Maybe I should write a song something like West Coast Turnaround. Nah, I’ll leave that to more talented folks.
Looking like I’ll be practicing my still water tactics if I get out this weekend. Our East Coast rivers are getting a thorough flushing. Hopefully, the newly spawned fish have grown enough to find shelter and not get washed out again. That’d be something like five years in a row for some of the rivers.
Even some of the reservoirs are affected. The dams are under so much strain that some are releasing full bore to try and save the dams from bursting.
Just last Saturday I had to change a WW trip because the river was running about 1/3 the volume needed to reach the AW recommended minimum level. The alternate run was just inches above minimum and there was a lot of jumping out to free rafts from rocks. That same alternate run is running 5’ higher as of this AM with the USGS chart accelerating at near vertical. The 14’ flood stage is a genuine risk by tomorrow (Thursday) AM.
You should come out… and get a looky at the south fork right now D…not pretty. supposed to peak about 2:30/3:00pm today. Weekend is a wash…it won’t be back to normal levels until Wed of next week earliest.
Looks like I’m headed to Lake Frederick if wanna get any paddling/fishing in.
Understand the situation well. Parts of Houston got over 8" in two hours last week. Until this week, it rained every day for about 8 days. But, on the other hand, none of the rain fell where it was needed. Because of drawdowns after Hurricane Rita, which damaged two lake dams near Houston, the lakes are low, but all the rain has been below the water shed. Central Texas rivers are starving for rain, as are the lakes in North Texas.
You’ll find new holes on the rivers to fish and those rapids you ran last year will all be rearranged. Look at like this, you’ll be paddling and fishing new places without the expense of long distance travel.
You need to get some shoes back to Eric and I anyway. We can meet up at Lake Fred and do a little fishing. Eric lives just up the road and I've got to go within a couple blocks of his place on my way home from there.
Hopefully you still have my cell phone #. Early Saturday would likely be best if my funny little honey doesn't have other plans for me. Haven't had the white whale wet for a long time and it'd be good to get out.
Eric may even want to catch up with us there. His idea of early on Saturday and mine are fairly different, but he could surely catch up with us if we have an FRS channel picked out.
Mostly bedrock rivers I fish The rivers I fish get edited with floods, but not re-written.
There’s two rivers I fish here mostly, the Shenandoah and the upper section of the Potomac. Both are what I call bedrock rivers - meaning they aren’t filled with silt (for the most part) but run right on the bedrock. Mostly the floods alter things by bringing in new strainers and moving around the big hunks of trash (like old bridge pilings or railroad parts). Still, that’s enough to make new fish habitat. The rapids don’t change too much. Enough to be cautious when approaching a familiar one for the first time after an event, but not often enough to require new routes - except for strainers.
Looking like the white whale I’ll see you as agreed. Tried to get the new rowing station in last night but got chased out of the yard by a big thunderboomer. It’s looking like the white whale. I may toss the other small rowing craft in just as a test. You up for trying something wierd (that’d be with the boats and is NOT a leading question)?
In my primary fishing waters, the bottom is either packed soil or muddy/silted. But, in Central Texas, the streams are mostly rocky. Those are the streams I think about that change so much after big storms. I’ve seen rapids come and go when I lived out there. The strainers, downfall, and washed down “structure” (bridge posts) are part of my current fishing environment, though. Even the lake I live two miles from gets a lot of debris in heavy rains. Of course, I primarily fish the forks of the river that feeds it near where they are still riverine.
D… I’m up for anything…as you well know…but I have my limits See ya Sat AM (with a special delivery from Sam)
D’s right, our Limestone Karst eastern rivers don’t see a lot of alteration due to floods. What changes are strainers, blow downs, submerged wood locations and some gravel bars/islands IN the rivers. most of the islands are the result of a strainer catching more and more flotsam and jetsam to the point that trees and bushes take root and suddenly you’ve got a nice little island built up mid river. some stay for years, decades even, some only last a couple of seasons. WHen they blow apart in a flood…it alters the whole area as far as fishing structure goes.
Thats what makes fishing for moving water smallies so challenging. a high water event like we’re having right now is going to force a wholesale change in how you fish some stretches.
Didn't bring the wierd boat because I was too lazy to unload my truck from last weekend and brought the wagon.
Had a good time even if the fish weren't cooperative. Kind of nice to paddle in water that isn't trying to flip me or scrape through the bottom of my boat for a change.
See ya Sat AM (with a special delivery from Sam)