Fishing high water?

[splashhopper]

As this is my first season of fishing in the spring,,, i am not sure about al lthis high water out there. Other than the fact it is bloody high and muddy and does NOT look conducive to catching fish to me.

 

Any thoughts?

 

And yes,, i know if it doesn;t look safe,,, don't play near the water but i have two spots where I can fish safely.

It is the colour of the water and the speed of the current that is my main question.

 

thanks

 

splashopper

[Canuck2fan]

Yes water clarity is key too clear or too dirty are equally bad in my experience. The flow of any water I have seen today in the 20 or so rivers I cross on my route have me home typing this instead of being out there giving it a go.....

 

Later tonight or tomorrow if you could find a pier and fish clear lake water near dirty river water on the bottom it could pay off. Float fishing though until the speed of the water around here slows down would be tough in my opinion. Canadian Copper would know as much about how fast water can be moving and still get you fish as anyone on here, if he replies listen carefully to what he says.... I know I will.

[canadian_copper]

get your xbox out till next week bro lol

a fish aint worth safety

[Puckhead]

Not worth the effort IMO...

[splashhopper]

not even in the harbours where i can fish off some docks and piers out of the rivers flow?

[DANIMAL]

Fishing the mudline out into the lake can be very productive in high dirty water, but I'd wait until the water starts to drop and clear before trying in the rivers.

[huntervasili]

I checked out the mouth today and had my rod and an hour to burn so fished anyway... 1.5" vis maybe choco milk, I highly doubt you will be too successful but am interested to hear any messy water tips

[irishfield]

I remember last year everyone saying the Niagara was way too muddy.. don't bother. And then one OFC'r posting fishing reports every day that week with trophies!

[jdmls]

CALL OF DUTY 4 atleast for 3-4 more days !!!!!!!! don't waste your time....unproductive outings just dampen the mood...especially next time the alarm goes off at 5AM and you think about how last time you went out you caught , SQUAT !!!

[solopaddler]

Well, if you're talking steelhead, this time of year there's always somewhere where conditions will be prime.

Key point is all rivers drop and clear at different rates.

My entire spring has been pretty much shot with nothing but work, but finally I'm going steelheading tomorrow and I know I'll do well. (Just in time too, otherwise I think I'd end up in a clock tower with a rifle ).

 

To specifically answer the question about fishing in high, blown conditions, this response was taken from another board but is so well written deserves to be seen (plus the man is EXACTLY right ):

 

 

"I had made a statement that I do not check the board for river condition reports. I don’t and neither do my fishing buddies (actually they don’t even go on any boards). Most people will check the board to see about water clarity and flows. Under almost all combinations of the 2, the river is fishable using various techniques. After a snow and rainfall, sometimes the river is “blown”, and posted as such. I’m not talking about times when there are houses, cars, livestock, and trees coming down the river, but when it’s over the banks by 5 or 10 feet or more, brown, and just snorting by. Its like the time you got to the parking lot or the bridge, look at the river and decide your not even going to take the rod out of the car and are going back home. But you notice the one and only one truck in the parking lot and decide it belongs to a hiker or kayaker. In fact, it’s probably my buddies and I fishing.

 

If there is 4 to 6” of water clarity, you could be in for some super fishing. All you have to do is get to the right place. You can’t fish most of the river because the velocity of the flow is too fast for most, if not all presentations, and the fish are not going to be there anyway. Water velocity will be less along the riverbank and could hold some fish. What you are looking for are areas of quiet water away from the main current of the river, like an eddie or the inside curve of a river bend. That’s where the fish are going to be resting and stacked up. The problem is getting ½ a km. down the river to the spot. The path by the riverbank is 1-2 feet underwater. There is dense thicket and brush everywhere. All the grass is no longer standing but laying in the water like spaghetti in a pot and you have to step over it like you are going up the stairs, 2 or 3 steps at a time- for ½ a km. If you are old enough, by the time you get there, you'll be older, and you will have pulled every muscle in your groin, except for one (that one fell off), had leg cramps, and had what might have been a minor cardiac arrest. Truth is that you will be so sore and beat at this point, that you will fish there all day just because you can’t go back.

