2022 03 19 TN river Nickajack

[coldfront]

out today 'cause it's Saturday.  Little cool.  Air temps just at 50°F.  Water temps are 53°F - 54°F.  Rain last night has the water color stained and a little less than a foot of visibility.  Chickamauga dam is running a lot of water.  CFS = 83,000 and river is up about two to three feet higher than typical.  Spawn is still 1-2 months out.  all fish came on a 3/8 ounce war eagle spinnerbait.  double willow leaf; one silver/one gold.  all small but welcome.
all fish really pale.  just starting to move up.  plus they have that 'pale yellow' cast typical of Nickajack.  Just not that dark healthy green I see on lakes upstream and down.
the spot was really trying to be 'big'.  huge belly that just doesn't show up well in photo... but it had been sitting in an eddy eating, I'm guessing, everything it saw...  including a spinnerbait.

with current this heavy (and winds 15 - 20) wasn't best conditions to be out and catching, but still a great day on the water.  only gets better from here...

[Donald Garner]

CF, congrats on the catching and tks for sharing the trip and pictures with us also 

[coldfront]

you're always welcome Don.  Loving the new 112 Ultrex TM.   the old 80lb ultrex would have kept me off the water... just could not keep up with the current when it goes over 60,000 cfs...

[Mike Cork]

As always, thanks for the great stats and report.