2022 03 26 Nickajack TN River

[coldfront]

Been a week of atypically high winds.  Sustained close to 20mph and gusts up to 30mph.  Makes for some rough boating conditions at times, but slowing down helps navigate the worst of it.
Day started cool/cold. Cool from the weather forecasters, but COLD to me.  So I went out in full windcutting attire including gloves, balaclava on top of the insulated BLACK raingear.  wasn't bad at all.  ONce the sun got up, the gloves were gone and the wind bite from running around at 40mph wasn't a problem.

Water temps this week were up a bit from a few days ago.  57°F to start the day and up to 58°F by end of the day.  these were main river temps.  the shallow backwater areas were colder due to our overnight temps and not having any time for the sun to warm them up.

Water clarity was stained.  again, early week rain/run-off is still working through the system.  Possibly a foot, foot and half visibility.

TVA current generation:  32,000 cfs.  down from the 80,000+ of a week ago.  Looks like TVA is changing over to the next phase:  raising lakes to summer pool.  this means that downstream from Chickamauga, current generation should not be 'blowin' unless we get some really torrential spring rains.  this signals the start of fish moving into backwater areas that have been 'out of water' as they start to position for spawning.


I stayed main river and worked slack water as well as current breaks.  fishing was steady.  they were exactly where they were supposed to be.  Most of my action came on berkley halfhead rigged with a berkly flatworm.  basic jig worm.  a few came on a tube.  had it in mind to toss a swimbait, just never got around to it.  was having too much fun and enjoying the day.

some of the fish looked a little beat up.  trying to 'make a living' in high current flow is apparently a contact sport...