I called in a tag on a trout I caught at Strike last week, and got the info letter today. It wasn't a money tag, I just call them in to do my part and because I find it fascinating to find out the history of the fish.
Seems this trout was released back in October at the Cottonwood boat ramp. The interesting thing is, I caught it just below the turbines. So the fish either went through the turbines, or over the spillway when they opened the gates during the last few weeks. Either way, quite a harrowing journey for a fish!
I released him, too. Had to take the tag off so I could call it in, though. But he's back out there swimming in the river.
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Good that you called the tag in. It is amazing how many fish do go through the turbines!
F&G here in southeast Idaho have been doing a study on it. They have been releasing tagged trout at Sportsman's Park on American Falls Reservoir. So far they have found that almost 3/4ths of those fish are being caught below the dam after they have navigated their way through the turbines.
They have even purposely put fish through the turbines[shocked][shocked][shocked] ---- almost all make it through just fine. [
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I've seen fish come out of Pali
es almost unscathed below the turbines. Must be an E ticket ride!
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Very Interesting info.
Thanks
Windriver
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I was with a scout group touring the power plants in Idaho Falls and they have done experiments with fruit going through the turbines and almost all of them come out without a scratch on them.
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Where is Cottonwood boat ramp? I thought it must have been the one there by the bridge below the dam. I caught two tagged trout a hundred yards or so down from the bridge earlier this spring that were also released at the cottonwood boat ramp in October. I just figured it was the ramp by the bridge, I never even considered they might have come through the turbines. Thats' pretty cool that they do though. We also caught a small (about 2 1/2 foot) sturgeon right by the Grand View boat ramp yesterday and since they (according to F&G) don't spawn in that section of the river that suggests they come down through the turbines too. Well that's my two cents...
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Cottonwood is a campground on the south side of the Bruneau Arm. It's between the Narrows and Jack's Creek. You can see all the campgrounds on this map:
http://www.idahopower.com/pdfs/ourEnviro...WMAmap.pdf
There's usually good crappie fishing at Cottonwood during this time of year. Saw someone catch a nice trout last time I was there too.
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