Dukes Creek 2-19-06

[midget]

My buddy and I headed up to Dukes Creek Sunday morning despite the cold and rainy weather and were really happy that we did. At the end of the day we actually had our hands on around 10 fish and landed 4 beauties, all over 24 in. The big fish of the day was a 26incher caught on an olive hurless nymph. The rest of the fish all took a number 14 pink san juan. The water temp. along with the air temp was quite cold and you had to put the fly practically in the trouts mouth but once you did it was time to hang on. Another great trip to Dukes.

Midget

[habersham mongol]

i was up at dukes, not fishing, had to pick up my rod i left. people i talked to said fishing was really slow. have pictures?

[UGAflyfisher]

I was fishing with midget.. I'll have the pictures up to show in a little while..

http://www.arches.uga.edu/~shinet/Me_and_Joe_with_24_Inch_Bow.html

http://www.arches.uga.edu/~shinet/Joe_and_26_inch_Bow.html

http://www.arches.uga.edu/~shinet/Joe_and_Me_and_Section_2_Bow.html

http://www.arches.uga.edu/~shinet/Joe_and_Me_with_Road_Hole_25_inch_Bow.html



Shine

[dblhaul]

That second fish pictured looks like it's forming a kype..Fish are definetly getting their spawing colors. Anyone else besides me, thinks that Dukes should consider closing the water during spawing?

[mattbowers]

i agree, i think it would be best for the water and the fish to shut it down for a brief period during spawning. Leaving the fish unmolested is a good idea, you never know who is gonna see a nice 20+ incher in the shallows and throw at it and throw at it until they foul hook it and ruin the spawn.

[dblhaul]

at Smithgall, John, nice guy and does a great job keeping that stream in shape.

[Path_Less_Traveled]

This is good... a discussion that doesnt involve trying to flush cats down the tiolet or a gay cowboy movie :o ... we always seem to do better when discussing trout and trout streams... something we all have in common :)

I'm not taking one side or another on this because i'm still making up my mind on it... but here are some things to think about... Dukes is not a natural/wild stream, but a managed stream... it is stocked once per year, and that should be plenty to sustain the population since it's C&R.

However, an annual "recruitment" of fry and small fish is good because is supplies the larger fish with natural food and challenge of chasing it... seems like it would also provide some food chain balance (i.e, small fish eat different things than large fish)... but as the small fry grow, they would also compete for the same "food" at some point in time.

I dont think anglers would have a signficant impact on natural reproduction at Dukes (but will change my mind if enough evidence is presented)... does fishing during spawn have an impact on the Salmon and Steelhead population?... not sure, but the runs happen every year despite the angling pressure (but it is a different biological system)... the Toot and several other wild streams are open during spawning and they seem to remain vibrant... keep in mind that these are only best guesses for someone who doesnt have any education in fisheries biology.

[dblhaul]

thus entering the streams from waste run off....Uhhh..I don't have any concrete evidence on the impact of foot traffic on spawing redds at Dukes, but I do know that many of the fry do make it and develop into maturity. I guess I would like for someone to present foundated evidence on why NOT to shut it down or actually make the redds off limit during the spawn. You still fishing the weekend???

[habersham mongol]

which section were you on? were any foul hooked?

I was fishing with midget.. I'll have the pictures up to show in a little while..

http://www.arches.uga.edu/~shinet/Me_and_Joe_with_24_Inch_Bow.html

http://www.arches.uga.edu/~shinet/Joe_and_26_inch_Bow.html

http://www.arches.uga.edu/~shinet/Joe_and_Me_and_Section_2_Bow.html

http://www.arches.uga.edu/~shinet/Joe_and_Me_with_Road_Hole_25_inch_Bow.html



Shine

[dblhaul]

the 2nd jpeg..That's a awesome streamborne..That jaw is killing me..One of my most memorable fish was smaller, but had the same build, jaw, huge swept back fins, and the most awesome color..That is a male brown in rainbow drag..I'd take that all day vs. big, fat triangle headed bo's..Bitch'n fish.

[Path_Less_Traveled]

Giving them a spawning/angling pressure probably wouldnt hurt, but that would peeve off some fishermen... like i said it's a managed stream, plain and simple... i dont know of any other small streams that get pounded with 45 to 90 anglers per week for virtually 52 weeks a year.

dbl... right now it's 50-50... havent gotten an official kitchen pass yet... this weekend will be a month since the last trip and i'm ready to get away... not too excited about the temps though... 53 here means 40's at the fishing hole... if we go, lets find some big, warm water ;) .. wish i could trade friday and saturdays weather.

[dblhaul]

Honestly, I'll take 40 degrees and no ice..Shoot me a pm if you have any other ideas on were to go...Either way, I'll be somewhere in your "backyard "this weekend..