How Low Will She Go

[Stump bumper]

Here is a link to some pictures of Monte Ne from 1977 when the water level was 1097ft. I guess it could drop that far again.

http://www.jamesmskipper.us/MonteNe/MonteNe1.html

Level today was around 1112.49

[jeb]

Thanks for the link. I'm reading a book on Monte Ne right now, so great timing!

[Stump bumper]

I have been tracking the generation schedule the past few days and generation is non stop, more than twice the summer generation. If they keep this up then even the snow fall and a good rain will not do much to raise the level. Looks like it is going to be a low lake level year. 1111.13 and dropping at last check.

It should make it a lot eaiser to find the stripers when they start running up the river.

[jeb]

I was out of the area for a bit over a week, and could really tell the level is still headed down when I got home. Some of the bigger docks in the PC cove are close to being on the dirt again, like they were a few years ago. And more trees are sticking out of the water in a lot of the coves. I guess I don't care much one way or the other on lake levels. I've had a great winter of fishing so far, so I'm not complaining at this point. But I am being more cautious boating.

[Wildeye]

How are the Horseshoe and Hickory ramps in the low water conditions? Any ramps to steer clear of on the S end of the lake under those conditions?

[Stump bumper]

How are the Horseshoe and Hickory ramps in the low water conditions? Any ramps to steer clear of on the S end of the lake under those conditions?

Most of the ramps were extended and repaired the last dry spell 4 or 5 years ago, but we will have to see what comes up when the water drops a few more feet. I don't think the water will drop enough to bring any of the out of the water this time.

There is a heck of a sand bar to the right of the Hickory Creek launch nearest the Marina, go straight back towards the Marinia and you will be ok or use the steeper ramp.

They might close one or two at a time for repairs that are usually under water though.

[Hogfan]

How are the Horseshoe and Hickory ramps in the low water conditions? Any ramps to steer clear of on the S end of the lake under those conditions?

I've quit putting in at the Hickory Creek Corps ramp. The south ramp at Horeseshoe Bend is still in great shape with a good courtesy dock.

[Wildeye]

I wont be down that way til mid march, i am sure things could be way different around that time. Thanks for the input

[Stump bumper]

I started this at 1114 and thought it might be down to 1110 by March-April rains, now 40 days later it is 1110.5 and generation is still strong. At this pace and little rain in Feburary looks like it will be around 1105 by the time the FLW gets here around the last week of Feburary to pre fish the tournament.

Less water puts fish and bait closer together and usually eaiser to catch, but after 1100 I don't know how many ramps we will have in the water.

The bad part of low water is I am already seeing dock owners cutting trees to clear room for thier docks and with all the old ceder trees that came out of the lake last year during the storms, I hate to see any more trees being cut back since we need all the stucture we can get.

Anyone want to guess the low for 2011 and does anyone remeber the low in 2006, I do remeber that it hit an all time low that year since 1968 when the lake first hit full pool but I don't remeber what the level was.

[Quillback]

Well I did drive by the Hickory corps ramp a couple of days ago - it is CLOSED. Yellow tape across the ramp and a couple of barriers, dock is on it's side and out of the water. You could still launch there as the concrete ramp still extends into the water, but I guess with the dock on land they didn't want anyone to launch. However you can launch at the Hickory creek marina for $3.