River Report: River Recedes, Tensions Rise

The flood is over. The warning has been lifted, the river is below flood stage and still going down.

At its peak the water level was just even with the first cross bar below the top of the gate.

So how has the fishing been with the water dropping and all those carp bopping?

Sigh. We got a neighbor problem.

Nobody's mad. They just don't want us to get hurt or drown and sue them.

Well, OK, Jeremiah's mad. And I'm a little miffed, I have to say.

Maybe we can work it out before next Spring. In the meantime, it won't stop us fishing in the river. We'll just have to go the longer way around to get there.

River Report: Not Time For Pitchforks Yet

It was inevitable. We had to give it a try. Jeremiah went in with me. He saw a fish moving near our bank just as he started the climb down. But that's the last fish we saw.

Saturday evening we had seen lots of wakes as carp cruised around, but by the time we were out there Sunday evening it was as though high tide had come in submerging the flats.

The river level was at 16.34 feet at 7:15 Sunday evening. There were places in the pasture that were over my waist--and over the dog's head. And it's still going up, expected now to crest around 17 feet by Wednesday morning.

We had fun wading the edges and probing the fencelines, but without cruising fish to cast to it was a shot in the dark. But you know how it is. Sometimes a shot in the dark hits the target. So you shoot.

Eventually we gave up, but we'll be back sometime around next Friday or Saturday when the water is dropping and the fish are trapped on the flats again.

We'll use rods, I suppose, but some old timers told me this morning that they used to use pitchforks to gather the fish in once the water had gone down. And that "spring carp are tasty, especially smoked."

Before we resort to that Jeremiah will use soft baits or nightcrawlers. And I'll probably use some kind of muddler. But you know, based on what we saw stranded on almost every branch and stem and log, I wonder if maybe I should tie up some ants.

River Report: Flood Update: Fishing Time?

Friday evening. The pasture filling up, ducks moving in. And frogs. They sang beautifully all night long.

Saturday afternoon. River at 15.78 feet. Flood stage is 15. The forecast keeps changing. Now the river is expected to crest at 16.8 feet by Wednesday morning.

Should wader up and see what I can gig out of there. Or--it's almost too good to resist--go fishing in the pasture. That would be a story to tell my grandkids--especially if I catch something.

River Report: Flood Warning

These photos were taken on Wednesday afternoon. The river was still going up, and the Flood Watch had been changed to a Flood Warning.

At 9:15 PM Wednesday the river was at 14.10 feet. Flood stage is 15.0 feet. It's expected to exceed that by Thursday evening. And it will keep going up, rising above 17.0 feet by Saturday evening, and cresting at 17.8 feet by Tuesday morning.

Looks like there is a chance water will be over the banks and flowing over the field. We should still be fine, but we have friends who live much closer to the river than we do. I'm starting to worry for them.