Photo by Jim Bedford

The Caney Fork is the tailwater of Center Hill Lake, and, not coincidentally, a great trout fishery.

There are several reasons for the high quality of this fishery. One of two important factors is the habitat, and the quality of the habitat stems from the fact that the water released from the dam is drawn from the deepest parts of the lake. That water runs right at 55 degrees all year long.

Another factor has to do with the released water being oxygenated. Since the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers started sluicing the river to keep it oxygenated in periods of low dissolved oxygen levels, we have had some of the most prolific hatches in the mid-South. The dam also keeps the river flowing about 125 cfm, so that helps quite a bit as well.

Those two factors -- cool water and healthy, diverse populations of aquatic insects -- combine to make the Caney Fork capable of sustaining and growing trout in abundance.

The limits and regulations on the Caney are the final critical factor, and the biggest reason the river is fast becoming a trophy fishery. The daily creel limit is seven fish total. Of those seven, however, only two can be brown trout and both of those must be at least 18 inches. Because brown trout tend to live longer than rainbows and more easily shift their diet from insects to forage fish as they grow, brown trout are good candidates for producing a trophy fishery. The brown trout regulations complement that potential.

The brown trout regulations have been in place since the onset of the 2004 season. And, in fact, this simple regulation has had a very positive impact on the quality of browns caught in this fishery. After just two years, this size limit had many fish being measured in pounds rather than inches. A 5- to 6-pound brown is not uncommon on this river.

The habitat is there and the fish are there. So, how do you catch them, and where can you get to them? We’ll discuss the most popular tactics and rigs first.

METHODS & TACTICS FOR CANEY FORK TROUT
Methods for catching Caney Fork trout are as diverse as the anglers who grace the river’s banks. Probably the most common approach is to use spinning gear.

Spinning Gear
The best option is an ultralight rod; I personally prefer rods at least 6 feet long with a rather soft tip. On the Caney, however, more important than the rod, reel or even lure is line. The Caney is generally gin clear, so colored mono line is definitely out. My personal choice is the tried-and-true Stren clear blue.

Anything much bigger than 4-pound-test is probably too big: The bigger the line, the more likely it is that trout will detect it in these clear waters. And most of the bigger fish and been fished for before.

A reel, of course, should work, but it is largely simply something to hold the line, so use what you are comfortable with. If you use spinning gear and light line, however, try to close the bail on a spinning reel by hand. This will keep the line from forming a loop and becoming tangled beyond belief.