Say it ain't so!

[leaky]

Can this be true??? [pirate] This is terrible if so!! Wasn't Condie supposed to be maintained as a trophy bass fishery? Man, this is bad, bad news! This was posted in our Utah forum.[unsure]

[size 1]Preston Bass Lakes

There was a story in the Preston paper talking about the water levels at most of the areas Bass Lakes. The twin Lakes Irrigation Company who owns most of the reservoirs in the area stated that they intended on draining Conde, Winder, and likely the upper Lake at Twin Lakes before the summer is over. They also said they intended to leave some water on Glendale and Foster. My friend was at Foster last week watching the Bass getting hauled off by the stringer full. He said the water was about 2' deep and people were netting , snaggging , and catching them. So much for leaving some water in Foster. Anyway, the Twin Lakes Irrigation boys said that part of the problem was that they were not able to build a dam at the bottem of the Oneida Narrows. Anyhow, the Fish and Game were not around offering to move any of the Bass from Foster like they were with Winder. Hopefully there will be some bass left in SE idaho before the end of the summer irrigation season?
Tight Lines [/size]

Leaky

[BrianID]

Sounds more like and exaggerated rumor to me. Someone correct me if I'm wrong but I believe the Twin Lakes Canal Company only owns Twin Lakes, Winder and Condie. They do not own Foster, Glendale, Lamont, Johnson or Treasureton. I wouldn't be surprised if Twin Lakes Canal Company did own considerable water rights to the other reservoirs.

I've posted on this board several times that the F&G are considering lowering the slot at Condie (may become 16" minimum) and increasing the slot at Treasureton (may become 20" minimum).

I haven't checked out the Preston Lakes recently myself but I wouldn't be surprised if your friend mistakenly called Winder, Foster. As far as I know there is no fish salvage at Foster currently.

I could certainly be wrong about some of the information about so take it with a grain of salt.
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[wackmaster]

[unsure] The fish at foster are most likely gone. I heard it first hand from my bass tournament fishing partner who was standing on the bank watching big bass being thrown onto the bank by every one there. He said that the water was low enogh that the fish were making waves and splashing around. There was no salvage order that I heard of for Foster, but rest assured there are few if any bass left in that lake. He had to leave, said he couldn't stand to sit there and watch that kind of a murder scene happen and not be able to do any thing about it.
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[packfish]

I think there was a salvage order starting 09/01 just not well published. Glendale and Foster are owned by 1 water user group.
Lamont and Johnson are by another and their canals are enclosed and they save at least 30% of the water from loss and they are still fishable. Condie and Winder and Twin are the Twin Lakes Canal co. This again is just a personal opinion but I feel they have used the water threat to their benifit for the proposal of the dam. I would hope I was wrong on that assumption but I don't think I am.
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[wackmaster]

[crazy]I agree with you. I think the drought this past year was the perfect opportunity for the irrigation company to show why they need a new dam. [unsure]Too bad it is at the expense of the fisheries.
Also, I am disappointed with the Fish and Game.
If there were people able to net these fish, then why wouldn't the Fish and Game try to shock and transport these fish (especially the large spawners) to another location. Just a thought?
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[trout_slayer]

I agree with all of you on this matter. I believe these companies are doing this on purpose for this dam they want to build at the Narrows. Why? Who knows, money perhaps? It is just a shame though. I have been fishing up there (Preston area) my whole life and I am from Utah. I fished it when I was a little "pup", then when I moved back to Utah from Washington, then during Spring Break trips while in Jr. High and High School, and now while I am stationed down here at Hill AFB. I dont mean to pee in anyones Cheerios, but IN MY OPINION the Idaho DWR is not doing their job to their up most abilities. I can count on ONE FINGER how many times I have seen a DWR offial (Game Warden) up in that area and I have been going up there at least 20-30 times a year for the last 8 1/2 years I have been stationed down here. Maybe when I retire I will move up there and join the DWR. Just wish they had some sort of "Canal" meeting that fellow anglers can join in on and state OUR case!!!
TS
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[packfish]

There are public meetings. I have a buddy that lives in the Prseton area that is at everyone.
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[leaky]

So what's the deal on wonderful these lakes?? Is it true or not?? Can't someone up there contact the Id. F&G and find out what the skinny is?? I'd try to e-mail em myself but I don't seem to be able to get a response. Could call but it's long distance for me.[unsure]
Leaky

[BMURR]

I'm curious to know the story also. I'm from Preston and now live in Logan. My father works at the Oneida Narrows power plant. All growing up I remember the threats of someone putting a dam at the base of the canyon. It is ironic that the Twin Lakes Canal Co. has had to drain these lakes after only one year of drought. I remember last time they drained Condie. It was after multiple years of drought and it seemed like all efforts were being put forth not to do so. It really is unfortunate that it has come to this.

On another note, Brian ID made a comment about the proposed regulation to increase the slot at Treasureton to 20". I think this is a great idea. I fish Treasureton close to 30 times a year, most of which is in the winter. From my experience, most people that fish Treasureton are not there to harvest any fish. The fish are extremely mossy and really don't provide very good table fare. Most people seem to focus more on catching larger fish. Why wouldn't we want to impose a slot of 20" or bigger? This is a reservoir that, if allowed, could produce fish over 25".

