Big Surprise Bear River 10/2

[wiperhunter2]

Yes I did take it home.  It wasn't going to be able to spawn so I might as well take it home.  The Reeder overflow ultimately empties not too far from the Willard outlet into the Willard Spur.  Possibly a high water year and it got over into the river?

I'm not familiar with the Reeder overflow, how did you find out about it? About how far do you think it is from the Willard Spur?

It is the name of the Reeder Canal.  It is the first large canal that you cross after entering the refuge on Forest Street.  It feeds the marshes in the southeast corner of the refuge.  There is an outflow from the marshes that is fed by the Reeder on the south dike of the refuge that empties into the spur only 1.68 miles away from the Willard outlet.  If you pull up Google earth, you can follow the overflow all the way down to the spur.  There is also an access to the marshes on that part of refuge on the west side of I-15 that you access through Willard.  

I know about it because I have waterfowl hunted the spur out in that area south of that outflow.  This year it is probably nearly dry.  They have not been letting water down the Reeder for months.

Ok, I know which canal you are talking about now, I have been to the head of that canal, where it connects to the river and if I remember correctly there is some sort of dam, not sure a wiper or any other fish could get up that and into the river. Wish I could bring up Google Earth(GE) on this PC but it won't allow it for some reason. When I first got it, it worked fine for GE but something changed with their program and after it did, GE no longer works.

I have also been to that dam and it has panels that are raised and lowered to control the water.  When raised, the fish could move right through.

Maybe when I was there it was closed but I thought it looked like an overflow spillway of sorts and when the river was running high it went over the top. I was on the river in a boat when I saw it, so I likely did not get a good view of what it looked like from the other side or I did not get close enough to see the gate part. Either way, the water would really be moving pretty fast thought that small necked down spot, wouldn't it? If the fish did not make it up though that area, is it possible they took the longer route and got into the river by a different way?