Posted on August 22 2019
Sometimes you just need to vent, it's not so much about the fishing as it is the weatherman. Last Saturday the prediction was for hot and humid Sun. and Mon., then a major cooling trend with daytime temps in the low to mid 70's with nights down in the low 50's. Over 3/4 of an inch of rain was to fall on Tues. I was psyched, the river system would be freshened by the rain and cool temps and my new grass would finally grow. Tonight the temp is 68. It hasn't been below 66 all week. The daytime highs have been in the 80's and the rain never showed up.
The fishing for me has been on and off, two good days and two rotters. Saved a skunking tonight with a last minute 17 inch brown. Tuesday was much the same with a 14 inch rainbow staving off the skunk.
The whys: The water below the thermocline in the Cannonsville Reservoir has been depleted. The temp of the release water is rising and the silty water that was suspended above the thermocline is now coming down the river. The warmer water adversely affects the bug hatches. The lack of a meaningful rainfall that flushes out and cools down the river system keeps the fish in their thermal refuges. The fish in the coolest waters near the dams have been pounded relentlessly since April and are at best difficult to catch. A cooling of the system allows the fish to spread out and opens the whole river system to fishermen. There has no doubt been a decline in the bug activity in the lower WB and the BR. Fishermen more astute than me have been trying their luck in the UE. It has made it more difficult to find an empty pool in the UE AND to fool fish when you do get in the water.
The outlook: If you rely on the weather forecast, not good. They are predicting the cool temps to finally start tomorrow and last four or five days but without rain. If you are here, fish. If you are planning a trip to the river, wait for a few days after the first meaningful rise in the water. Fall fishing is just around the bend.
The fishing for me has been on and off, two good days and two rotters. Saved a skunking tonight with a last minute 17 inch brown. Tuesday was much the same with a 14 inch rainbow staving off the skunk.
The whys: The water below the thermocline in the Cannonsville Reservoir has been depleted. The temp of the release water is rising and the silty water that was suspended above the thermocline is now coming down the river. The warmer water adversely affects the bug hatches. The lack of a meaningful rainfall that flushes out and cools down the river system keeps the fish in their thermal refuges. The fish in the coolest waters near the dams have been pounded relentlessly since April and are at best difficult to catch. A cooling of the system allows the fish to spread out and opens the whole river system to fishermen. There has no doubt been a decline in the bug activity in the lower WB and the BR. Fishermen more astute than me have been trying their luck in the UE. It has made it more difficult to find an empty pool in the UE AND to fool fish when you do get in the water.
The outlook: If you rely on the weather forecast, not good. They are predicting the cool temps to finally start tomorrow and last four or five days but without rain. If you are here, fish. If you are planning a trip to the river, wait for a few days after the first meaningful rise in the water. Fall fishing is just around the bend.
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