Any One Fish the Elk Lately???

[czkid]

I'm heading up tomorrow and need the latest poop... otherwise it'll be the same old thing.... midge, midge, midge.

Ralph

[ALflygirl]

We are thinking of heading up next Wednesday.  I was curious too.  TVA says they are spilling 100 cfs until further notice.  The bottom was gunky the last time we were up there...bet it's worse now.  Let us know how you do! Have fun!

[czkid]

I'll try and give a detailed report.  I'm hoping the rains may have helped a bit, but I'm not counting on much.  I'll start at the dam and work my way West... and hopefully find a few fish.  Coming down from Nashville Sunday I noticed the Elk running brim full at I-65, so if not at the dam, possibly some trout water is cleaner than what I experienced a couple weeks back.

Ralph

[ALflygirl]

Hey Ralph...
check out cumberland transit's forum.  There's a post on there about TVA intentionally warming the Elk for the benefit of mussels and a darter. Not good for those little trout I like to catch!

Rachel

[Ideal Lies]

Heres the TVA report on the darters and mussels. http://www.tva.gov/environment/reports/timsford2/dea.pdf

[Looper Flies]

I just got an email from Rhonda at Tim's Flies and Lies Outfitters in Lynchburg:

Greetings All:  This is an URGENT appeal for your comments to save the current
trout water we enjoy fishing on the Elk.  Please take time to read the report
mentioned below and send your comments immediately to Tina as noted at the end of  the report.  She is still accepting public comments even though the deadline is
past if you respond ASAP.  The jest of it is that we stand to loose one to five
river miles of current trout water which would be from Farris Creek to Old Dam
Ford.  If you have not fished this area, let me tell you there are some great trout
in there and it would be a shame to loose it since there are still about 22 miles
of river between Old Dam Ford and Fayetteville that could be habitat for warm water  species and for protecting the endangered species.  The Elk could become a seasonal trout stream like the Duck instead of year round trout fishing we have come to enjoy.  If you have noticed how slow the Elk is fishing this year despite the fact that many, many trout have been stocked, the high water temperature caused by the spilling from lake has caused the river temp to increase to around 67 at the dam, 70 at Farris Creek and 75 at Old Dam.  This is simply not good for trout! 

Please, please voice your comments asap if you enjoy trout fishing!  Also, forward this message to anyone else that can help or comment to TVA.  Thanks, Rhonda @ Tim's Flies and Lies 



This was is the website I was given:

http://www.tva.gov/environment/reports/timsford2/index.htm

[Leo deMonbreun]

Folks, this is really serious stuff here, unless challenged heavily they will do what the want to do.  We need to let them know that there is an alternative, and it has nothing to do with taking this fishery out of the equation. Please email, write a letter, and make a call, to generate some argument for her for this side of the discussion.  From reading her posting, it almost sounds like she is seeking support and help.  Too, get on the phone with Frank Fiss over at TWRA.  Frank is a really neat guy and he will listen to what we have to say.  I would seek the support of Trout Unlimited but at this point in the game, I am not so sure we could get active involvement fast enough.

Contact Information

Submit comments, requests for more information, and requests for a printed copy of the DEA to:

    Tina M. Tomaszewski, NEPA Resources
    Tennessee Valley Authority
    1101 Market Street, LP 5U
    Chattanooga, TN 37402
    tmtomaszewski@tva.gov
    Phone: 423-751-7291

[czkid]

The following sent this AM:

Tom;

I’m the “Outings Director” for the Huntsville/North Alabama Federation of Fly Fishers organization.  I have been informed as to the plans for the Elk River tailwater, and just returned from fishing that water yesterday.

When I left the river at 5 PM the water temps at the bridge below Tim’s Ford dam were approaching 70 degrees… and there was little evidence of aeration to the water.  I had briefly stopped by the Farris Creek bridge area and checked temperatures there… they were well over 70 degrees F.

Since the diurnal cycle hasn’t had a chance to really react to summer temperatures, I fear that we are looking at loosing the entire Elk River trout fishery.

My fishing experience on the Elk yesterday showed that the fisher were quite lethargic, and did not respond well to stimulus.  These fish were stocked the day before, so that could be part of the problem… but myself, along with many other North Alabama fly fishers are concerned that the Elk River trout fishery is going the way of the Dodo.  Since most of us purchase our $80+ TN “Out of State” licenses exclusively to fish on the Elk we are wondering if the state plans on refunding a portion of that money to us given that you are deliberately destroying the one fishery that we utilize in your fair state?
 

Ralph Shuey
Tennessee Valley Fly Fishers
Huntsville, AL

[bd]

My viewpoint probably isn't going to be popular here, but I have a hard time saying that a couple native species should be put at risk of extinction to save a non-native stocked trout fishery.  We sportsmen are supposed to be conservationists and stewards of the resource.

That said, I would hate to see the entire trout tailwater lost, and I would also hate to see it turned into a seasonal fishery like the Duck.  In my opinion, the Duck is a waste of time to fish.

The TVA report seems to suggest that most of the trout tailwater can be saved (though that's not consistent with the temps being reported ).  However, it seems clear that even moderate warming temps would probably kill the last few miles of the fishery around Old Dam Ford, at least in the summer.

If they can protect habitat for native species and only affect the last few miles of the trout tailwater (leaving around 20 miles of trout water), I will fully support that.

On the other hand, if the entire tailwater is going to be reduced to just another Duck River seasonal fishery for "disposable trout" that die in the summer, I am not as happy about it.

bd

[czkid]

BD,

My point exactly... but it seems like we're dealing with a group of rank amatuers with this bunch.  I'm suspecting that we've got some political bureacrats heading up a technical group of people and not listening to them.  That's probably compounded with dealings between two government entities... one federal (TVA) and the other state.  How anything positive will come out of this is questionable... but if enough financial and political pressure is put onto these "public servants" then hopefully something positive may come out of it... but I'm not about to hold my breath.

The TN fisheries folks were always quick to brief us on the positives... but they never contacted the club on this one.  I wonder why

Ralph

[bd]

Why do you say it's a bunch of "rank amateurs"?  The TVA study seems like it goes into pretty exhaustive detail:

http://www.tva.gov/environment/reports/timsford2/dea.pdf

Also, dleo mentioned alternatives - what are they?  I want to be as educated as possible on this issue before I start calling people.

If there is a compromise that saves native wildlife and preserves the trout fishery, that's the obvious solution.

If it's one or the other, I hate to say it, but the darters and the mussels win in my book.  I am not going to call TWRA and tell them some endangered species should be threatened with extinction so I can fish for stocker trout.

bd

[czkid]

The "rank amatuer" comes with the IMPLEMENTATION aspects.  The technology folks would probably recommend other than that which is being practiced.  A shift that sudden isn't going to do what you and I are expecting... maintain the 10 mile trout area and allow the rest to gradually increase in temperature.

I have no desire to see the other species die out... but I don't see letting poor practices mess up the trout population in the top 10 miles of the river.  A gradual shift would allow for the large population of trout below Farris Creek bridge to move upstream into comfortable waters while not killing off everything between the dam and Farris Creek bridge.

Several of us noted bass moving up into the area between the bend and the dam yesterday... not a particularly good sign.

Ralph