Change

[Phil Lilley]

I boated up past Fall Creek this morning for the first time during down water. It was foggy, not too bad. Made it up to the great wall (this is a new landmark- where the tennis courts are, the home owner has built a huge stone wall along the lake- can't miss it). I immediately noticed a change on the west or shallow side of the lake. The water's edge used to be close to the dirt bank and very gradual going in but now the water's edge is 15-20 feet out from the dirt bank and kinda steep. The gravel bottom comes on out to mid lake, then drops off like it used to BUT it's more shallow. As you head down- same thing only more so. Essentially, the lake is narrower and more shallow in this whole area. From the gravel bar at what I call "dry wash" down (where the ditch from the golf course runs into the lake), the bar extends down from here instead of just being a bar. We've lost 60-90 feet of lake here on down to the narrows. At the narrows, we've lost 50 or more feet. There's even a pile of gravel exposed on this bar in the middle. It's not that the gravel from mid lake has piled up on the sides, it's gravel that's come off the banks and filled in and lays over the shallow side of the lake.

At the narrows, the channel drop is more prominent. The upper channel seems to be shallower. The lower channel seems to be deeper. The east bank of the narrows is cut and much steeper and deeper. There's a cut at the very lower east bank that's very deep- 8-10 feet deep and extends down quite a ways. The gravel bar on the east side down past the ramp is really different. It's not uniformed but has holes and cuts- great for holding trout.

I would have taken pics but the fog just wouldn't lift.

One other mention- below the Riverpoint Estates ramp, the gravel has piled up on that shallow side leaving the first dock high and dry. The closest water to that dock is 30-40 feet. Has 2 boats sitting on dry gravel. Wonder if the Corp will let them dredge it out.

Fish- rainbows were all over the shallow edge of the lake feeding I bet on scuds. The scuds are riding the dropping water out to the edge and that's where the rainbows are targeting them. Saw a small rainbow run up on the bank after a scud, then wiggle back in just before a heron took notice. I caught some by running a #14 gray scud from dry gravel into the water- they would just hammer it. No size but beautiful colored up and strong rainbows.

Saw a good number of gar. No dry action on the bluff bank. Babler said they were active a couple of days ago- had my hopes up for some dry action but alas, none.

Will take pics tomorrow. Stay tuned.

[perchjerker]

Thanks Phil does this mean we can now have a place to walk for getting to the Lookout area?

[Phil Lilley]

I didn't get up to Lookout. But you can drive into Pointe Royal- if they let you in- and down the bank there. Stay in the water and you'll be fine. It private property if you're on dry ground. Also can go thru Fall Creek but I don't know the path there or where to park. It's private also though, not sure if anyone will say anything. Best to stop and ask.

Otherwise- have to boat it.

[Guest rwolfe]

Do they have the dock back at Fall Creek yet?

[Phil Lilley]

No- they still don't know if they'll rebuild. If they do, it'll be next year.

[Guest rwolfe]

No- they still don't know if they'll rebuild. If they do, it'll be next year.

So their dock didn't just break away, it was actually destroyed?

I guess I'll be drift rigging off of your dock during generation this trip (the weekend AFTER Labor Day weekend).

Kidding aside, I always stop in and ask before doing so.

[Phil Lilley]

Rig away...

FC's dock wasn't destroyed at all. The store area was and there was a buckle on the downstream end but otherwise it was not damaged. Of course the support-stiff arms were mangled and needed to be replaced.

Have no idea why they took it out. Should have least tried to sell it to someone on the lake.

[Phil Lilley]

Wanted to post this- it's the dock below the Riverpointe Ramp. High and dry. Will try to have more later today.

[wily]

on a side note -- funny story about the ramp at riverpointe

first time i put my old ranger in at riverpointe

i backed it down into the lake...started it and backed the 20 yards or so into the main channel. my father in-law was with me, so he jumped in the truck and headed to trout hollow where we were staying...and where i was to pick him up.

i'm sitting in the middle of the lake and all of a sudden water starts coming up thru the drains in the bottom of the boat...i panicked. flipped the bilge pumps and cobbed it to get it back to the ramp. i thought the darn thing was sinking. so i get back to the bank, and i can't reach the drain plug because of the scalloped area where the plug goes on a ranger...so i hop in, and i'm laying on my back trying to get the plug in...there's a pontoon boat that's fishing about 50 yards away just enjoying the show. i finally got the plug back-in.

i had all my clothes on (last weekend of october) my wallet was still in my pocket...I was wet from my ears down. I felt like an idiot, but i was really scared the darn boat was sinking.

[Phil Lilley]

Water was up 18 inches higher this morning than yesterday. Not sure what power pool level is at this point. I did notice the stump at Short Creek this morning was barely out of the water and yesterday it was 2 feet out. So they may have sucked the water down from Powersite yesterday or it's high today- no matter I guess.

Went upstream to take pics of the gravel bars above Fall Creek after the fog lifted. Of course the area looked alot different because the water was higher. To the naked eye, it looked the same as before the floods. But I took pics anyhow and here they are.

Looking up from Lookout Island.

The island itself. The cut between the island is deeper.

The gravel point below Andy's house. The point doesn't go out in the lake like is used to. It's deeper.

Looking downstream- you can see the exposed gravel along the left bank- didn't used to be there.

Looking down at the bar at Dry Wash. See the gravel below along the left bank. It's real shallow below the bar out past the middle of the lake- really filled in.