Best wading tailwater

[Fishermansfly]

From Maryville...depending on where your coming from (for me lets say Alcoa) the Caney is definately closer...It's a pretty short trip down the interstate and definately easier on the ol truck! It's literally 5 minutes off the interstate! The Hi is close, and a good tailwater, but there's alotta backroad, hilly driving to be done to get to it!

~Brett

[ALflygirl]

Also...to me the HI is not necessarily an easy wade. All of the rocks seemed like they were at just the right angle to easily turn an ankle.

[PeteCz]

According to Google Maps:

From Maryville to Center Hill Dam on the Caney is 131 Miles (mostly Interstate) - just under 2 hours
From Maryville to the Powerhouse on the Hi is 62.3 Miles (down US411) - about 1.5 hours. There are a few routes that are shorter in mileage, but as Brett said - backroads and hills....

[jzimmerman]

8/16/2008
midnight - 1am
2 or more

Does this mean that I should be able to wade all day? This is the first time that I have seen these schedule times.

[tennswede]

No, it doesn't. It is only information up to 1 AM the morning of Sat. You will not get the later hours schedule until about 6 PM tomorrow night. I.e. They continously update and you don't get the following day's schedule until late afternoon the preceding day.

[waterwolf]

The Clinch Schedule on Saturday and Sunday

Midnight -10 am = 0 generators
10am -2pm = 1 generator
2pm-10 pm = 2 generators

It is the recreation release TVA came up with 5 years ago and it will not vary one iota unless an apocalyptic event occurs. You can bet the farm on that schedule, period.

Water will be low at the jail until about 3:00 pm, Miller's Island until 10:45, and Peach Orchard until around Noon.

[tennswede]

The recreation schedule will be in effect until Labor Day I think.

[waterwolf]

Until November 1, and drawdown used to start Sept 1 but now starts Aug 1 with the new flow regimes.

[tennswede]

http://www.tva.com/river/recreation/sched_norris.htm

There we go!

[Gerry Romer]

Originally Posted by jzimmerman

...does anyone know of some good places just to wade. Or is anyone with a boat interested in having some one to float with this Saturday? It doesn't have to be the Clinch...I live in Maryville so somewhere less that a couple hours driving time would be my range. Thanks for any suggestions.

It seems we've gotten just a bit off topic...

Based on the criteria in the original question, it comes down to the Clinch, the Hiwassee, the Caney Fork, the Holston, and maybe the Elk. The SoHo and the Watauga, while excellent wading tailwaters are just a bit too far.

Okay, you already know about the Clinch. I agree that the Hiwassee river bottom is capable of breaking an ankle or two and, to me, just fishes inconsistently, whereas the Caney Fork has a better and more consistent cobble-type bottom, lots of public access and has consistently fished well for me.

I have no personal knowledge of either the Holston or the Elk, so I can't comment on either.

So if you're still looking for easy access, comfortable wading, and the very real chance of hooking into some very nice fish - and the possibility of a tailwater slam - my vote still goes to the Caney.

I have got to stop promoting the Caney like this

Gerry