River Condition

[hoglaw]

I was speaking to someone the other day who mentioned talking to an AGFC officer that lamented the condition of the Kings. According to him, the drought and hot weather this summer really put a hurt on it. He said it would be a decade before it came back to what it once was.

I don't know how much stock to put in this. I know it got bad low for a good portion of the summer, but I didn't go up and see it myself. Did the fish population take a hit this year?

[kayakthemidwest]

I was there in August (Kings is my FAVORITE smallmouth stream)...I like to put in the first access point just south of the border. It is usually wide and docile (I fish off a kayak). You could literally walk across the 8' of channel that was left (I would have had to drag the kayak 500' just to launch...ended up not putting in and going back to Table Rock. I can only imagine how skinny the water was upstream. I know we have had some rains since, but I doubt it has brought it up much. Bet there is some outstanding fishing if you are willing to hike it in and fish the pockets...really hoping it comes back sooner!

[bobber]

i have been fishing it all summer, with great numbers. but nothing big! kinda funny to see the smallies riding on the backs of the snakes to make from pool to pool ..