 

When you are fishing “the spot”, the disadvantage of the poor water clarity is partially offset by the very slow water current which gives more opportunity for the steelhead to smell and/or see your presentation. Better yet is the fact that you are partially paralyzed and are there for the day. This will result in up to a thousand drifts depending on how long the eddie is. The odds are on your side. If the steelhead are stacked up there, may be you could have a 20 or 30 fish day. We have. In fact, our 2 best days ever were when “the river was blown” and there was no one else fishing.

 

It should be noted that walking the river and flooded areas, under these conditions, can be extremely dangerous. Use common sense. A belt around your waist is mandatory (assuming you are wearing waders!) as well as a walking stick. With the reduced water clarity, falling into a pothole is possible, falling into the frigid current would likely be fatal. Extreme care should be taken and one should never go alone. If the radio and TV are warning parents to not let children near swollen rivers and creeks, DON”T GO, you just don’t want to be on the local news that day.

 

We have numerous rivers to choose from in our area. All may be “blown” on the same day, but all will have varying water clarity. That is why you should be able to find some place to fish and maybe have your best day. One last thing, this is going to be a catch and release day. With that long, slow, painful walk ahead, you’ll be happy just to get your own sorry carcass back to the truck."

Edited April 2, 2008 by solopaddler

[Rustic-Fisher]

Yep,

ya hit the nail right on the head with that post.

 

RF

[splashhopper]

HOPE.... SoloPaddler and CanadianCopper ( in message) gave me HOPE !

 

now I "hope" i get a few.

 

thanx

[Musky or Specks]

Well, if you're talking steelhead, this time of year there's always somewhere where conditions will be prime.

Key point is all rivers drop and clear at different rates.

My entire spring has been pretty much shot with nothing but work, but finally I'm going steelheading tomorrow and I know I'll do well. (Just in time too, otherwise I think I'd end up in a clock tower with a rifle ).

 

To specifically answer the question about fishing in high, blown conditions, this response was taken from another board but is so well written deserves to be seen (plus the man is EXACTLY right ):

"I had made a statement that I do not check the board for river condition reports. I don’t and neither do my fishing buddies (actually they don’t even go on any boards). Most people will check the board to see about water clarity and flows. Under almost all combinations of the 2, the river is fishable using various techniques. After a snow and rainfall, sometimes the river is “blown”, and posted as such. I’m not talking about times when there are houses, cars, livestock, and trees coming down the river, but when it’s over the banks by 5 or 10 feet or more, brown, and just snorting by. Its like the time you got to the parking lot or the bridge, look at the river and decide your not even going to take the rod out of the car and are going back home. But you notice the one and only one truck in the parking lot and decide it belongs to a hiker or kayaker. In fact, it’s probably my buddies and I fishing.

 

If there is 4 to 6” of water clarity, you could be in for some super fishing. All you have to do is get to the right place. You can’t fish most of the river because the velocity of the flow is too fast for most, if not all presentations, and the fish are not going to be there anyway. Water velocity will be less along the riverbank and could hold some fish. What you are looking for are areas of quiet water away from the main current of the river, like an eddie or the inside curve of a river bend. That’s where the fish are going to be resting and stacked up. The problem is getting ½ a km. down the river to the spot. The path by the riverbank is 1-2 feet underwater. There is dense thicket and brush everywhere. All the grass is no longer standing but laying in the water like spaghetti in a pot and you have to step over it like you are going up the stairs, 2 or 3 steps at a time- for ½ a km. If you are old enough, by the time you get there, you'll be older, and you will have pulled every muscle in your groin, except for one (that one fell off), had leg cramps, and had what might have been a minor cardiac arrest. Truth is that you will be so sore and beat at this point, that you will fish there all day just because you can’t go back.

