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Location: Yahara River Chain | I could not find the thread that was here the other day. But Troy Schoonover mentioned that the dam had a garage door to allow passage for muskies into Lake Wingra. Here is a email from the WDNR on that.
"When the City of Madison rebuilt the dam (it is THEIR dam) we directed them that fish (muskies) passage was NOT a design requirement - we do not need muskies coming into Wingra under the preface of spawning because these are stocked populations with no known natural reproduction.....the bottle necking that occurred - and will occur there- is a relic of a barrier. These fish are cueing on lengthening days (more light), some increase in flow, and warming temps...these are the signals to go seek out a spawning location and to pair up and spawn. They pile up at this impediment to migration, this phenomenon that has developed in the last 15 years since muskies were introduced was just a pleasant but unintended consequence . We do however want a condition that if they do jump, they do not strand or injure themselves...hence the same height and the rounded top. There is no magic gate under the platform...what is there is a water control structure that allows stopping logs to be added or removed to regulate the water level in Wingra. The dam was designed to discourage or at least make any carp movement more challenging. "
Kurt Welke
WDNR Dane County Fisheries Manager
I stopped in today and saw no muskies. Neither did a member that was there 20 minutes. Stay tuned.
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Location: Sun Prairie, WI | Good post, Gerard. Thanks! |
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| I stopped in yesterday for about 10 minutes at noon and didn't see any ski's either. I would think some would show up w/ the warm weather the next couple days.
The dam is quite a structure. Kudos to the DNR for their work on the new dam.
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Location: The Yahara Chain | Gerard thanks for getting the real answer.
As stated in my original post, I was just saying what I had been told....it was second hand info. Which turned out to be incorrect.
I stopped on my lunch today and still not much for fish activity, other than a lot of bait fish.
It will be interesting to see if the fish can jump the new dam. I would think the smaller males will have a chance to make it. I wouldn't bet on too many big girls making it over. |
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Posts: 392
Location: lake x...where the hell is it? | i was at the dam yesterday and saw 5 or 6 fish. i went around to the other side to see them. no monsters yet but with this warm wearther and the rain we are going to get i think it will get them moving to the dam. |
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Posts: 256
Location: MadCity Wisconsin | We thought the fish would move up today (Saturday) after the rain last night but the rain didnt help much. Murphy Creek is extremely low from Monona to Wingra. The edge of the creek is dry creek bottom where the water level should be. In one section of Murphy's near Franklin Park the water is only 2 inches deep for a length of 200 yards, not enough for the big girls to move up to the dam.
I saw one ski, around 44" and bulging with eggs, below the Franklin Park foot bridge. 3 kids nearby reported seeing 3 muskies and said they were all "big ones".
We need a good downpour or the fish will not move up to the dam. Some muskies live in the creek and lagoons year round and come up to the dam each spring but the Monona fish might not make it up. |
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Location: Yahara River Chain | I just came back from the dam this morning (1130am) and did not see anything. Real quite there. A few people walking up looking and leaving. Forecasts is for a good rain on Tuesday, maybe that will help? It looks like they will not be able to leap the dam, unless they mate with a salmon.  |
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Location: Yahara River Chain | I heard that the muskies are moving at the dam with the rain we had overnight. |
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Posts: 413
Location: Madison WI | I was there from about 5:15 to almost 7 today, I saw at least 60+ different fish some big and some small, lots tried jumping none made it that I saw. Saw Steve down there and he said the water at franklin park was at about 6 inches now so with the rain we are forecasted for tonight they should be running good for the next couple of weeks hopefully.
Edited by muskyhunter24 4/6/2010 7:42 PM
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Posts: 280
Location: McFarland | Went down at lunch today and what a difference a day makes. Saw probably 30 different fish and they were jumping all over the place. Lip ripper was down with his camera so probably have some photos up soon. Going to bring mine down tomorrow and see if I can get some more mid air shots. |
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| THe pics from last year were awesome, looking forward to this years pics... |
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Location: lake x...where the hell is it? | i love the rain.
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Posts: 283
| Is that a tiger in the 3rd pic? It almost looks like it. Has anyone seen a muskie actually make the jump yet? I'm gonna make it down there this weekend and check it out. |
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Location: Yahara River Chain | jkslayer135 - 4/8/2010 9:03 AM
Has anyone seen a muskie actually make the jump yet?
I was going to ask this as well. I'm sure one way or another I will try to get there for a visit. |
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| I saw 3 little ones make it over in about an hour of watching yesterday. The bigger ones seemed to struggle. |
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Location: SE Wisconsin | Not a tiger, just a well defined barred ski. |
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Posts: 547
Location: Oshkosh | Pretty sure that ShaneW told me yesterday that he saw one make the jump. Going to be in Madison Sunday visiting my sister and hope to get a chance to run down and see this!
