Thoughts on Stream Improvement and Streams on Lakes

[JeffP]

I got up early to fish a stretch of Hammer Creek along Snavely Mill Road. This section was heavily engineered a few years ago. It has huge boulders and fast swirling water above deep holes. Little of the stretch that was improved is flat and silty. It has been planted nicely with trees and native bushes. It does have clay high banks in a lot of places. It is pretty difficult to fish. It is normally stocked pretty heavily but I don't think it was this year. I have caught some smallies in the past with mostly small ones and the very occasional big one. I have not fished this section much despite being walking distance from my house. In the past I have caught trout up to June and it does at times have rising trout. When Speedwell Lake was drained a lot of the bass were relocated to the stream. Some locals have complain to me about the fishing being ruined by the stream improvement. Evidently they used to catch largemouth in a few silted big pools that used to exist. There are still largemouth in spots and I know some supposedly still do well fishing for bass.
My thoughts this morning was that the water would be low and clear and the fish would be concentrated around the deep heads of pools and it would be easier to fish. I was surprised that the water was very cloudy and a pretty nice flow. I had little luck (2 small bass). So it was not the conditions I expected. How in the world after the lack of rain was the water still cloudy? This stretch is about a mile down from the lake. Most streams are a mere trickle. Its incoming stream is a stream with native brookies and is low and clear.

 

[troutbert]

If you have photos of the stretch, please post them.

Regarding the cloudy flow, if you explore upstream, you may find the cause.

 

[JeffP]

I was worried this post would time out so I just replied. Anyway I was thinking about the massive amounts of work and money that when into this stretch. By all accounts it really improved the habit. But was it worth it being located on a stream that warms due to the dam. In the time Speedwell lake was drained, the stream ran brown the whole time. Upper Middle Creek which is on a lake runs brownish green for much of the year eventually clearing in late August. I believe part of this is due to the fact that little water flows out of the dam in the late summer. Lower Middle Creek is infused by a lot of limestone springs, but Hammer is not. I guess there was no doubt that Speedwell would be refilled, but I often think about what the trout fishing could be like on this Middle Section of Hammer if the dam was not there along with the expensive stream work. The draining of a couple dammed trips would be nice as well.

 

[afishinado]

JeffP wrote:
I got up early to fish a stretch of Hammer Creek along Snavely Mill Road. This section was heavily engineered a few years ago. It has huge boulders and fast swirling water above deep holes. Little of the stretch that was improved is flat and silty. It has been planted nicely with trees and native bushes. It does have clay high banks in a lot of places. It is pretty difficult to fish. It is normally stocked pretty heavily but I don't think it was this year. I have caught some smallies in the past with mostly small ones and the very occasional big one. I have not fished this section much despite being walking distance from my house. In the past I have caught trout up to June and it does at times have rising trout. When Speedwell Lake was drained a lot of the bass were relocated to the stream. Some locals have complain to me about the fishing being ruined by the stream improvement. Evidently they used to catch largemouth in a few silted big pools that used to exist. There are still largemouth in spots and I know some supposedly still do well fishing for bass.
My thoughts this morning was that the water would be low and clear and the fish would be concentrated around the deep heads of pools and it would be easier to fish. I was surprised that the water was very cloudy and a pretty nice flow. I had little luck (2 small bass). So it was not the conditions I expected. How in the world after the lack of rain was the water still cloudy? This stretch is about a mile down from the lake. Most streams are a mere trickle. Its incoming stream is a stream with native brookies and is low and clear.

The "cloudy" water is likely caused by the fall turnover of the lake.

https://www.google.com/search?q=turnover+lake&oq=turnover+lake&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l7.3248j0j15&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

 

[JeffP]

That's what I was thinking, but Speedwell seems cloudy all the time. I know upper Hammer is not without its problems, but what's running in is definitely clear. There is another trib that is dammed into a decent sized pond near the mill. I did take a pic but I must have mistakenly deleted it.

 

[larkmark]

Why was Speedwell created in the first place? It has always been lousy fishing. It was interesting when the dam was gone for a while and that creek started to be visible again. I have no idea what the point of that whole project is.

 

[Chaz]

Forget about turnover of the lake, turnover only happens when enough water on the top of the reservoir is 39 degrees, that’s when water is most dense. I’guess that water was or is being released, but I don’t know if there’s a gauge on Hammer Creek. Below some level of the lake sediment will flush out of the lake. They are the most likely causes. An isolated storm is another possibility.
One more thing is the water of the lake may have an algae bloom in late summer early fall. It likely will look cloudy because of thee are t.