"Current" fishing report 1/7

[Phil Lilley]

We got current!  I didn't realize the area had gotten that much rain last week but all the lakes jumped up to the point the Corps felt the need to open up the turbines at least at Table Rock Dam full blast.  Table Rock's level is only at 916.3 feet and Beaver is right at 1121 feet.  How long will they run this?  Hard to say.  But I'd think they would back off as soon as Table Rock is below 916 feet.  Power pool is 915 feet.

I always have theories as to why the trout don't bite.  So at first I said it was because the fish hadn't seen this kind of generation since last summer.  Give them a day or two and they'll get use to it and start eating again.  Then I said the water was getting colder... rainbows don't like it real cold.  We're on day 4 and I'm running out of ideas.

It's not like they quit biting altogether.  Duane caught this nice 23 inch brown the other day on one of his jerk baits.  I got out this evening and drifted a gray scud just up above Fall Creek and caught a few rainbows in short succession.  May be we're starting to figure them out.  May be they're starting to get hungry.

Regardless, here's what to do if they're running 4 units of water.

Get your bait, lure or fly on the bottom or over in some slower water.  For the most part, our trout are seeking out slower water -- eddies, slack water, even down close to the bottom of the lake the water will be slower and that's where they'll be probably looking for food passing by.  That's why my scud got hit -- because I was rolling it across the gravel bottom like one had been dislodged out of the rocks.

I was using a regular drift rig with 4-pound line and an 1/8th ounce bell weight and a #14 gray scud.  But I would suggest using a larger scud, like a #10 or even a #8.  An egg fly should work too.  Below Fall Creek, that scud will work too.  I'd stay on the inside of a bend where the current is... yes slower.

I've suggested this in the past when they're running this kind of water, even flood gates, but you have to be very careful because if done wrong you could swamp your boat.  That is anchoring on the side in slower water and fishing tight line with a minnow below the boat.  You don't want it to go to the bottom, just down 3-4 feet deep and holding up in the current.  Hook the minnow up through the lower jaw in to the upper.

They'll eventually start eating again -- probably tomorrow!  But it still applies... keep you bait on the bottom.

[Phil Lilley]

Flow is down to <2 units this morning.  I knew as soon as I wrote a report, the Corps would outdate it.

[Seth]

Hopefully it stays down at 2 units or even lower for the weekend. More importantly, I hope those fish snap out of their funk! Maybe this snow storm will get them active. I've never had a bad fishing trip when it was snowing.