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How's your runoff
It's that time of year. And runoff makes for some exciting times in this neck of the woods.
With several very warm days, runoff on my home water has really ramped up. Fished it last weekend at 5,000 CFS and yesterday at about 8,500 CFS. This morning it is close to 11,000 CFS and still rising.
The water here ...
http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/j...ps6cb452c7.jpg
... was close to 2' deeper than just a few days ago, and a bit off color.
But it still gave up some fishies, both to a salmonfly dry and a big stonefly nymph.
http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/j...ps2bca2d19.jpg
This spot ...
http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/j...ps777d821c.jpg
... didn't have enough water to hold fish just a matter of days ago, and yesterday gave up several good fish to the stonefly nymph.
Here is one of several new pockets ...
http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/j...ps9956dedf.jpg
... that form up near the bank during runoff. Nothing going on in this stretch until the water comes up quite a bit. Catching was pretty good along this stretch yesterday ...
http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/j...ps727f3499.jpg
... with both dries and nymphs - and will be getting better over the next few weeks.
When I checked out one of the tributary creeks in late morning, it was running high, fast, and clear. By late afternoon ...
http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/j...ps71481c91.jpg
... higher, faster, and not so clear.
Looks like runoff in Western Montana and Northern Idaho is going to peak earlier than average ( around May 26 ), peak lower than average ( around 21,000 CFS on my home water ), and end earlier than usual. But the day to day changes over the next six to eight weeks will create interesting challenges in finding the places the fishies are holding and can require some creative approaches to presenting flies to them. One of the best times of the year, for sure.
So what are you guys looking at in other parts of the country ??
John
P.S. Runoff also makes for some really dangerous conditions / situations. Take care out there.
NOTE - the CFS figures are taken about 50-60 miles downstream at the closest monitoring station.
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You saw my pictures. The flow right now is 250/260 between Pleasant Valley and Tinemaha reservoir. That's from the LA DWP website.
This is the Owen's at Line Street Bridge East of Bishop.
http://i606.photobucket.com/albums/t...m/DSCF3103.jpg
http://i606.photobucket.com/albums/t...m/DSCF3102.jpg
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"Forecasted unregulated inflow to Blue Mesa Reservoir is 340,000 af between April and July. This is 50% of the 30 year average." So the tailwater is very low, and will likely stay that way for a while.
But the river I have to wade across to get to the tailwater is juuuuuuuust high enough I can't wade it most days, with about one inch visibility. Runoff is going to be kind of drawn out this year, so it shouldn't be that bad. Last year it was almost nonexistent.
Gunny in the canyon...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...pse4f7347e.jpg
Looking down from that same spot...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...ps90a5fb03.jpg
Rainbow on a caddis (the thumb shot for John)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...ps32927ecd.jpg
And a brown...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...ps9238d9fa.jpg
And what it looks like up in the hills (I would try this if the stoneflies were out)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...ps3d9e1749.jpg
PS I caught a fish on a hopper this weekend, so it is officially summer.
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How's Your Runoff........?
Maybe not as good as it used to be, but they gave me these new pills at the VA Clinic.........:D
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John,
My Blue Ribbon Flies Newsletter says the Mother's Day Caddis are really coming off. How about in your area???? I'm really jealous. Won't be there until June..........
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It's amazing how clear that river seems to stay during runoff.
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Thanks John.
Do you normally get the Mother's Day Caddis there??
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http://137.227.252.10/nwisweb/data/i....log.0.p50.gif
I was on the other side of the river when that spike hit today. Think they opened up the dam. Was a bit sketchy coming across the river this afternoon. I can do it up to about 750 CFS...
PS I couldn't take the caddis hatch again today with the 3wt. So I took the 1. Aside from the wind blowing, it was fun!
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The rivers I fish close by (with in an hour of home) were very high about ten days ago, I was unable to get close to the water because of the brush and trees. Then we got no rain at all and water droppped drastically, but I had to work and wasn't able to fish. Now we got a little rain, and I'm gonna give it a try this morning
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I think you might top your 20,000 cfs number, John. Make sure you don't get washed downstream.
http://137.227.232.137/nwisweb/data/....log.0.p50.gif
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Amazing what a week of 80 degree days can do (same range, different perspective)
5/5/2013
http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j1...3/IMG_5983.jpg
5/14/2013
http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j1...3/IMG_5988.jpg
Flying in over Flathead Lake, the upper end was "thick" and the mainstem river was puking mud; btw, not much of the snowmelt pictured here has probably even entered the system yet since most of this goes through Whitefish Lake first and it tends to come out the bottom end pretty clean. Time to search out some stillwaters (may be some other options out there, as well) over the next few days.
Regards,
Scott
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I recommend going 40 miles downstream and watching all those wet coeds in the rafts. Maybe provide a shuttle service.:cool:
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Have thoroughly enjoyed all the pix and info you have provided us. We had such good fishing there down towards Three Rivers, but the thing I remember best about the Lochsa how hard it was to wade, slick and really rocky. Is it that way all the way up to the top, or does it get better? I remember you had one bad tumble.
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Yes, "jumbled" was the term I was looking for - the water was quite low when we were there, and you could at least see what you were dealing with. I really miss just stumbling around without a staff, but can honestly say I haven't had as many falls since I have used it. Gotta get back to Birch Creek where you don't need one.
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If it goes down one...more...day I can wade over and fish. Then again, it stopped raining and the sun was shining all day, so I don't hold out much hope. Still a lot of snow up high, on north slopes and in the trees. Rainfall is above average even if snowpack was below.
