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Thread: High Water

  1. #1
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    Default High Water


    What is the impact of all this high water on our fisheries like Melvern and Pamona that have been high for months. Will it be good or bad. Just off the top of my head I would think it would benefit the fry as they more place to hide and a lot of nutrients from decomposing vegetation. The predator fish might have a hard time because the prey is so spread out. Am I close love to know thanks
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    I've seen times where Kansas flooded lakes have helped game fish. Bait fish have more places to lay eggs with better protection from predators. Following years had increased food supply for game fish
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    Default Mega Spawn?

    I agree fully that this year, as quick as the males moved in shallow, making nest and having new cover, we should have a excellent year class hatched. Not to mention a bazillion crappies NOT caught. <*)}}}><
    You'll see the difference,,,on the end of your line! PROUD MEMBER OF ​TEAM GEEZER
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  4. #4
    Craig Johnson's Avatar
    Craig Johnson is offline Moderator "Ask The Biologist" Forum * Crappie.com Supporter
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    Hello Guys,

    Sorry for the slow reply. It's been a busy year this year with all the extra water!

    You're all on the right track. Flood years are traditionally productive for Kansas fish populations. If high water occurs prior to spawning, spawning fish may have access to high quality spawning habitat/cover that is otherwise high and dry. High inflow rates introduce increased nutrients to the system and fuel the food chain from the bottom up meaning more food for all fish. If turbidity remains too high too long this may cause problems with production as sunlight penetration is limited.

    We've seen extended times this year on our high elevations which is rare occurrence for many Kansas reservoirs. Usually we get a high water event prior to the crappie spawn and the fish spawn in good habitat above conservation pool only to be left dry when the lake is pulled down in a week or so. We didn't have that problem this year. I've been stocking fish in to some great looking flooded habitat the last couple of weeks and the cover is teeming with forage for the small sportfish!

    The flip side to this high productivity is the loss of adult sportfish to downstream releases. Fish losses during releases is inevitable. Hard to have your cake and eat it too...flood years are highly productive with increased downstream fish losses, while drought years are less productive with few or no downstream fish losses. Sportfish will be fairly well dispersed throughout the lakes during this time of year and many will be a long ways from the outlets. Release rate and duration as well as release timing will affect the extent downstream fish losses.
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