Dam water quality update???

[newgaflyguy]

Folks,

Just wonderin' if anyone can give a quick update on the water up that way. All the DH is officially chocolate soup.

Thanks..

------------------
monte

[Lil'Joe]

Yesterday (Thursday) water was very clear. Should be that way today.

[Rambler]

Just got back from there...
Water quality is great, nice and clear.
Didn't have much luck though, had not started rising yet as of 1:30.
Ran into Ich up there. He probably had better luck.

It a beautiful day though, enjoy.

Rambler

[newgaflyguy]

Thanks guys...

Just wanted to make sure that when It is mud in my area, the river up there is clean.

When the dam is clear, does that mean JB is clear too??


------------------
monte

[ICHTHUS]

Enjoyed meeting you Rambler. Thanks for the flys. I will return the favor next time we meet. It turns out I had one of the other pattern we discussed and that's what the fish liked. Now I HAVE to tie some. You were absolutely right about it being a beautiful day. I got my first little red face not quite sun burn for the year. Look like a racoon when I take my sunglasses off. I only managed a couple near the boat ramp. I hung out there waiting for the daily rise session to start and it never really did. The bugs were coming off pretty good but the fish didn't respond before I left at around 3:30 to 4. I did get a couple, including a pretty 13" brown, to take a little emerger pattern(size 18). Grey Ghost is right, they fight strong in that cold water below the dam.

Monte,
Clear at the dam does NOT equal clear at JB. I stopped by there on the way home just to see what it looked like and you could have used a tractor down there to plant crops. I don't know how that river doesn't completely silt over with all the mud running off into it. If this weather keeps up my next day long trip will probably be a dam to the hatchery float because non of the rest of the river is fishable on the fly.
Ich

[Stinkbait]

Monte,

Good question, but you won't like the answer.
The dam stays clear because it is fed from the bottom of Lake Lanier. The stretch right below the dam is pretty much always fishable during periods of low release. The water gets progressively muddier downstream after a rain as direct run-off and dirty tributaries feed in. Jones Bridge likely will be mud brown. You can check conditions at Jones Bridge using the River Camera or "hoochcam" here at NGTO. You need to study it over a period of time to be able to determine how the river looks in different conditions.
The lower river in the DH area can be tricky. Muddy water can back up at the re-regulation dam and then get released several days later. Thus, the lower river can be clear after a rain as run-off into the lower river flows through and then darken up again from muddy water released at the re-regulation dam.

[newgaflyguy]

Stinkbait and Ich.

Thanks for the detailed information.... It definitely tells me where I am fishing on sunday...

Paul, It seems this rookie has many different styles of fishing to work on...dead drift, swing, nymphing.etc..... I will attempt to do what you said..

and thanks again..



------------------
monte

[Lil'Joe]

Did someone say fishing Sunday????? At the dam????? What time????? Maybe I can make it????? So many questions.............


Joe

------------------
Fish now, you're dead one hell of a long time........GM

[newgaflyguy]

lil joe....

check your mail....


------------------
monte