Bmurr
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[BrianID]

trout slayer,

I'm surprised you have only been check once for a license. I get checked all the time. Maybe I just fish more than you do. [] I was check at one of the Preston Lakes just a few months ago. This year I have also been checked while fishing the Portneuf. A couple years ago I was checked by a F&G officer while fishing the Bear River. I was surprised to be checked that day because he had to walk a considerable distance from the road to check me. I would guess you have had F&G watching you while you have fished on a number of occasions and just didn't know it. The F&G probably check me every time they see me just because I look guilty. [blush]Or they just want to talk to the guy they see catching all the fish. []

Leaky,

I'm going to the open house at the SE region office in a couple days. I'll post anything I find significant. Post here or send me a PM if you have some questions you would like to address. The guys who manage the SE region fisheries (Dick Scully and David T.) have been helpful and knowledgeable every time I've talked with them. I’m not saying all F&G employees are great. There are some people who work for the F&G that are lazy and are just wasting our money. Too bad all of the politics make it difficult to fire some of them.

BMURR,

The 20" slot won't hurt Treasureton but probably won't help a lot either. The F&G have compared Treasureton to Daniels. Both produce a similar average size of fish even though the slot at Daniels is 4" higher. The F&G is considering increasing the slot at Treasureton because of pressure from fishermen not because they think it will significantly increase the number of large fish in the reservoir. IMO snow pack and poaching are going to have a much greater impact than an increase in the slot. Like you said most of the fishermen at "no bait, single barbless waters" are going to release almost all of the fish they catch regardless of the slot. Anyway that is just my opinion on it. I'm not going to discourage the slot from increasing because I have no intentions of keeping any fish I catch at Treasureton.
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[packfish]

If you were to watch Fosters you would have found out that water from Glendale came in 2 days after the water was drained from Fosters.
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[leaky]

Hey Brian, thanks a bunch.
I'm new to fishing in that area so I probably don't know enough to ask good questions, but------. Basically, I'd like to know ir the Preston area lakes like Glendale, Condie, etc. are not going to be drained, water to be left to maintain the fishery abd changes in slot limits. Also, I've been waiting for the Snake flows to come down to at least normal below Anderson, when might that occur? Thanks again. Man, I hope those lakes are maintined for fishing, I just discovered em.[mad] I would think that would be a big loss to the locals.
P.S. I've been in contact with Scully on other subjects and he has been very responsive if he knows the answer.[unimpressed]
Leaky

[BrianID]

I was able to get the F&G's side of the Foster Story. This is my interpretation so it is very possible I forgot a few of the detail.

Saturday of Labor Day weekend the F&G was notified by the irrigation company Foster would be drained by the next day. There was not much time to organize a transplant operation so the F&G choose to open it to fish salvage instead of letting the fish go to waste. The fish relocation at Winder was attempted but wasn't very effective. The fish relocation at Winder was good for public relations but did little to minimize the impact of the drought.

At this point it only looks like Winder and Foster will be drained. All of the other Preston Lakes should have enough water that most fish should be able to survive (Twin Lakes, Treasureton, Condie, Glendale, Johnson and Lamont)
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[leaky]

Thanks guy, that sounds a bit more hopeful. Too bad about Foster.[unsure]
Leaky

[EZOP]

We just dropped Anderson to 300cfs from 600cfs at 1am on the 17th. Also I see that we will be shutting flows at Arrowrock to zero at 8am on the 19th. (This maybe only temporary.) And of course Lucky Peak should still be dropping like a rock, maybe even faster now.
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[trout_slayer]

What do you mean "WE DROPPED......"!!! You have something to do with these lakes getting "raped" of water?
TS
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[EZOP]

On B.O.R reservoirs I do push the buttons that operate equipment for water release. Do I rape the lakes of water or do any of you do?
If we could only get the farmers to stop growing crops, people watering their yards, saving the salmon, keeping lakes full for water recreation, people way down river that want water, people way up river that want water, globel warming, power generation to run your computor, ect, ect.

And no I don't make the decisions on what gets kept or released with water, thats the hydrologists job. I just make the decision on what generator or equipment to use for flow changes, but only when I'm on duty of course.
Everybody wants water, just pray for good snow pack.
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[Aluma165]

EZOP: We fished Anderson last week. Tons of smallies but nothing over a pound or pound + 1/2. Anderson is really low. The Reds were thick in Lime Creek; still a decent flow coming down the creek bed. Lucky Peak is as you say, dropping fast. Any idea when they will cut the New York Canal flow? It is a bit irritating to see it at full capacity well after the growing season and with Lucky Peak being sucked dry at a dizzying pace. I understand that powers above us all make those decisions. Great to have your expertise on our board.
Snowpack is the answer. Let's pray for a big and long winter with alot of snow...
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[trout_slayer]

EZOP, I meant to put a couple y faces on my last reply to you so you knew that I wasnt being an @$$. I understand and agree with you with what is going on with the lakes, so I apologize if you took it personal!!!
TS
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