strong, you have to predict your trajectory about a half mile above the take out, and in alot of cases, if you miss it under this current and you're having to stroke back up? hehe...g'luck. I'd rather put a few chips in a prop than have to call a pickup in carthage.

 

[gil1]

Gil,
Isn't this what weighted lines and streamers are for?

True. It just wears me out, and I don't enjoy it that much. On two or more generators, it's a real pain trying to get your streamer down. I hate to say this because it's the point you've made about fly fishing many times, but in the case of really heavy water, it's just not that effective for me. I'd rather wait for the water to go down a bit.

 

[B.D.]

Two thoughts:

1. Tubs just called 25-inch browns "dinks." Oh god, make it stop.

2. Captain Hook, did you really just say, "Our tailwaters are not dangerous as long as people don't do anything stupid"? On the Caney, your "as long as" is about a fifteen second time span.

bd

 

[B.D.]

On two or more generators, it's a real pain trying to get your streamer down.

This is because you have to count it down five seconds, and then you don't have a free hand to hold your rod.

bd

 

[Tubakka]

BD,
Show me another species in freshwater angling that is considered a trophy when it reaches, in weight, a size 20% of its maximum growth potential. Browns can reach 30-40 pounds, and routinely get 20 pounds, yet somehow, a 6-7 pound fish is a trophy?...

...yeah, I'd go so far to say that 20" browns ARE dinks, 24-25" are nice, but still just nicer dinks.

 

[stillinscrubs]

On two or more generators, it's a real pain trying to get your streamer down.

This is because you have to count it down five seconds, and then you don't have a free hand to hold your rod.

bd

Flip flops BD, lmao.

 

[Tubakka]

...he's BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaack.....