Flood Stage

As most people know, with the recent rain and run off most rivers and streams are experiencing flood stage water levels. fisherman hope for coming rain and warm weather to induce the push of migratory steelhead. A little bit of rain and run off is a good thing but a lot of rain and runoff isn't. In the past week, rivers like the Manistee, Rifle river, Meskegon river, White river, Kalamazoo river,  and the Grand river all are experience extreme floods. With an inch-two of rain that fell over nearly the whole state, combined with the plentiful snow amounts and a frozen ground preventing filtration the odds of a flash flood were very high.

Why are floods good? Floods and higher water conditions not only clear out reminding shelf ice in some rivers but the rising water levels and temperatures trigger a fish's response to swim up into a river in search of spawning grounds which they either spawn on or hold in the river to await optimum water temperatures for their spawning ritual to commence. High waters bring a lot of hopes for fisherman and steelhead alike. As water recede fish get shifted back into their normal lies and fisherman have the ability to hopefully present their fly or lure past more fish which in terms allows an angler to have a higher chance of a successful outing.

Why are floods bad? Little floods are ok, but big floods are very bad for the ecosystem. With high water comes a lot of suspended sediment being blown down river. This increase in sediment is very harsh on fish and can kill large amounts of fish. For a fish to breathe it must push all that sediment filled water through its gills. Though too much, for too long will kill most fish who can't find a safe refuge. Along with sediment, debris is a very big issue. With the fish's inability to see more than a few inches in the dirty water, it leaves fish vulnerable to sheets of ice, trees, fishing line from the banks, and many object be blown down river. These factors alone contribute a high percentage to the total fish kill. In these high water floods either fish have to get out or swim far enough up stream to escape the effects of lower river suspended sediments. It is probable that the majority of fish who will push up river will recede with the excessive growing water leaves and deadly water conditions. As the water is still high but coming down gradually, will then be when a steelhead will make his journey back into the river.

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