Water Report from Prairie Creek

[J-Doc]

1 hour ago, Champ188 said:

I think it would probably clear faster if those dang stripers weren't swimming around breaking up the clumps. I'm blaming it on them.

If those pesky bass would stop farting.....

 

It would stay clearer longer.  

[Guest]

3 hours ago, Notropis said:

I doubt the water is going to clear up anytime soon in the mid-lake area.  The main process for clearing water involves clumping together of the small silt and clay particles to a size where they become big enough to settle out (flocculation).  Clay particles, in particular resist clumping due to their negative charge (like charges repel each other).  Flocculation typically happens in warmer water temperatures when natural organic compounds form and help the clay particles clump together and settle out.  

Unfortunately, we may be looking at muddy water for several months until the water starts warming up.  

I'm guessing the rivers & backs of creeks will start to clear up to a green stain pretty soon? 

Will all this rain lead to a good walleye run this winter? 

[Notropis]

49 minutes ago, TrophyFishR said:

I'm guessing the rivers & backs of creeks will start to clear up to a green stain pretty soon? 

Will all this rain lead to a good walleye run this winter? 

There will be small pockets of clearer water in the very backs of some of the bigger creek arms because of clear inflow.  Sometimes these small pockets can hold an amazing amount of fish especially bass.  In muddy years during some of our Spring electrofishing samples, it wasn't unusual to find 20-40 bass in an clear water area the size of a small room at the very back of creek arms. 

Don't know if we'll see green stain this time of year since algae production is lower in the winter but it could happen, especially if we get a couple of warm spells with lots of sunshine.  Unfortunately the muddy water limits light penetration and reduces algae production, so we'll see.  The backs of the river tributaries will definitely be clearer as the new, clear water pushes the muddy stuff down-lake.  Might be some good crappie fishing for anglers willing to go pretty far up the river arms.

Not sure how this will effect the walleye spawn since a lot of things can change before early March.  Lots of water does help the walleye travel up the rivers but again it's too early to tell.   

J-Doc and Champ, you guys are funny!  here's my theory: The lake is still experiencing residual turbulence from summer wake board boats. That's something we can all rail against!

[dtrs5kprs]

5 hours ago, J-Doc said:

That

Will

Suck.

Little bit of color lingering into spring won't hurt a bit. Might jack up the stick and a-rig bite, but there will be plenty of ways to catch them. I'm much more concerned about the pool level come spring, on any of the White lakes.

[J-Doc]

Winter is the time I typically focus on catching stripers. I had a personal goal of catching one of those big 40 pound plus big girls this year and the weather just has not allowed it. It's much harder to catch stripers and muddy water and they will probably run back towards the dam in dispersed groups. I can bass fish in muddy water easily but stripers makes it tougher. 

Guess I'm back to bass and crappie now. 

[Guest]

I'm going to launch at twin bridges via the Jon boat & go downstream to walkers bluff. Hopefully I can locate a few crappie or walleye.

 

if that doesn't work, I might take the Basscat over to Ventris & see if there's any clear water in the back. Sounds like it's worth a try.

[Stump bumper]

4 hours ago, J-Doc said:

Winter is the time I typically focus on catching stripers. I had a personal goal of catching one of those big 40 pound plus big girls this year and the weather just has not allowed it. It's much harder to catch stripers and muddy water and they will probably run back towards the dam in dispersed groups. I can bass fish in muddy water easily but stripers makes it tougher. 

Guess I'm back to bass and crappie now. 

You would be surprised how many stripers will show in the back of those coves in two feet of water. Back of MN and right off point 12 down at the end of that creek. You just have to hit the days there are not any boats running them out. I have caught 30lbers with half there backs out of the water on jerk baits chasing shad onto the shore, with this high water I bet they will be way below the sidewalk hole by now. I have seen some non stop days in muddy water way up the river in the winter time. I bet you could run a bass boat all the way to the mill right now.

 

This muddy water running off fishermen should leave more BIG FISH for the ones who figure them out.;)

[Champ188]

I watched a group of stripers on Lake Ouachita once run themselves so far up into the mud at the back end of a creek they had to flop themselves into the air to get back deep enough to swim. This went on for 10 minutes. It was in February right after we'd had a warm runoff rain.

[Ham]

Hey Champ,

I heard that Obama is considering Executive Action to stock Stripers in Table Rock.

you guys might never have clear water again. 

 

[jolicious]

12 hours ago, Ham said:

Hey Champ,

I heard that Obama is considering Executive Action to stock Stripers in Table Rock.

you guys might never have clear water again. 

 

You read the press release wrong, broth Ham.

It was "stripPers".. Part of a new Stimulus Package...