There is a new threat to our river environment. One that not
only slightly alters the waters course but threatens the very
existence of the fish population. I’m talking about the term
“Puddle Walking.”
It seems a lot of off road clubs and individuals have found
that driving their vehicles in the various rivers of our state,
Texas, has become an accepted past time. I do not mean the approved
low water crossings and such, I mean getting in the river channel
and driving up or down in the river!
Many of our rivers are seasonal in their flow and during the
spring months the water levels are at their peak before the
summer lows. During this time the fish are in the spawn.
There are panfish and bass beds everywhere. Even wading an
angler must take care to avoid the beds.
When you introduce large vehicles, the destruction of these beds
is total. Not only are the beds physically destroyed, the ones
down river are silted out. This doesn’t just affect the fish
population but aquatic insects and frog eggs are also in a high
percentile of not surviving. The continued use of the rivers,
in this way, may very well result in a dead eco system in just
a few years.
There are places on the San Gabriel with absolutely beautiful
crystal clear waters. I have been in my kayak and watched the
many panfish and bass swim under and around me. It saddens me
to think this may be something my grandson will never experience.
Originally published May 19, 2002 on Fly Anglers Online by HillFisher.