5 Flood gates open 3-7

[netboy]

The SWPA forecast called for minimum flow until 5pm today so I headed to Ackerman access early this morning. Fishing was good with lots of nice size rainbows, 1 cuttie and a mid-size brown. I had the best luck using a single egg under an indicator. Then around 11:15 I hooked a really nice rainbow and as I was fighting him, I noticed the current was increasing. Worked him over to the bank, took a picture and then started a hasty exit back to the access. I was just below the first island which is probably 1/3 mile from the access. There was another wader on the far side of the river and I guess he didn't realize the water was rising. I yelled at him that the water was coming up but he kept fishing. Oh well, maybe he thought it was a good day for a swim??? A couple minutes later he realized what was happening and made it back to shore. I drove up to the dam and saw that they had opened 5 flood gates.

A couple of pics...

 

[Quillback]

Glad that guy got out of there, bet that water comes up fast when those gates open.

[netboy]

4 minutes ago, Quillback said:

Glad that guy got out of there, bet that water comes up fast when those gates open.

He made it out after stumbling a couple times. 

It is strange that they opened the gates instead of turning on the 2 generators. Seems like they would run the generators and make some $$$$.

I gave up trying to figure out the logic with SWPA and COE a long time ago. 

[Quillback]

1 hour ago, netboy said:

He made it out after stumbling a couple times. 

It is strange that they opened the gates instead of turning on the 2 generators. Seems like they would run the generators and make some $$$$.

I gave up trying to figure out the logic with SWPA and COE a long time ago. 

I have always wondered about that, why not run the generators flat out instead of spilling water through the floodgates.

[ollie]

I know last time I waded up from Ackerman I went to the first island as was slaying them. Then the water started to come up. By the time I made it back down to the access the water was up to my waist. It does come up pretty fast and I know that was only two generators going then. It always seems the trout know when that water is going up and they gorge out or something. Good looking fish BTW.

[netboy]

2 hours ago, ollie said:

I know last time I waded up from Ackerman I went to the first island as was slaying them. Then the water started to come up. By the time I made it back down to the access the water was up to my waist. It does come up pretty fast and I know that was only two generators going then. It always seems the trout know when that water is going up and they gorge out or something. Good looking fish BTW.

I agree that the fish do go on a feeding frenzy as the water starts to rise. Guess the rising water dislodges lots of scuds and sowbugs from the gravel. As it turns out, they only ran the flood gates about 6 hours, then turned on the generators.