Peter |
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Location: Northern Wisconsin | WOW that's too cool. |
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| As a resident of Dane county I changed my name. I will also probably have to swing by the dam at Wingra and check out the action that I have followed on the internet for the last 10 years.
John Stellflue |
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Posts: 413
Location: Madison WI | Here is one of the 2 big tigers I saw down at the dam yesterday, might be the same one that was hanging around lakeside for a month last year.
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Location: Verona, WI | I stopped by the dam yesterday evening. Stopped counting at 30 muskies and saw a dozen try to jump with one 40" fish make it across. It jumped up, landed on the lip, and kicked it into another gear and made it in. Also saw one swim back from Wingra into Murphy Creek which was a first for me. Another good spot to see them is just downstream from the dam near the two fishing piers. The seem to stage there as well - not sure why,
Shane |
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Posts: 392
Location: lake x...where the hell is it? | i have seen atleast 8-9 fish make it some big some small. |
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Location: Contrarian Island | here are some pics from today..i stopped for about 10 minutes and saw 3 try to jump but none made it...for reference the big one at the surface in pic 2 is chunky 43-44" fish....saw a few in the 4 foot range lurking....
Edited by BNelson 4/9/2010 12:01 PM
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Location: SE Wisconsin | Brad, excellent shots!! Looks like some tanks hanging under that 43-44" in that 2nd to last image.. Won't be long before I decide to pay a visit to Madison - a change of scenery here in Lake Country wouldn't be all that bad.
Edited by Sam Ubl 4/9/2010 12:06 PM
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Location: New Hope MN | Keep up the pics guys. These help me get motivated to finish my reel repairs & boat prep. |
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Posts: 392
Location: lake x...where the hell is it? | some more porn.
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Location: Contrarian Island | it's fun to listen to all the "experts" on muskies that come out of the woodwork at the dam this time of year...first their size estimates are off by an avg of 4" (guys saying they are 50s when they have never caught a 45" in their life) and they seem to know a lot about the muskies biology and mating rituals, why they are there, where they came from, where they go when they leave and how easy it is to catch them! funny stuff ...
Edited by BNelson 4/9/2010 1:52 PM
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Location: SE Wisconsin | That's when your toungue starts to bleed from biting it so hard. |
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| Cool pics!! Those fish are lucky they aren't swimming up a crick or channel around Mille Lacs this time of year! |
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Location: The Yahara Chain | Nice pictures Brad. I just got back from the dam. I have never scene so many fish there before.....must be 25-30 fish there. Five or six were 48 plus....several more mid 40's.
Several fish tried to jump but nobody made it.
Great day to check out how healthy our fishery is. The Yahara Chain rocks. |
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Location: New Hope MN | Baby Mallard - 4/9/2010 1:39 PM
Cool pics!! Those fish are lucky they aren't swimming up a crick or channel around Mille Lacs this time of year!Â
no doubt... those fish end up with holes in their backs! |
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| any idea how long these fish will stay around? I was hoping to bring my son out there next Wed., but will move plans to Sunday if they will be gone by next week.
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Location: beloit | I've been up there in may before and they are still there so you should be fine waiting till wednesday |
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Location: McFarland | Some cool pics from today
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Location: Madison WI | Went on down again today, I didn't even try to count how many were down there. Saw a couple more tigers and a couple of 4 footers.
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Location: McFarland | Some more Can't wait for the opener!!
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Location: lake x...where the hell is it? | great day to see the skis.
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Location: lake x...where the hell is it? | ski patrol, great pics man!!!
Edited by jay lip ripper 4/9/2010 11:46 PM
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Location: McFarland | Thanks ripper .. See you soon |
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| Those pictures are awesome, reminds me of a school of sharks. |
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Location: APPLETON, WI | Wow!! Great pics, ski' patrol.
Edited by PSYS 4/11/2010 9:14 AM
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| Where exactly is the dam located on the creek? Where do you park?Im not familiar with the area, but I would love to come and see the muskies. thanks |
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Location: Yahara River Chain | The dam is almost right across from the Henry Vilas Zoo. I'm sure if you can find the zoo, you will have no trouble finding the dam. There is street parking all along the road next to the creek. |
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| Saturday, I couldn't leave, it's mesmerizing!!! I took about 50 pictures but nothing different than has been posted.
Nice shot of the jumpers!
Edited by RichManitoba 4/11/2010 11:43 AM
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Posts: 413
Location: Madison WI | Went down at around 8 am this morning, stayed for about 3 hours, saw some big fish, saw at least 6 different tigers and a couple jumpers, none made it.
