Blown Out

That’s the First Connecticut Lake Dam, with both barrels blazing full of water. As you can see, both gates are open, blasting a robust 550 CFS in to the Trophy Stretch. Why so high, you might ask …

Great River Hydro has some work to do, replacing boards on the upper most level of the dam next week, so First Lake needed to be dropped in height in order to accomplish this.

Complicating things further is the fact that we are in the midst of your typical warm, humid and rainy weather pattern, common in late July. Everything will be sunny out, and suddenly a thunderstorm rolls through our area, dumping an inch or more in a short time.

While the flow as of this moment might be 550 CFS, it is anticipated that the flow will have to go much higher in order to accomplish the drop to get the work done next week. Once the work starts, the flow rate will largely be determined by weather and inflow to First Lake. It should become fishable again to some degree next week.

For as dry as late May and June were, July has been a wet month for us and the water table seems to have normalized again in the north country. We also anticipate a raise to 500 – 600 CFS below Murphy next week, which could actually help the fishing down there. It has been tough for some, but certainly not impossible – just wade carefully if you’re going to go.

Downstream, the drift boat trips have been doing well when the weather allows. Once again, the threat of thunderstorms is never a good thing, especially if you’re in a boat, miles from your takeout. Heavy storms can also muddy up the river mighty fast, and sometimes it takes a day or more to see clearing and dropping water. Still, it sounds as though the top water action has been good when the conditions are favorable.

It’s been a “different” summer in many ways this year, and the weather has certainly played a role in all of this …