Author Topic: Couple Elk ?'s  (Read 5198 times)

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Travis C.

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Couple Elk ?'s
« on: November 22, 2011, 09:07:09 AM »
What flows do you look for on the TVA site to be wading and/or blown out?

Are there ramps for a boat assuming one below the Dam  but whats the next? mileage between?


If there is a map somewhere you can point me to that will be fine. Never fished it before and now that dad has picked up a flyrod maybe check it out one day. It's a 130 mile trip through Manchester as yahoo maps sends me so a scouting trip is probably not in the cards.

bd- How did you go down there?

toddro

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Re: Couple Elk ?'s
« Reply #1 on: November 22, 2011, 10:09:12 AM »
Darnell posted an excellent map of the Elk a while back with everything you need to know, including GPS coordinates.  Search around here, it's here somewhere and it is very well done.

As for wading, anything much above 300cfs is going to get tough, and certainly anything close to 1,000cfs is going to be dangerous wading.  Also, be sure to check the actual discharge from Tims Ford dam and not just the generations schedule.  Sometimes, Tims Ford will show "0" generators, but be running 1,000cfs+, which is how some inner tube & canoe outfitter down there almost killed a family one day by putting them in the river under dangerous conditions.

[edit] - here is the map.

http://trophyfishingtn.com/smf/index.php?topic=4052.0
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MikeA

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Re: Couple Elk ?'s
« Reply #2 on: November 22, 2011, 10:11:57 AM »
If David were to write an article on this kind of info I'd be happy to put it in the articles section.
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David L. Darnell

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Re: Couple Elk ?'s
« Reply #3 on: November 22, 2011, 10:34:16 AM »
get to Lynchburg or Winchester, Hwy 50 takes you by the dam.

take a bottle of white out and mark off Garner Ford, home brake in's and rednecks burning wooden steps got that one closed.

how large a boat/motor, lots of non jetable water on very low water, anything larger than a Gheenoe or canoe, will be hard work pulling back over gravel bars.

931-581-3792 if you need more info


Travis C.

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Re: Couple Elk ?'s
« Reply #4 on: November 22, 2011, 10:45:00 AM »
Awesome. Thanks!

The only time I have ever been down there was when I bought my big boat at Tri-Lakes Marine but that was years ago..

The boat I use on small water is a 14ft polarkraft w/44lb troller on it. Would that move around upstream or downstream on non-generation? Do they have a sluice like Caney?

David L. Darnell

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Re: Couple Elk ?'s
« Reply #5 on: November 22, 2011, 10:52:41 AM »
not a sluice, but a true spillway, as Todd said, can show running 300cfs, if can be out of the generator house (cold water) or down the spillway, or a little of both, for around 3-4 years now, US Fish and Game are "saving a Rock Darter and Mussel" near the Alabama line, reason for the unorthodox release schedules. In years past I could about tell you what to expect, that is all out the window now. US Fish says just and TVA ask how high.

Glenn Hawkins

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Re: Couple Elk ?'s
« Reply #6 on: November 22, 2011, 12:01:19 PM »
Be Really Careful!!!!  If you put your Jon boat in during heavy water with only a trolling motor.  The Elk is a narrow river with lots of strainers (trees) and the flow moves quickly!  Me and Darnell fished it this spring from the dam down during generation in his jet. We had a couple of tense moments   :oand I'm not sure if I would attempt it again.

Travis C.

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Re: Couple Elk ?'s
« Reply #7 on: November 22, 2011, 03:26:31 PM »
Be Really Careful!!!!  If you put your Jon boat in during heavy water with only a trolling motor.  The Elk a narrow river with lots of strainers (trees) and the flow moves quickly!  Me and Darnell fished it this spring from the dam down during generation in his jet. We had a couple of tense moments  :oand I'm not sure if I would attempt it again.

Thanks for the heads up.

Mostly will avoid the heavy water times or work a float around it similiar to the Caney. The only river I trust under flow with my setup is the Obey.

David L. Darnell

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Re: Couple Elk ?'s
« Reply #8 on: November 22, 2011, 07:06:11 PM »
Glenn and I broke the Elk's Golden Rule, "someone has to be driving the boat at all times", and the other fishing. We were both fishing in a fast section and floating transom downstream, almost hit a big tree root in midstream. Water was around 1450 cfs.

grumpy

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Re: Couple Elk ?'s
« Reply #9 on: November 23, 2011, 08:36:20 AM »
Did they get those trees cut out around the big island, a friend had to get in the water to get his drift boat over them awhile back?

Grumpy

David L. Darnell

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Re: Couple Elk ?'s
« Reply #10 on: November 23, 2011, 09:53:14 AM »
Last time I was down, on low water there was a small section cut away, enough for a small boat to pass