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Location: Yahara River Chain | Tigers need love too! |
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| To me most of the ones you are calling "tigers" just look like heavily barred naturals. Anyone else think the same? |
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Location: APPLETON, WI | How late will the muskies be able to be seen...? Another week? Another two weeks? Three weeks? ...just curious. I may want to make the trek down to the Wingra Dam! |
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Location: N.FIB | it would be cool to throw a sucker or crappie in the middle of those fish,would make good video |
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Location: Contrarian Island | I would have to agree...from what I can see in the pics a lot of the fish guys are calling tigers don't look like tigers to me...they are just heavily barred...
great pics everyone...I stopped in saturday and yesterday and saw some in the 48 range..still haven't seen a 50 but I'm sure there are a couple lurking
Edited by BNelson 4/12/2010 8:51 AM
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Location: The Yahara Chain | Hef - 4/12/2010 6:48 AM
To me most of the ones you are calling "tigers" just look like heavily barred naturals. Anyone else think the same?
Ditto.
Tons of barred fish in our waters. We have some Tigers but not very many. Last year I had over 90 muskies in my boat in southern Wisconsin and zero of them were Tigers. I think I've only had one Tiger in my boat in the last three years. |
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Location: ROckford IL | Got some video from that muskies at the dam, just got to edit it down and post, stay in tune folks |
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Location: lake x...where the hell is it? | PSYS - 4/12/2010 7:25 AM
How late will the muskies be able to be seen...? Another week? Another two weeks? Three weeks? ...just curious. I may want to make the trek down to the Wingra Dam!
the rain is what willl decide that, when the water is high they can jump and make it. thats what made them come last week. when its low they just hang around and some still try jumping but most wont make it. in years past they seen to all b gone by earliy to mid june. as for the tigers it is hard to tell cuz we aint going by the bars on the side but if they go across there backs. i have seen a few that have them on the backs so tiger or not.
Edited by jay lip ripper 4/12/2010 10:07 AM
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Posts: 392
Location: lake x...where the hell is it? | the 1st pic is of a upper 40s tiger or not if ur BN. my buddy caught a 44-45" tiger a few years back with the top part of its tail missing just like this one. same fish?
the 2nd pic is a white and orange KOI fish about 20" just down from the dam by the bridge. anyone seen this before and know if i can use it for bait if i catch it?
the 3rd pic is just a ski with his head out the water.
the 4th pic is of a big fish with a GRAY back. anyone else seen this fish before? i only got 1 good look at her yesterday cuz she stayed deep. got 2 be one of the biggest i seen this year at the dam. |
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Location: Yahara River Chain | jay lip ripper - 4/12/2010 10:16 AM
2nd pic is a white and orange KOI fish about 20" just down from the dam by the bridge. anyone seen this before and know if i can use it for bait if i catch it?
No you can't. Good luck catching it. |
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Location: lake x...where the hell is it? | muskie! nut - 4/12/2010 10:34 AM
jay lip ripper - 4/12/2010 10:16 AM
2nd pic is a white and orange KOI fish about 20" just down from the dam by the bridge. anyone seen this before and know if i can use it for bait if i catch it?
No you can't. Good luck catching it.
i just thought that since they are just pretty carp and carp are rough fish i could. guess not, oh well blue gills work great too. |
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Location: Contrarian Island | Jay, I am betting that is not a tiger....I'm sure I'm not the only one that thinks that....and no MNut it doesn't matter but the fish they are calling tigers simply aren't... call em like I see em.
Edited by BNelson 4/12/2010 11:17 AM
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Location: Yahara River Chain | I'm sure it really doesn't matter. They all are pretty to look at. This would be like live "muskie porn" |
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| Not tigers. |
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| definitely not tigers - barred, like this one:
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Location: Madtown, WI | I use to think those were tigers as well...then one time many moons ago at the hot water discharge on monona (which is no longer running) during the spring "run" there was one REALLY barred muskie there that I swore was a tiger. I went back the second day and a REAL tiger was there as was the big barred. Once you see them side by side in the water like that there is NO mistaking it if you ask me.
Reason some of the muskies are barred and others aren't as marked is because being a stocked fishery we get our genitics from SEVERAL different northern WI lakes....hence the variety.
Be curious if the leech lake strain fish will start making the run up in a year or so?!? Anyone see a spot yet
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Location: The Yahara Chain | As Cory stated, when you see a real Tiger next to a barred musky the differences are obvious. The barred fish are green on the sides and a darker goldish color on the top of their backs. The Tigers look the same top and bottom and the colorization is way different, more of a black color to them.
Here is a small tiger that a friend released a few years ago.
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Location: SE Wisconsin | I have people stopping by my desk at work all the time telling me how beautiful the tigers are in the pictures on my board. . . I tell them, nope, their regular barred musky - just very well defined. Pewaukee fish can be gorgeous - not just the little ones. Just a common misjudge, no big deal. |
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Location: New Berlin,Wisconsin,53151 | The pictures make great screensavers. I had a Brazilian audit here and the auditors commented on the Wingra Dam on my computer.
