Early Spawn?

[JobyKSU]

I headed out to Beaver tailwater yesterday for a couple of hours in the morning. We got there a bit late in the morning and set up below the Y2K hole.

As usual, the fish started hitting various zebras about 9:30 or so. We fished steadily for an hour or so, when something curious occurred. We pulled out a thick rainbow, and she started spilling tons of eggs (honey to pink colored, fyi). Mind you, this was while we were removing the hook and there was very minimal squeezing pressure on the fish.

I assumed this was an aberrant happening, but within seconds my line was hit hard by a fighter. After a somewhat spirited battle (considering he was a 13 incher) I got him to hand. As I was holding his head out of the water to remove the hook, I noticed a spreading cloud of milt.

With these two fish, we quickly decided to let them be and looked for another spot, where we had no luck.

My question... isn't a little early for rainbows? If so... what could be the cause? Is this a product or a cause of our non-replenishing fishery?

And, secondly... may be time to start egg patterns!

[retroaction man]

im not sure if this is happening but it would make sense of what i saw right below the dam last sat evening.

[Rainstein]

At risk of endangering my "in-the-know" reputation, I have to ask . . . what's the Y2K hole?

[JobyKSU]

At risk of endangering my "in-the-know" reputation, I have to ask . . . what's the Y2K hole?

Its the first big hole below the start of the artificial only area. The river narrows and dumps out into a long, deep hole.

Google it here

We were just a bit downstream (north-east). I have since learned that this is relatively normal behavior with our hybridized/mutt stocker trout. Who'da thunk it?

[Rainstein]

Thanks for the info. I'm curious . . . how'd it come to be named the Y2K Hole? Also interesting about the quasi-spawn. How'd you figure that out? Did the person who filled you in also mention anything about how often that sort of thing happens with the stockers? Be nice to have a rough pattern of that sort of thing to know when to throw egg patterns.

[JobyKSU]

Thanks for the info. I'm curious . . . how'd it come to be named the Y2K Hole?

It used to have a different name, but in 2000 when everybody's computers crashed and robots took over the world, records of that name were lost and it was simply renamed 'Y2K' for simplicity sake.

Ok, you got me, I'm not sure how it got its name. I'm sure somebody on here does though.

Also interesting about the quasi-spawn. How'd you figure that out?

That bit of lore came courtesy of McClellen's. Because of the mutt/hybridized nature and constant stocking practices it's possible that there are some fish attempting to spawn throughout the year. If we had only one strain stocked, then we'd likely see a more defined spawning season.

Sounds convincing to me!

[whenpigsfly(fish)]

Thanks for the info. I'm curious . . . how'd it come to be named the Y2K Hole?

Most folks call it "the cut." I've never heard of it being called the Y2K hole. But I'd venture to say that the Y2K bug (an egg pattern tied by the guys at the White River Angler) works pretty well there. I've used it there many a day.

[FishinHogFan]

I fished the cut today and landed 6 bows, and 1 brookie. I could've had 3 or 4 more but I got trigger happy and tried to set before the fish had it down. Anyone else out today?

[JobyKSU]

Most folks call it "the cut."

My fishin' buddies that introduced me to Beaver (definitely not experts on the area) referred to the top of it as Y2K, and the cut as the low end of that section (just barely visible as you look upstream from the stairs at the turnaround). Any way you look at it, there's some pretty decent fish through there!

I fished the cut today and landed 6 bows, and 1 brookie. I could've had 3 or 4 more but I got trigger happy and tried to set before the fish had it down. Anyone else out today?

No fishing for me for a week or two - the waders were sent back to Orvis. Really easy to deal with them, but I'd still rather have the waders!

I had heard that the AGFC had pulled out a brook trout during one of the recent shock surveys, but I hadn't heard of anyone landing one. Is there a story attached?

[FishinHogFan]

My fishin' buddies that introduced me to Beaver (definitely not experts on the area) referred to the top of it as Y2K, and the cut as the low end of that section (just barely visible as you look upstream from the stairs at the turnaround). Any way you look at it, there's some pretty decent fish through there!

No fishing for me for a week or two - the waders were sent back to Orvis. Really easy to deal with them, but I'd still rather have the waders!

I had heard that the AGFC had pulled out a brook trout during one of the recent shock surveys, but I hadn't heard of anyone landing one. Is there a story attached?

Nope. No story. It was just the last fish of the day. It coudn't have been any bigger than 7 maybe 8 inches. The rainbows were all between 14-16 inches. One might have been 18. Not any bigger than that. Last year on christmas eve I caught a nice brownie there where that little creek dumps in front of the rock pile on the opposite bank. It was probly about 3-4 pounds.