03-07-2008, 03:29 PM
[reply][cool][#0000ff]Supposedly it is to help restore the humpback chub...another endangered species which cannot live in the changed ecosystem below the dam. But, they keep spending a bunch bucks to keep proving that they can't do it. Kinda like the June sucker program.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The
thing is that every time they push the flush lever they wash out the trout and trout food. Totally scour out the gravel and aquatic growth in the Lee's Ferry area. Just about the time it starts to return to good fishing again, they flush it again.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The stripers in Lake Mead probably appreciate the extra water and the fresh trout appetizers too.[/#0000ff][/reply]
Actually, there is nothing better for the trout population and the fishery as a whole than this blowing out. What happens to the fishery is this: 1) fish love water and the increase in water also increases the amount of food available for fish--especially terrestrials 2) the washing out will destroy spawning habitat which should help reduce overpopulated rainbow trout and allow trout that do survive a bigger share of the available food which, in turn, will help rainbows grow larger and quicker 3) the flood will kill many juvenile and some adult fish...again, this is a positive in a fishery where too many fish exist.
All trout fishermen who enjoy Lee's Ferry should be thrilled with the results...unfortunately, too many fishermen are simply misinformed and ignorant with such things...and, as a result, we see a lot of dumb comments like the ones in this thread!
My father repeatedly speaks of the heydays of the Colorado River and bemoans the impact of stable flows upon this river and the totally reduced productivity that has resulted...we should be condoning these types of floods to occur more often as trout fishermen!
As for the fishermen of Lake Powell, any reduction in lake levels caused by this flooding can only help bass by also allowing habitat to grow and then later be flooded...this can only benefit bass, crappie, bluegill, and other game fish populations. For fishermen, this is a win/win situation...but, it is funny how many mock what they don't understand!
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[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]The
thing is that every time they push the flush lever they wash out the trout and trout food. Totally scour out the gravel and aquatic growth in the Lee's Ferry area. Just about the time it starts to return to good fishing again, they flush it again.[/#0000ff] [#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]The stripers in Lake Mead probably appreciate the extra water and the fresh trout appetizers too.[/#0000ff][/reply]
Actually, there is nothing better for the trout population and the fishery as a whole than this blowing out. What happens to the fishery is this: 1) fish love water and the increase in water also increases the amount of food available for fish--especially terrestrials 2) the washing out will destroy spawning habitat which should help reduce overpopulated rainbow trout and allow trout that do survive a bigger share of the available food which, in turn, will help rainbows grow larger and quicker 3) the flood will kill many juvenile and some adult fish...again, this is a positive in a fishery where too many fish exist.
All trout fishermen who enjoy Lee's Ferry should be thrilled with the results...unfortunately, too many fishermen are simply misinformed and ignorant with such things...and, as a result, we see a lot of dumb comments like the ones in this thread!
My father repeatedly speaks of the heydays of the Colorado River and bemoans the impact of stable flows upon this river and the totally reduced productivity that has resulted...we should be condoning these types of floods to occur more often as trout fishermen!
As for the fishermen of Lake Powell, any reduction in lake levels caused by this flooding can only help bass by also allowing habitat to grow and then later be flooded...this can only benefit bass, crappie, bluegill, and other game fish populations. For fishermen, this is a win/win situation...but, it is funny how many mock what they don't understand!
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