Great shots,
Bruce |
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Location: Yahara River Chain | Netman - 4/13/2010 5:57 AM
I had a Brazilian audit here
Is that where they pull out your public hairs???? |
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Location: New Berlin,Wisconsin,53151 | That's good.....sounds like it hurts though. Honestly I have watch the info-commerical on TV for the Brazilian Butt lift (is that a boat lift made in Brazil)? |
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| Excellent pics! That must be a sight to see! Keep them coming!
Mr Musky |
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Location: lake x...where the hell is it? | Bytor - 4/12/2010 12:58 PM
As Cory stated, when you see a real Tiger next to a barred musky the differences are obvious. The barred fish are green on the sides and a darker goldish color on the top of their backs. The Tigers look the same top and bottom and the colorization is way different, more of a black color to them.
Here is a small tiger that a friend released a few years ago.
u mean like this?
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| muskie! nut - 4/13/2010 8:18 AM
Netman - 4/13/2010 5:57 AM
I had a Brazilian audit here
Is that where they pull out your public hairs????
HAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!
That's a hall of fame post right there... |
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Posts: 196
| Sheesh...all this talk of Tiger's in the Madison chain and here I thought this one just forgot to connect the dots.
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Location: S.Wisconsin | Thats a pretty BIG leech laker  Did it pull you in? LoL |
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| I'm guessing that is from the first or second year stocked. Does anyone how big the leech lake strain that was stocked in 2005 is now? |
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| I will go thru my notes to check the length tomorrow but that one is from last year on the Madison chain |
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Location: Yahara River Chain | jkslayer135 - 4/13/2010 9:15 PM
I'm guessing that is from the first or second year stocked. Does anyone how big the leech lake strain that was stocked in 2005 is now?
They were not PIT tagged and I can't remember if we fin clipped them or not. I'm thinking no. Besides, the pics I've seen rarely clearly notice that we could tell that they were clipped. My guess is this year, if you caught one it would be around 40 inches. |
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Location: SE Wisconsin | Jay the Lipper - I think he does mean like that. Fish on the left is true tiger |
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Location: Not where I wanna be! | Great pix guys! thanks for posting them |
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| I am among the many that enjoy these pics every year.
I am wondering, the most I seem to count is 13 fish? Are there actually more than that up there at one time or is that about the maximum number you see?
And another question, do they actually try and facilitate the run or are they trying to stop the run with this dam? My understanding was that the fish used to clear the dam in numbers, did they also make a return trip or were they lakebound once they cleared the barrier?
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Location: Yahara River Chain | As I understand these fish travel all up and down the chain we will know more as we get PIT scanners into the club's member hands. This barrier now is two things, 1) a little tougher to clear hence the number stacking up below the dam, and 2) they are easier to see as the water directly below the cascading water is shallower. I'm sure that they are not lake bound once they get into Wingra. If they were we would have very outstanding fishing, while fishing is good at times, it use to be better when the DNR heavily stocked it. These fish also migrate up the Yahara and try to get into Mendota as well. I got a call earlier this week from Mike and he counted 5 below the lock at Tenny Park. The locks will sometimes kill these fish as Mike has seen several of them dead in past years. |
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Location: lake x...where the hell is it? | firstsixfeet - 4/15/2010 6:14 AM
I am among the many that enjoy these pics every year.
I am wondering, the most I seem to count is 13 fish? Are there actually more than that up there at one time or is that about the maximum number you see?
And another question, do they actually try and facilitate the run or are they trying to stop the run with this dam? My understanding was that the fish used to clear the dam in numbers, did they also make a return trip or were they lakebound once they cleared the barrier?
i counted 28 diffrent fish 1 day last week and i know there was more then that. the pics are almost all from one side of the dam and i know they do the samething on both sides so its safe to say that theres alot more then 28 fish at once.
i have seen as many as 10 fish go back over the dam in a day. i have even seen the same fish jump the dam and go back over twice in one day.
as for trying to stop then, they would have had to make the dam higer then it is. when it rained it rasied the water so it was easy for them to make the jump but now it has gone about a foot down so they just hang out and wait for the rain. but i have seen fish jump 5-6' stright out the water at the old dam so it cant stop them if try hard enough, they can make it. |
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| I took my 5 yr old up there yesterday and we saw about 30 fish total, but no more than about 5 at once. It comes and goes as far as how many fish sit there it seemed. Most of the fish we saw were mid-upper 30s and 3 that were pushing 44. I was shocked by the amount of people that were there watching the fish. I spent about an hour there in the morning and afternoon and was about 12-15 people on average the whole time. Only saw 3 fish try and jump, none of them made it.
Here's a link to the photos if anyone wants to check them out.
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=13954&id=1763850550&l=8fe4b82...
Edited by Musky Dawg 4/15/2010 1:49 PM
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