Underwater Photos: [Trout/Gar] Clinch River - 06/11

[MadisonBoats]

Here are a few underwater pictures of a few fish. I took most of these last week. The quality is not that great; due to most of the photos being frame shots from some of my videos. It is difficult to photograph the fish up close without spooking them.

I hope you enjoy them. I have some fabulous video of the trout feeding and taking bugs in the film. I hope to have a link to a clip shortly.

All of these photos are from the Clinch River, TN.

[rbreedi1]

Cool pics..thanks for sharing! look forward to seeing the video of them feeding.

[NDuncan]

what kind of a set up are you using to take those pictures? Do you have the camera mounted under water or are you holding it by hand? Really cool stuff there.

[flyman]

That last one looks like an alligator gar

[MadisonBoats]

Originally Posted by NDuncan

what kind of a set up are you using to take those pictures? Do you have the camera mounted under water or are you holding it by hand? Really cool stuff there.

I am just using a compact digital camera that has underwater capabilities. I wish it would shoot video in better quality. I use a pocket tripod that has the flexible legs. What I do is slowly move to an area I want to shoot and I place the tripod firmly in the bottom and press record. Then; I try to adjust the angle of the camera for the best action. It usually takes about 10-15 minutes for the fish to reset before I start getting good footage. They do not mind my camera. I have several shots of the fish knocking it over with their fins. Well; maybe they do...

Also; I have a long aluminum rod for my boat that I threaded the end of it and I use it to stealthy approach fish from behind. I got some good shots of some large striper yesterday when I was trying to get one on a fly rod. I had a few follows; but, not takes.

[Corbo]

Shawn; was the striper in trout water?

Not to brag but i have caught tens of thousands of stripers on fly tackle over the last thirty years in New England but they were all running up rivers like the Kennebec in Maine to spawn and chase food. I have yet to catch a "fresh water" (non anadromous) striper here in TN.

Heard that stripers are caught below Melton Hill and Loudon dams in the summer but have yet to go... got several striper rods and a 12 weight if you ever need company!

Still looking in my storage for the striper fly tying stuff... in one of a hundred boxes.

[MadisonBoats]

Originally Posted by Corbo

Shawn; was the striper in trout water?

Not to brag but i have caught tens of thousands of stripers on fly tackle over the last thirty years in New England but they were all running up rivers like the Kennebec in Maine to spawn and chase food. I have yet to catch a "fresh water" (non anadromous) striper here in TN.

Heard that stripers are caught below Melton Hill and Loudon dams in the summer but have yet to go... got several striper rods and a 12 weight if you ever need company!

Still looking in my storage for the striper fly tying stuff... in one of a hundred boxes.

Yes, the striper was in the trout-tailwater section of the Clinch. I have seen several of them in the past two-weeks. Some of them look to be in the range of 40-50"+. I tied some pretty good looking streamers to throw at them. The really did not seem to interested. I threw at them; on top of them; and courted them-but, they only gave me a few short follows. I did get several smaller trout that were following. I figured that I trout would take it; then, the striper would take the trout.

I have never caught a striper on a fly rod and I was just trying to see if I could do it. I may give it another try in a few days with a different setup.

[Rodonthefly]

Originally Posted by MadisonBoats

Yes, the striper was in the trout-tailwater section of the Clinch. I have seen several of them in the past two-weeks. Some of them look to be in the range of 40-50"+. I tied some pretty good looking streamers to throw at them. The really did not seem to interested. I threw at them; on top of them; and courted them-but, they only gave me a few short follows. I did get several smaller trout that were following. I figured that I trout would take it; then, the striper would take the trout.

I have never caught a striper on a fly rod and I was just trying to see if I could do it. I may give it another try in a few days with a different setup.

If I'm thinking of the same stripers you are talking about, they are down around the big bend, where I fish. I seen them in there alot last year, and fished for them one day. I tried everything and I'm talking everything. They will eat for I know folks that have caught them, If I was wanting to catch one I would hold back and wait untill the water started comming up and then start. IMO, on low water they won't eat. I have caught a few down around the mouth of hinds creek years ago. Good luck and hang if you hook into one.

[Corbo]

Maybe the stripers are looking to spawn? In New England they ascend coastal rivers to spawn but I don't know if landlocked stripers can reproduce in TN?

Hope you were using something larger than a 6 weight!