Texas Fishing Forum

Upper vs middle vs lower part of the lake

Posted By: CCTX

Upper vs middle vs lower part of the lake - 11/26/17 02:12 PM

I just watched a video of a very experienced angler (from Tennessee) consistently refer to the upper part of the lake as the deeper part of the lake next to the dam

I always thought the upper part of the lake was shallower and the lower part of the lake the dam area

Or does it vary depending on which state you are from?

Most of our lakes drain north west to south east with the dam and deepest water at the south end

However, there are some lakes in Texas (several that are close to the Red River) with the dam up north with north part of the lake being the deepest
Posted By: EastTexasBassin

Re: Upper vs middle vs lower part of the lake - 11/26/17 02:43 PM

In Texas, upper end of the lake generally means the shallows and lower lake refers to the area by the dam. There are exceptions of course, but most of our lakes have the dam at the lower end.
Posted By: CCTX

Re: Upper vs middle vs lower part of the lake - 11/26/17 02:58 PM

Thanks.
Posted By: Ken A.

Re: Upper vs middle vs lower part of the lake - 11/26/17 03:27 PM

Originally Posted By: collincountytx
I just watched a video of a very experienced angler (from Tennessee) consistently refer to the upper part of the lake as the deeper part of the lake next to the dam

I always thought the upper part of the lake was shallower and the lower part of the lake the dam area

Or does it vary depending on which state you are from?

Most of our lakes drain north west to south east with the dam and deepest water at the south end

However, there are some lakes in Texas (several that are close to the Red River) with the dam up north with north part of the lake being the deepest


It does not vary from state to state. The guy from Tennessee was a Goober.
Posted By: CCTX

Re: Upper vs middle vs lower part of the lake - 11/26/17 03:45 PM

smile
Posted By: bigbass94

Re: Upper vs middle vs lower part of the lake - 11/26/17 04:13 PM

Originally Posted By: EastTexasBassin
In Texas, upper end of the lake generally means the shallows and lower lake refers to the area by the dam. There are exceptions of course, but most of our lakes have the dam at the lower end.


+1
Posted By: Monty Wright

Re: Upper vs middle vs lower part of the lake - 11/26/17 04:15 PM

The Tennessee River flows from the Knoxville area, going southwest through Chattanooga, continuing southwest to Guntersville. The river then turns and runs west/northwest from Guntersville through Wheeler to Pickwick. From Pickwick it turns north and runs through Kentucky Lake ending at the Ohio River in Paducah, Kentucky.

Being from Texas, it still blows my mind that rivers run north in some places so I could easily see where the upper end be by the dam, on a south-to-north running river.

Posted By: H2ODawg67

Re: Upper vs middle vs lower part of the lake - 11/26/17 04:16 PM

Originally Posted By: Ken A.
Originally Posted By: collincountytx
I just watched a video of a very experienced angler (from Tennessee) consistently refer to the upper part of the lake as the deeper part of the lake next to the dam

I always thought the upper part of the lake was shallower and the lower part of the lake the dam area

Or does it vary depending on which state you are from?

Most of our lakes drain north west to south east with the dam and deepest water at the south end

However, there are some lakes in Texas (several that are close to the Red River) with the dam up north with north part of the lake being the deepest


It does not vary from state to state. The guy from Tennessee was a Goober.

I did not watch the video but have to still agree with Ken. When referring to a lake, upper and lower is referring to elevation above sea level.
Posted By: GIG'EM AGGIES

Re: Upper vs middle vs lower part of the lake - 11/26/17 04:48 PM

Originally Posted By: EastTexasBassin
In Texas, upper end of the lake generally means the shallows and lower lake refers to the area by the dam. There are exceptions of course, but most of our lakes have the dam at the lower end.


An exception is Joe Pool, dam is at the north end.
Posted By: K.D.

Re: Upper vs middle vs lower part of the lake - 11/26/17 07:23 PM

Originally Posted By: GIG'EM AGGIES
Originally Posted By: EastTexasBassin
In Texas, upper end of the lake generally means the shallows and lower lake refers to the area by the dam. There are exceptions of course, but most of our lakes have the dam at the lower end.


An exception is Joe Pool, dam is at the north end.


Pat Mayse is another that comes to mind and also Gilmer
Posted By: Klinker

Re: Upper vs middle vs lower part of the lake - 11/26/17 09:26 PM

Really has nothing to do with north and south....it is about elevations.
Posted By: SteezMacQueen

Re: Upper vs middle vs lower part of the lake - 11/26/17 09:32 PM

Originally Posted By: Klinker
Really has nothing to do with north and south....it is about elevations.
correct.
Lower end is lower elevation prior to filling the lake.
Posted By: H2ODawg67

Re: Upper vs middle vs lower part of the lake - 11/27/17 02:57 AM

I believe the people that can't wrap their brain around this, also probably use North up on their plotters instead of course up.
Posted By: Bilboinsa

Re: Upper vs middle vs lower part of the lake - 11/28/17 03:09 AM

I always thought upper and lower ends simply correlates with upstream and downstream ends of the lake.
Posted By: joebass2

Re: Upper vs middle vs lower part of the lake - 11/28/17 01:36 PM

Originally Posted By: Klinker
Really has nothing to do with north and south....it is about elevations.


Agree
Posted By: Happykamper

Re: Upper vs middle vs lower part of the lake - 11/28/17 01:47 PM

Originally Posted By: Bilboinsa
I always thought upper and lower ends simply correlates with upstream and downstream ends of the lake.


I am in this camp
Posted By: Westside.

Re: Upper vs middle vs lower part of the lake - 11/28/17 03:11 PM

Originally Posted By: K.D.
Originally Posted By: GIG'EM AGGIES
Originally Posted By: EastTexasBassin
In Texas, upper end of the lake generally means the shallows and lower lake refers to the area by the dam. There are exceptions of course, but most of our lakes have the dam at the lower end.


An exception is Joe Pool, dam is at the north end.


Pat Mayse is another that comes to mind and also Gilmer


Benbrook is another
Posted By: Stickchunker

Re: Upper vs middle vs lower part of the lake - 12/08/17 01:58 AM

Originally Posted By: Happykamper
Originally Posted By: Bilboinsa
I always thought upper and lower ends simply correlates with upstream and downstream ends of the lake.


I am in this camp


You're both on the right track, this pretty much correlates with what SteezMacQeen and Klinker posted.
Posted By: tx2va07

Re: Upper vs middle vs lower part of the lake - 12/08/17 12:57 PM

Originally Posted By: H2ODawg67
I believe the people that can't wrap their brain around this, also probably use North up on their plotters instead of course up.


And here I always thought people that used “Course Up” just couldn’t read a chart without spinning it. grin
Posted By: Flippin-Out

Re: Upper vs middle vs lower part of the lake - 12/08/17 01:06 PM

Originally Posted By: Ken A.
Originally Posted By: collincountytx
I just watched a video of a very experienced angler (from Tennessee) consistently refer to the upper part of the lake as the deeper part of the lake next to the dam

I always thought the upper part of the lake was shallower and the lower part of the lake the dam area

Or does it vary depending on which state you are from?

Most of our lakes drain north west to south east with the dam and deepest water at the south end

However, there are some lakes in Texas (several that are close to the Red River) with the dam up north with north part of the lake being the deepest


It does not vary from state to state. The guy from Tennessee was a Goober.


I agree with Ken! Think about the term "upriver" and you have your answer. When referring to the "upper" end of a lake, the reference is the drainage basin, often a river that has been dammed. That reference has nothing to do with map orientation or which way North is.
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