With them releasing 180,000 CFS headed to Pickwick knowing I would get into something. Thought it would be white bass or stripers.....and maybe large mouth also in the jumps. That wasn't the case.....no jumps anywhere. Started out up in the lake but it was so trashy it made fishing difficult. But did manage a 15 inch Smallie on the 2# test. Then headed below dam. Unloaded tackle backpack and put in 4 bottles of water to carry down those hot rocks. Only had my Trout Magnet box and water.....it was close to triple digits over there and with heat index and those rocks it was just plain hot. Found the large mouth stacked up in the rocks. Was using 4# test NanoFil with 6# test fluorocarbon leader and was casting a 1/8 ounce jig head with an #8 Steelhead hook with a Bison Trout Magnet. For over 3 hours caught a bass almost on every cast.....easily over 100 large mouth. But it don't take a lot of skill when they are in there like that. They ranged in size from 13 inches to 16 inches. Had a ball. Will hit it again tomorrow....they will increase flow to over 200,000 CFS in next day or so. The water was reasonably clear and 83 degrees below dam. But tomorrow will take the Bitsy Bug and such lures down to rocks....and plenty of water. Turned out be an expensive trip....truck threw rock into windshield and replacement is 300 bucks...oh well.
Is there anyway to get a boat on the lower side of that dam safely?
No.....unfortunately. There is such high wave action down at the ramp you would destroy a boat if you tried to launch. When they release that much it is a bank fishing only for many miles. Plus on the spillway side a lot of debris comes out of those 16 gates.
You wore them out again Alpha!! great pics and report as well!!, man that is some water!!, I don't think I can even imagine what 200,000 cfs of water look like!! sorry about your windshield!!, let us know how you do tomorrow and yes Sir when I grow up I want to be like you!
Pickwick 07-09-2013
