Some minimum flow this morning 7-31 and a bit of a rant

[netboy]

I was surprised to see unscheduled minimum flow at Bull Shoals dam when I got up this morning. I went to the dam and got there at 7. I caught a couple of nice rainbows and then about 20 minutes later the water came up (with no horn). I left there and came back to Cotter access and hiked up a bit. It was a fun morning using a small sulphur crackleback. Fish were rising in the deeper holes up there and I probably caught 50ish and missed about that many more. For a while it was a hit or a hookup on every cast. I caught quite a few just letting it drift on the surface. Nothing big, but lots of fun. It was like fishing in a hatchery.

I noticed that they only ran water for 3 hours at Bull and then went back to minimum flow. Looks like Norfork was also at unscheduled minimum flow as well. I remember they did that last year to help a rescue team trying to find a body of a guy that drowned around Calico Rock. That may be what was going on today, but I haven't heard of any drownings. Hope that wasn't what happened. 

Also wanted to mention that some trout were killed by the sudden drop in water flow. While wading up from Cotter I found a couple dozen rainbows stranded in potholes. I took the time to net the ones I could catch and release them back into the river. The herons were having a feast and some of them were so full they could not get airborne when I walked up on them. Also, lots of dead and dying sculpins in those potholes. I hope that the COE had some justifcation to reduce the high flows over the last two months in such short order. Seems like common sense to reduce the flows gradually to let the fish adjust.

No pics today as most were stockers. Who knows what they will do tomorrow?

[netboy]

As an update, the river is at minimum flow again this morning, so I guess that was the plan. I still think they should have lowered the water at a slower rate the first time after months of high water. I imagine the fish get used to the fluctuation of water level after a few days.  

[snagged in outlet 3]

26 minutes ago, netboy said:

As an update, the river is at minimum flow again this morning, so I guess that was the plan. I still think they should have lowered the water at a slower rate the first time after months of high water. I imagine the fish get used to the fluctuation of water level after a few days.  

They’ve done it before and I assume will do it again.    Same as no horn when turning on the flow.   

[Ham]

Fish and fishermen are pretty low on the totem pole. I'm sure there are a lot of variables to consider, and unanimous consensus would never be reached, BUT I think we can all agree that > 20K to minimum flow is a Bad plan. 

 

 

[gotmuddy]

1 hour ago, Ham said:

Fish and fishermen are at the bottom on the totem pole. I'm sure there are a lot of variables to consider, and unanimous consensus would never be reached, BUT I think we can all agree that > 20K to minimum flow is a Bad plan. 

 

 

FIFY