Fishing Forum

Just thought I would pass along some information I learned today regarding the aerating that will be going on near the hatchery. I called and talked to the Hatchery, they are hoping to have the aerators going today if they can get them running. The lines will run out up to a HALF MILE straight out from the spawning ladder. She anticipates that there will be open water where the aerating is occurring. There are 3 main lines, and they will fan out some from the ladder. I was mainly curious because I do like to ice fish in this area. Just be very careful if you plan to fish here, they will not be restricting access, you may just have to go up or down the beach a little ways to access the ice.
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Just a follow up to this thread if anyone is interested, and a bit of a HOLY CRAP story to tell.

We fished at the Hatchery today. I was there on Wednesday, and it was easy to see the open spots where the bubblers are keeping the water from freezing. Today as we were walking out in the dark, I saw a dark patch ahead of where I had just walked on Wednesday, it was open water. When the light came up I could pick out another 3 spots that hadn't been there on Wednesday. Then, a group of 3 guys came and set up about 50 yards to the West of us, more or less directly in front of the first large cabin to the west of the spawning ladder, I guess we were out 250 yards or so. I was watching them just to take the opportunity to say hello, this fellow had a hand auger and is drilling his first hole, when all of the sudden Old Faithful is spewing out air and water 30 feet into the air! These 3 guys start haulin ass away from the area when they realize their auger is still in the hole, then the crazy SOB walks back carefully to the geyser and grabs his auger out. This air geysered up for over 5 minutes before it just started bubbling. This was obviously another aeration bubbler that had been building up pressure under the ice since they turned the system on Tuesday. Before we left, this area was flooded with open water around 50 by 50 feet. The ice in the whole area was also very vocal.

We were all a little rattled, and I invited the boys to fish by us and drilled them a few holes. It wasn't long before they were into the fish, but certainly an event to remember.

Please be careful in this area! I do not know how many more bubbler areas there are, and this line is obviously angled out to the West from the ladder.
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I thought the area around the aerators and the hatchery was off limits? Specially during spawning.
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The fish checker lady that comes around told us that extra airarators (don't know how to spell, sorry!) we installed to help during winter months. Maybe that's what you guys were seeing.
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You cannot fish within the posted boundary at the hatchery, which is defined by the buoys. The aeration lines are running out into the lake far beyond the boundary.
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Thanks, looks like Staleys too.

Henrys Lake
Section: Those portions of the lake within the posted
boundaries of Staley Springs and within 100 yards of
Hatchery Creek
• Closed to fishing
Remainder of Henrys Lake
• January 2 through Friday before Memorial Day
weekend – Closed to fishing
• Saturday of Memorial Day weekend through
January 1 – trout limit is 2, brook trout must be
counted in the trout limit
• Fishing may not continue after 2 trout have been
reduced to possession
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Here is a little more information on the aerators

http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/public/medi...ewsID=6907

IDAHO FISH AND GAME
Upper Snake NEWS RELEASE
Idaho Falls, ID
Date:
December 6, 2013


[b]Contact: [/b]
gregg losinski
gregg.losinski@idfg.idaho.gov
(208) 525-7290

firing up aerators at henrys lake in preparation for a difficult winter

Ice is a fact of life for nearly half the year at Henrys Lake.

During a typical winter the fish in the lake are able to handle the difficult conditions fairly well, but a number of potentially negative factors have prompted fish managers at Idaho Fish and Game to do all they can to mitigate for potential damages.

Fortunately Henrys Lake happens to have one of the largest man-made aeration systems in the country already in place to help keep a small portion of the lake ice-free, allowing for much needed oxygen to enter the lake water trapped under the ice. Rather than wait for conditions to turn bad, the aerators are now being turned on.

Some of the same factors that make Henrys Lake a world-class fishery able to produce trophy trout can also lead to major problems when a variety of negative factors coincide. Henrys Lake is shallow, normally only averaging about 16 feet, but this year the water level is lower, and higher than normal fish numbers because of natural reproduction mean more fish packed into a smaller space.

The lower water also allowed for sunlight to penetrate deeper, resulting in greater than normal growth of fish and decomposing aquatic vegetation. But when the lake freezes over and sunlight cannot penetrate, the vegetation can use up much of the dissolved oxygen in the water. Typically during the winter the ice is about 20 inches thick at Henrys Lake.

"This year we are especially concerned due to the lower lake level combined with the high biomass of fish and aquatic weeds, both of which consume oxygen during the winter once the ice and snow cover the lake," said Dan Garren, the Upper Snake regional fisheries manager.

While the aerators are an attempt to make a difference, they can only keep about 20 acres of the 6,200 acre lake free of ice. Fortunately nature also provides a little assistance by keeping areas near creek mouths, springs and upwelling areas oxygenated.

The cost of the electricity to operate the aerators can run into the tens of thousands of dollars, so the decision to flip the switch is not made lightly.

"We decided to be as proactive as we could, we won't be able to save all the fish if things get really tough, but we will be able to provide an additional area of refuge," Garren said. "Fish and Game will be monitoring oxygen levels in the lake throughout the winter, and will evaluate any winterkill in May, once the ice leaves and we can implement our annual population monitoring efforts."

To learn more about conditions at Henrys Lake, contact the Upper Snake Region office at 208-525-7290 or the Henrys Lake Hatchery at 208-558-7202.
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Thanks for the link. What they mentioned about the weeds seems to be right on, they are excessive!

I was there fishing Saturday and talked for a bit with the gal from the hatchery as she was measuring our fish for her survey. She is really concerned about the safety of those fishing in the hatchery area. She says the aerators are gradually thinning the ice in the area. I told her of my experience on Friday with seeing someone drill a hole right over top of one of the unseen vents. She was discouraging anyone coming down the ramp from fishing there but I think if you go to the east or west of the area aways it is just fine. And, the fishing has been excellent there, I fished in the same spot 3 days last week and had 30+ fish days each day.
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Hey Groundtrac, thanks for the heads up. Sounds like you're not only getting into the fish, but getting some entertainment as well! Would have liked to have seen that event, but glad noone was hurt or got an ice bath.
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That's a crazy story! I think my knees would have been a little shaky the next time I drilled a whole after seeing that.. at least the fishing was good!
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If they opened it all year for fishing we could open lots of holes and have nice aerated fishies [fishin]
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Boy I bet that was something to see to bad ya didnt have a video camera going
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[quote Im4Trout]If they opened it all year for fishing we could open lots of holes and have nice aerated fishies [fishin][/quote]

A nice shallow lake open year round sounds great. More time to introduce new species. Just going off a local shallow lake 's experience.[]
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