Flat Creek From Ee Bridge To Cape Fair 7_31_13

[Woodland Artisan]

The water was up, which is fairly rare these days, on this little creek at a gauge of about 5.8 ft. I hadn't been on this creek for a long time even though I used to float and wade this thing weekly for 20 years. And, I had some time. So, why not?

Took the new small kayak out to test it on a good running river to see how it'd handle and maybe do a little fishing. The fishing wasn't too great but then I didn't think so given how high and fast it was. Caught 1 smallmouth (8") and a couple of bluegill. Those, I caught while stretching my legs and doing some video-taping of the waterfalls this wet weather has created lately.

I must say, things have changed on this stretch of water since I was last here. Sure, some of the big landmarks and general meandering of the riverbed was familiar but what really struck me were the gravelbars. They were GREATLY grown up with trees and brush. What was once (and for several decades) barren rock gravelbars, where now tough to distinguish. I'm guessing that the nice floods we once had so regularly, which would keep them cleared, aren't so regular anymore.

There were also a few split waterways that made judging which route to take sort of difficult. Sure, some of those had to do with the highwater but there were a few that would be a tough choice even in normal conditions for this time of year. And these splits weren't minor. Some were 20 yards+ apart and about equal in volume. In the past, it was pretty easy to tell which path to take.

Lastly, the strainers and arthritic snakes ... Several. There was one large tree that probably had just come down the night before and blocked the entire river. No going over or under and it was on a deep, fast section just around a blind bend. Not a good situation. Luckily, I was able to back-peddle just enough to get to a high gravelbar and portage around it. That was a close one. There were 3 others where I had to back-peddle and try to thread the needle to get through under some limbs. The most fun (aka dangerous) were the snakes. 2 pretty good ones with some wicked (for this creek) turns and threats of flipping and getting stuck under some root wads. I elected to walk the kayak past one group as it was just too dangerous to attempt in a fishing kayak.

Other than the put-in I didn't see anyone else. It was a good float and, for what few times I had the fishing rods out of the kayak, it was decent fishing. Nice and cool water, too, until I reached the lake.