As I slid the drift boat down the bank into the river, I could see fish rising all around us. Some were simply dimples in the surface as the trout eased beneath their tiny meal and sucked it in. Others were splashy rises with the fish completely clearing the water. What a day to be on the river! Clear, bluebird skies, remnants of Fall foliage on the hillsides, temperatures in the mid 60’s; and trout rising everywhere in the cold, crystal clear water.
This was not really a fishing trip; it was work. Seriously! We were all on a mission. Henry Williamson and I were taking David Hulsey, Brad Wayne, and Dave Humphrey on a float trip to learn more about this great little river and its emerging trout fishery. Where were we? On a tailwater river, just an hour from Unicoi Outfitters. There has been much discussion over the years about the potential this river holds for trout, but only recently has that potential verged on becoming a reality.
The problems in the past have been a combination of water flows and dissolved oxygen; neither were conducive to good trout habitat. Those hurdles seem to have been overcome by TVA with consistent flows and a remodeled turbine system that injects oxygen into the discharge water.
