Blown Out Creeks Discussion

[ON3 3Y3D WILLI3]

As many of you have witnessed most of our state's creeks have taken a pounding this year with the flooding. The Elkhorn was, at one point, the highest its been in 10 years. Brashears is a mess, as is Floyd's Fork and Harrods in Jefferson Co. Mother Nature has lured Man into this wicked plan by dumping so much rain into the Upper Cumberland, and the Lake, that he is forced to release so much water in the River system that Burkesville looks like a Hershey Factory exploded up stream.
Fish are survivalists but I am having a hard time thinking that the stream and creek SMB fishing is going to be good this year. Flooding and normal/seasonal fluctuations in the water level and CFS are constant variables, but when you throw in the types of flooding we've had this late winter/early spring can decent numbers of pre-spawn/spawning fish survive? Last year's drought definitely effected the two fisheries I concentrate on most - Elkhorn and Brashears. Numbers were WAY low last year and I know this was attributed to the drought conditions. It's funny that when the Cumberland River is as low as it was last Summer the fishing is the best that I think it has ever been. The same was not true for the Elkhorn eventhough one might think that less water makes the fish hold up and concentrate more in the available pools, thereby making them easier to catch. I did not have that experience last year on the Elkhorn. I caught fish and lots of them throughout the season, but nothing like the 30-40 fish days you can have on Elkhorn.
By this time of year on Brashears you can walk across the water on top of the crayfish they are so plentiful. So far this year, I haven't seen so much as one scurry away. Perhaps that's because all of them have been washed into the Salt River and the flow is still so high that they can't get back up! There are junk piles on Brashears that are, no lie, 15 to 20 feet up in the trees lining the bank. Again, that's not typical seasonal fluctuations. That's major flooding that may, for at least a year or so, affect the fishery.

What are your opinions on how creek fishing is going to be this year considering the 07 drought and the early 08 flooding? How do you think these extremes are going to effect the stream fisheries?

[Col Forbin]

It seems like it would have a negative impact on the fish. However, the first year I moved to Georgetown - the Elkhorn was extremely flooded. After several months it stabalized and got back to the normal level. That was the best year for me fishing the Elkhorn (after it receeded and cleared up). That may have been ten years ago. I feel old now.

I just hopes everything stabalizes soon. I am tired of these extremes in weather. Last year at this time, It had rained very little, and it was an extremely dry year.

[AJM]

I think with anything, you just have to take what mother nature gives you. I fished Elkhorn primarily last year. I had many good days. I think you just have to be able to adjust to the conditions, whatever they may be. The fish will be there, somewhere. Elkhorn has survived a lot throughout the years. I'm just looking forward to the temperature going up and the water going down.

[MrSplitshot]

I don't think that the creek fishing this year will be much different than last. The April-June period is crucial for spawning success in the streams here in Central KY. Flooding during the spawn will effect that year's spawning class, which wouldn't affect the fishing until down the road a bit...but if the water will stabilize this year and let the fish spawn, it'll be fine. There is time left. Back in 97-98, the flooding washed out the spawn and we felt some of that in the fishing from 2003-Present.

Fish are dumb by human standards, but pretty intelligent when it comes to finding a way to survive...the fry, on the other hand...you don't want flooding in the creeks during the spawn. Luckily, the flooding this year has been kinda early.

The low water of the drought, the low oxygen levels in the water last summer, the irrigation lines, and the ability for folks to wade fish in areas where they usually don't probably hurt the current non-fry population more than this early Spring flooding did. No more rain and we're alright...

[BassNNutt]

Water temps are Still on the low side from where normally are this time of year so all should be good, most lakes are starting to stableize and the creeks will follow shortly.

I cross the Ohio River everyday for work and i have been thinking that there is no way the river is going to be fishable within the next month to month and a half and today when i crossed it, it was still muddy but not even close to what it looked like on Friday.
I heard someone say this on another post but not sure who it was. "even Mother Nature has a way of sweeping her rugs"

I personally think the drought last year will help lake and creeks alike this year, should create some grass if they clear enough to get some sunlight.

[MsgMills]

Speaking of the Ohio River. I used to fish in a Bass Club from Indiana and qualified for the Indiana Top-8 Bass Tournament each year. I do remember fishing the Ohio at this exact time of year. The rain had come down in what seemed like bucket after bucket and the Ohio River was flowing like crazy and Orange as could be color wise. Some of you might even remember what I'm talking about. Anyway after two days of Bass fishing in that water, there were more Bass brought in to the scales to be weighed than any other year prior to that year. The creeks were muddy, but the fish were biting like crazy that weekend.

So I'm kinda looking forward to getting out and doing some stream fishing and seeing just what will tug on my line while fishing in the Ohio River.