Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency-Region III

[MikeA]

The Hiwasse River and Cane Creek Park were stocked with rainbow trout yesterday. Today, Chilhowee Lake was stocked with adult rainbow trout and fingerling lake trout.

[grumpy]

That's real good being the HI is running 7000 CFS

[bd]

Why does everybody get so excited about the Hiwassee?  Was it drastically different in past decades or something?

I hear many people talk about it like it's a beautiful fly fishing mecca, but every time I research it, it looks like a very marginal fishery with few fish over 14 inches, and I wonder why it's worth the drive.

[MN Fishing Bum]

Been there once.  I think it is known for dry fly action.   

[Bfish]

Very wide river, and being mostly inside the National Forest, very scenic.  Dry fly action is good almost year around.  Being so wide, lots of space, so it seldom feels crowded (even with heavy rec. tube and kayak use). Dam controled with consistent schedule, especially in the summer time, which makes scheduling a trip much easier than the other tailwaters.  Not the place for trophy trout, but a interesting place for numbers. 

[grumpy]

Why does everybody get so excited about the Hiwassee?  Was it drastically different in past decades or something?

I hear many people talk about it like it's a beautiful fly fishing mecca, but every time I research it, it looks like a very marginal fishery with few fish over 14 inches, and I wonder why it's worth the drive.

yeh bd, decades ago it was a great fishery, still good for dries & stocked fish & still one of the prettiest rivers in the state or about anywhere for that matter.
I'd just as soon go bluegill fishing as to go back & fish there, remember what it once was.

Grumpy

[TWiles]

EDIT....A sleeper  warm water fishery.  I'd go there for those guys, but you have to maneuver some tricky ledges.

[TimM]

Dammitson!

 

Based on a number of things I can say that this really does seem to be a hit or miss fishery (for multiple species via multiple techniques) that requires MUCH sacrifice to understand/pattern from anywhere other than next door. 

[MikeA]

I'm going to fish it more this year. For Trout,, from a Kayak.

[Bfish]

I'm going to fish it more this year. For Trout,, from a Kayak.

Let me know, if you need/want company as I am local

[MikeA]

Shoot me a PM anytime it's right Bfish.

[John M]

I floated the upper section from powerhouse to Towee twice a few weeks ago when the temps were 70 before the rains. We landed about 80 between the three of us and most were on drys. Beautiful float but all were stockers in the 12-14 range. I learned to trout fish o this river and it is always nice to get back there.

[Steve H]

Why does everybody get so excited about the Hiwassee?  Was it drastically different in past decades or something?

I hear many people talk about it like it's a beautiful fly fishing mecca, but every time I research it, it looks like a very marginal fishery with few fish over 14 inches, and I wonder why it's worth the drive.

yeh bd, decades ago it was a great fishery, still good for dries & stocked fish & still one of the prettiest rivers in the state or about anywhere for that matter.
I'd just as soon go bluegill fishing as to go back & fish there, remember what it once was.

Grumpy

Well stated.

[oldmanelrod]

Used to be great be great, still good. Once the Little T was dammed up the pressure on the Hiwassee doubled over night it seemed. The trophy section of the Big Bend does hold some nice fish. If you don't want to float you can walk the rails from reliance up and get access to some places others look over. Several of the smaller streams in the area do hold some vary spooky wild fish.