 

When you are fishing “the spot”, the disadvantage of the poor water clarity is partially offset by the very slow water current which gives more opportunity for the steelhead to smell and/or see your presentation. Better yet is the fact that you are partially paralyzed and are there for the day. This will result in up to a thousand drifts depending on how long the eddie is. The odds are on your side. If the steelhead are stacked up there, may be you could have a 20 or 30 fish day. We have. In fact, our 2 best days ever were when “the river was blown” and there was no one else fishing.

 

It should be noted that walking the river and flooded areas, under these conditions, can be extremely dangerous. Use common sense. A belt around your waist is mandatory (assuming you are wearing waders!) as well as a walking stick. With the reduced water clarity, falling into a pothole is possible, falling into the frigid current would likely be fatal. Extreme care should be taken and one should never go alone. If the radio and TV are warning parents to not let children near swollen rivers and creeks, DON”T GO, you just don’t want to be on the local news that day.

 

We have numerous rivers to choose from in our area. All may be “blown” on the same day, but all will have varying water clarity. That is why you should be able to find some place to fish and maybe have your best day. One last thing, this is going to be a catch and release day. With that long, slow, painful walk ahead, you’ll be happy just to get your own sorry carcass back to the truck."

Yes ive dicovered that fish can be caught in chocolate milk. You just got to find the eddies and slow currrent. They are still there.

[ketchenany]

Oh My God CC found l/c :clapping: and

JDMLS (....unproductive outings just dampen the mood...) went out on a date!

 

I drove by a river today and it was fast and furious, not good.

[canadian_copper]

MUST OF BEEN AND IMPOSTER LOL

(GOTTA STOP LETTIN LITTLE C ON THE COMP. PLAYS WITH MY CAP LOCK BUTTON LOL)

[Greencoachdog]

If you can fish safely and have some time to kill, I say give it a shot!

 

You might learn something.

[splashhopper]

i am only going off the piers and the docks tomorrow...

and will try to get to the river, "IF" my friend comes with me when i get up there...

 

no sense in drowning this spring!

[jdmls]

Oh My God CC found l/c :clapping: and

JDMLS (....unproductive outings just dampen the mood...) went out on a date!

 

I drove by a river today and it was fast and furious, not good.

 

Nice Al ...Real Nice

 

good read Solo, but personally i'd rather wait another day for it to clear up....The mud just doesn't give me the satisfaction and serentity that the green tinge water does...plus you use so much roe, tying those monster bags LOL....gotta save some for the opener, as I have enough lazy "ONE DAY A YEAR STEELHEADING FRIENDS" that I have to support.

[camillj]

Im with Solo ... ALWAYS somehwere to find thats fishable ... besides a day of scouting is a day of learning and thats at least half the fun of fishing. Especially river fishing ... the river is a different place EVERY single season ... so you need to understand how the currents change (and slacken) in heavy flow as well as when gin clear ... then (very often) you'll stumble across an eddy and see the fish - even in chocolate milk.

 

Having said that I tend to do more driving and look for smaller water (tribs) - which normally get better runs when the current is up - heck I will never forget one year seeing BIG trout swimming up a (normally dry) culvert along side the road in about a fot of water one year when the rivers were really badly blown and I guess the trout had been fooled into thinking this was a trib.

[splashhopper]

plus a day out in the sunshine helps with the brutal cabin fever this year...

 

as soon as i drop my little one off at school, i am outa here for some sunshine and wind and maybe a fish too.

[Canuck2fan]

All right enough talk and specualation I am heading out and will let you all know how it went when I return...

[ccmtcanada]

All right enough talk and specualation I am heading out and will let you all know how it went when I return...

 

That's the spirit! The only way to catch fish is to get out there....

[Canuck2fan]

OK so I get to the spot nobody else is fishing it.... That would tell most intelligent people to go home. NOT me I gear up and fish away for an hour or so... telling myself I can leave early and go home get some rest for the weekend. All I can say is I fished for 9 1/2 hrs. It was a total waste of time and everybody and I MEAN EVERYBODY should just stay home this weekend so they don't waste their time. Yeah that's it stay home yeah.... This has been a public service announcement LOL