Labor Day Weekend marks the end of the boating season for most, schools are back in session, lake levels have fallen towards winter pool levels and the days are becoming shorter. Hopefully everyone had a great labor day holiday, and found some time to get on the waterways. TVA has stabilized both Kentucky and Barkley lakes, both are holding at 356.2ft, which is slightly less than normal for this time of year. Flow rates have been minimal, as we’ve not seen much rainfall this late summer, and TVA is trying to keep some flow in the river systems to keep the water quality up. Average flows on Kentucky lake have been between 10-24,000cfs and the Cumberland river has been averaging between 6-11,000cfs. With the very hot temps we’ve been experiencing, I do expect surface water temps to climb some, on Wednesday last week, average surface temps were at 86 degrees, but expect a few degrees increase over the weekend. The Cumberland river at Dover is at 56ft, Clarksville is at 27ft and Cheatham Dam is at 385.4ft with the tailwaters at 356.4ft. The Duck and Buffalo rivers are very low, the Duck is at .4ft and the Buffalo is at 2.7ft.
Fishing did see an improvement this last week, even with the hot weather in place. Bass continue to be found both shallow and deep, with the top water bite picking up. Throwing various top water presentations at shad schools being chased by bass and other fish has been the “go to” technique. The shad have been moving into the bays this week, and some activity has followed them. Catfish action has also seen an improvement, as the “fiddlers” have began to school up in the river channel. Fishing small hooks baited with cut bait, nightcrawlers and various other baits has been bringing fish into the boat, the bite does seem to be an early bite, especially when current is present. I haven't gotten many crappie reports this week, but as the shad move into the bays, and especially if we have some cooler weather move in, the crappie action should move into water depths of 10-15ft inside the bays.
Many of the hunting seasons began this past weekend, including; Dove, early goose, and a few others that most don’t even hunt (Rails, Gallinule and Moorhens). Hopefully everyone had a successful hunt, and didn't get to hot. The first segment of dove season will continue through September 28th, the early Goose season ends on September 22nd, and waterfowl hunters have Woodduck and Teal season beginning on September14th. The fall archery deer season starts on the fourth Saturday in September (Sept 28th). We had the “Velvet antlered deer hunt, and here are the totals for our area; Houston- 3, Humphreys-7, and Stewart-12. The top harvesting County was Sumner, with 52 deer harvested, the state total was 1,071 deer this year.
In TWRA news, the Fish and Wildlife Commission held their August meeting last week, and discussed a few of the changes to the Deer hunting units (no more CWD zones) as well as the addition of hunters being able to “voluntarily reporting specific locations of their harvested deer” to help improve monitoring and understanding the population dynamics over time. The Public Input request period for fishing regulations is open through Sept 16th and the agency is welcoming comments for its 2025-26 fishing regulations. If anyone has any concerns or ideas they would like to share, visit TWRA’s website at TnWildlife.org to submit ideas. The TWRF conservation raffle is still offering tickets to win 10 prize packages totaling more than $290,000. Ten winning ticket numbers will be drawn on Tuesday, Sept 17th. Tickets are available at TnWildlife.org and are $20/ticket, three for $50, and 10 for $100.
Upcoming outdoor events; Grand Rivers Artifact Show on Friday, Sept 6th and 7th at Grand rivers Community Center (Ron Smith 270-252-6489), USFWS “the untold stories of the old 23rd” on Sept 7th at USFWS visitor center in Springville 38256 (731-642-2091), Tenn Mad Catters on Sept 8th at the Dover Court house ramp 7am-3pm, Bill Dance Giant bass open on Sept 14-15th at Paris landing state park (giantbassopen.com), Cumberland river catman’s association on Sept 14th at Cheatham Dam 7am-3pm (Andy Warrick 615-202-4764), Clarksville Bass Club on Sept 14th at Bumpus Mills (Todd Schmittou 931-980-1009), 42nd “Archeofest” at Pinson Mounds on Sept 21-22nd (731-988-5614), Perry Co bass Club on Sept 22nd at spring creek, Carl Perkins Bass Classic at Mousetail landing state park on Oct 12th, First Annual Stewart County Knap-in on Oct 12th at Lick Creek Park off colson Rd in Dover 37058, TWRA’s “into to deer hunting workshop” in Waverly Tn at the Buffalo ridge refuge on Oct 19th, preregister at Tnwildlife.org at the “events page” and if anyone has any outdoor events they know of, or fishing/hunting pictures we could use, please contact me at gamewardenken@yahoo.com or Text at 931-209-5756.