Mdc's Trout Habitat Project

[Phil Lilley]

I really think there has been a change of the water levels and sea levels acessments since the flood. 701 to 711 for instance is not even near what it used to be and has no relevence.

I don't understand this statement... the only thing that's changed it the level at the dam when the water is off (701.3 to 702.0) and that's because the land or gravel at the rebar is piled up higher (.7 feet) and holding back the lake against the dam face. This might have a very, very small affect of the level during generation but only from the rebar line upstream. I doubt if it's measurable.

Did talk to a boater that had been doing some photography up there this past week. He simply said it pretty much will close the area to him, on any generation level.

As far as the guide boats, our area was pretty much defined. Some guides would boat into the upper zone on zero to 1 generator using jets, but for the most part the boat guides stayed out at those levels, leaving it pretty much to the wade guys.

The level is the same... there is a boating lane plenty wide enough for any boat x10. Stay in the middle and you're fine, just like other places in the lake where you have to stay in the deep water.

There is now going to be a new mind set as I am seeing guides going to specialized boats and jets just to get into the restricted zone. More and more of us thru necessity are buying jets.

What this is telling me is that even now on zero or 1 unit, the jets will have the ability to access the area, and will. This is completely going to change the dynamic of the area.

Boats will be manuvered in and out and around wade fisherman in much greater numbers than in the past.

Again, don't think this is correct. People would already own jets if they wanted to get to the dam to fish in low water. A 25 hp motor can go through a foot of water on plane (did it the other day) so a jet doesn't help you in this case. It does give you peace of mind though.

I believe this will truly be a very interesting evolution.

This is true.

Good Luck

[snagged in outlet 3]

I'm primarily a wade fisherman but the boats don't bother me at all. In fact if they are running water I'm renting one myself.

I don't think they've done a good job with rock placement. It seems if they had lined them up, one right next to the other it would have had a more natural effect. Like a shoal.

Remember the old rock pile above number 2 on the north side? It created a pool behind it and fish stacked in there. These placements look fake and will hold trout between them instead of behind them. I think they should have lined them up like a wing dam with the tops just below the surface on zero generation.

Pete

[Gavin]

Lets see how long it lasts. The next flood will probably flush most of those rocks out of there.

[ColdWaterFshr]

I'm primarily a wade fisherman but the boats don't bother me at all. In fact if they are running water I'm renting one myself.

I don't think they've done a good job with rock placement. It seems if they had lined them up, one right next to the other it would have had a more natural effect. Like a shoal.

Remember the old rock pile above number 2 on the north side? It created a pool behind it and fish stacked in there. These placements look fake and will hold trout between them instead of behind them. I think they should have lined them up like a wing dam with the tops just below the surface on zero generation.

Pete

The Corps probably nixed that idea

[snagged in outlet 3]

Why PDiddy?

SIO3

[Bill Babler]

I have now viewed the rock placements first hand. For me taking a 60 plus thousand dollar boat up there is somewhat of a sticky whicket, but if Phil is going to permit all his prop boats to go up, I guess it will be fine.

As far as it being a the disaster which I was told by two different guides, Maybe not so much. There will however be a very stern learning curve. Most of the rock placements are right in my current drift path, exactly where I used to fish.. Sure we may still be able to navigate up the middle, but I believe it will get very crowded at times do to the restriced boat lane now, but things change. If this is a positive for the fishery fine. I just don't understand it. But then there are lots of things I don't understand. Probably the rocks that I am most concerned with are those placed across from outlet two along the exterior of the island. These are very worrysome. Where they are placed was the best driving lane to keep as far off shore as possible. It will no longer be an option, and we will have to travel closer to the fishermen on the outlet side.

As far as the water levels, they are completely off. The entire upper section including the restricted area is at least 1/3 shallower then it was last year at this time. Not just changes in the bars and humps, but the entre water table is lower. Maybe with the new bladders at powersite it will be higher, but the May levels here were extremely low.

IF it only goes back to levels we were at 3 weeks ago and is not a higher holding level, it will be plenty tricky up there.

Good Luck

[ColdWaterFshr]

Why PDiddy?

SIO3

Read something on here that they don't want back-pressure on their turbines. Any kind of wing-dam structure or dike that might cause water to pool up, even slightly, they would probably put the kibosh on.

[Phil Lilley]

That's right. I don't think what they've put in the lake will cause this but I will say the Corp wasn't watching when they put them in. But I don't see they'll be a problem (the rocks).

[BredMan]

I have now viewed the rock placements first hand. For me taking a 60 plus thousand dollar boat up there is somewhat of a sticky whicket, but if Phil is going to permit all his prop boats to go up, I guess it will be fine.

One thing for certain, with the water down so low this definitely offers a perfect time to reference the present stream topology and a perfect time for map updates. The posted pictures are pretty amazing. There has to be plenty of rusted old tackle exposed in the stream bed too!

From what I viewed in the pics of the boulder placement, wade fishing still remains at the mercy of water levels but the added habitat should be a benefit 'when accessible'. Boaters running prop motors better have a good idea where the boulders are placed or there may be few oil slicks now and then.

I would not run that 60K+ Phoenix full bore through the new boulder slalom course either but you could always rent one of Phil's jons when you take clients up there! :>)

[drew03cmc]

Dumb question from the peanut gallery...

What happens when they are running 8 units again? Aren't those small rocks going to get washed away? They can't weigh any more than 500 pounds max.

We only have 4 units.

There are much smaller rocks in the stream bed that have not moved, even through this spring's flow.