Clinch Fish Health

[waterwolf]

Originally Posted by duckypaddler

While I agree there are some holdovers, I would hate to fish that stretch without stocking

By no means do I wish to see stocking rates slashed, they are vital to the Holston, and Clinch. Unfortunately that is reality here, and even with a large amount of natural reproduction in the Clinch I question whether it could sustain itself without stocking given the current regs.

Originally Posted by Paula Begley

2: You guys all know when you call into question someone's 'balls' you are questioning their manhood. Quite honestly, I don't want to hear about your balls and whether anyone on this board has them or doesn't.
Paula

Sorry Paula, but I found this funny.

[Paula Begley]

Originally Posted by waterwolf

Sorry Paula, but I found this funny.

Good. It was meant to be.

Paula

[Cane Pole]

Originally Posted by duckypaddler

Wow Corbo, you should really share some pictures. They can be just of the fish, and don't have to be your secret weapon fly

While I agree there are some holdovers, I would hate to fish that stretch without stocking

I think it must be a carp fly!

[Rodonthefly]

Originally Posted by waterwolf

I will leave with a positive thing the Clinch Chapter accomplished, they were able to persuade Donnie Scruggs to allow them to fix his bank and stabilize damage done by years of cattle entering and exiting the river. What was done worked and worked well, and for that they deserve credit.

I agree, that it has helped but have you noticed where TVA has ran so much water over the past 3 winters the water is starting to eat behind the rock cages that they put in? Next time you go by there look where the spring enters the river next to the picnic area. You'll see what I'm talking about.

Also spot on about the tire removal, ever year the Sulpher hatch gets worse.

I have one other question about the Clinch TU chapter, Why is so much effort put into Coal creek and cane creek trying to restore and clean up these waters? They aren't going to stop the mining going on up on the mountian, so whats the point? Why not focus time and effort else where? Might I recomend placing tires back into the river . Just saying.

[MadisonBoats]

Originally Posted by Rodonthefly

I.......

Also spot on about the tire removal, ever year the Sulpher hatch gets worse.

I have one other question about the Clinch TU chapter, Why is so much effort put into Coal creek and cane creek trying to restore and clean up these waters? They aren't going to stop the mining going on up on the mountian, so whats the point? Why not focus time and effort else where? Might I recomend placing tires back into the river . Just saying.

Please tell me you are joking...Coal Creek is probably the most crucial influence on the Clinch Tail-water right now...As for the tires; I hope you are joking about that too...Please fellas; lets keep these suggestions serious and not put out silly points to side-track things...

[waterwolf]

Originally Posted by MadisonBoats

Please tell me you are joking...Coal Creek is probably the most crucial influence on the Clinch Tail-water right now...As for the tires; I hope you are joking about that too...Please fellas; lets keep these suggestions serious and not put out silly points to side-track things...

I have no issues using money and other resources on the feeder creeks. After all the fish do use them as spawning areas and they pour huge amounts of sediment into the river each year.

I am not so sure about the tires, they are unsightly for sure but do the negatives outweigh the positives? I don't know the answer to that, but would be surprised if a 20 year old tire affected water quality by a great amount.

[Joe Congleton]

There is virtually no active coal mining in either of the Coal Creel or Cane Creek watersheds. With the reclamation laws on mining and water discharges today blaming the Clinch issues in mining waste or mine water influences is an error

[Grannyknot]

Originally Posted by Joe Congleton

There is virtually no active coal mining in either of the Coal Creel or Cane Creek watersheds. With the reclamation laws on mining and water discharges today blaming the Clinch issues in mining waste or mine water influences is an error

You are correct about there being no active mines, but a lot of research has been done that discovered tailings from abandoned strip mines around Vowell Mtn, that by all accounts drain into the headwaters of coal creek. This was to the best of my knowledge independent research, done mostly by groups with an agenda...something to keep in mind.

I'm not going to say if this affects the quality of water that enters the clinch, but my guess would be that agricultural & sewage run-off, as well as trash dumping affect the water quite a bit worse.

Sedimentation of the river is another issue. Strip Mines, active or not, would be a big factor in this regard.

[waterwolf]

Originally Posted by Grannyknot

I'm not going to say if this affects the quality of water that enters the clinch, but my guess would be that agricultural & sewage run-off, as well as trash dumping affect the water quite a bit worse.

Sedimentation of the river is another issue. Strip Mines, active or not, would be a big factor in this regard.

The biggest water quality issue facing the Clinch IMO is basic rain water sediment run off. There is very little agriculture in either water shed, very little sewage impacts as both run through somewhat rural areas, even with Lake City being nearby it is small considering how much larger populations centers can be. The sediment is simply picked up in normal non disturbed areas during times of heavy rain. This sediment is a non-issue when TVA runs enough water to move it through the system without settling. However, in years like this past year when extended low flows exist the sediment becomes a major issue.

I personally do not feel the coal mining in the headwaters of the Clinch tribs are having any negative affects at this point. I have Grouse hunted in those areas and those mines are so ancient and settled that the streams adjacent to them run clear and from the minnow populations appear to be pretty healthy. Now a trip further north and west can find streams that run orange with sulfuric acid, but they drain an entirely different watershed.

The issues facing the Clinch are low flows like this year, over harvest, and stripers. Each are equally bad, and some like the stripers and harvest are easily controlled.