drought... cough cough

[guywhofishes]

 

[KDM]

Yep. Got cracks in my yard so big I'm losing chickens. Not a good situation.

 

[Kurtr]

Dryer than a popcorn fart here

 

[Rowdie]

Yup ground starting to crack

 

[guywhofishes]

 

[KDM]

Not good. If this keeps up, I'm going to need to water my house to keep the dirt from pulling away from the foundation. Winter with open air against the foundation is a great way to crack it all to pieces and cost you twice as much in heating. Come'on Rain!!!

 

[LBrandt]

Cows are getting down to the roots. Ranchers are going to have to start feeding early this year or loose the pastures for next year. LB

 

[NodakBob]

I see the March 1,2027 Corps of Engineers forecast is for Sak to be 14’ lower than their usual spring target elevation of 1837.5

 

[Paddledogger]

That means 3 feet less than where we are at right now. Uffda!

 

[Allen]

And El Nino affected winters tend to be drier and warmer than normal. At least, that's what the stats say.

 

[Greenhorn]

I have lived in Bis since 2020 so I have really only known relatively low water conditions on the river (and I suppose on Sak too but don’t have much experience with that). Despite low conditions I have still experienced great fishing and have come to love the river system. What effects on fishing have you all seen from the low water? Is it mostly just an access thing? How would several years of high water levels affect fishing and the fish migrations? Is it a case where the worst is yet to come if conditions persist? Thanks

 

[Kurtr]

I have lived in Bis since 2020 so I have really only known relatively low water conditions on the river (and I suppose on Sak too but don’t have much experience with that). Despite low conditions I have still experienced great fishing and have come to love the river system. What effects on fishing have you all seen from the low water? Is it mostly just an access thing? How would several years of high water levels affect fishing and the fish migrations? Is it a case where the worst is yet to come if conditions persist? Thanks

Low water isn’t bad unless it goes down in the spring and kills all the spawn . It mak fishing easier less area to cover. If it goes down and all the shores get weed growth and then comes back up fishing gets really good

 

[Kurtr]

That means 3 feet less than where we are at right now. Uffda!

Oahe supposed to drop another 5 feet by October

 

[Rowdie]

The Mobridge Tribune had a little article about water levels of Oahe last week. All time low was 1573, and we're at 1595 now

 

[Allen]

The Mobridge Tribune had a little article about water levels of Oahe last week. All time low was 1573, and we're at 1595 now

This does not bring back fond memories.

 

[Kurtr]

This does not bring back fond memories.

Only thing good was the deer and pheasant hunting was the best it ever was.

 

[KDM]

Lake Mead is at 27% capacity and Lake Powell is at 23% capacity. Pictures of those shorelines are eye opening. This is compared to Sak and Oahe which are currently at 65% capacity. Arguments between the states using Colorado River water is shaping up to be EPIC and with all the irrigated ag products being affected in those states, it will be interesting to see how the rest of the country is going to feel the affects not only from the grocery store, but in the electric department as well if they lose power generation capabilities in the future.

 

[Rowdie]

Only thing good was the deer and pheasant hunting was the best it ever was.

Also the spring bite at PKC on the swift current was insane. For weeks pre spawn and even until Memorial Day it was lights out. Almost all males hitting cranks. We ran cranks upstream with the big motor, I had no kicker. It'd take 10 minutes to go 20 yds in spots. The CORPS would always flood the system around Memoerial Day, turn the water to chocolate milk, and it was over.

I had GREAT fishing in Mobridge every summer, but they got pretty dinky. They even upped the limit to 14, 10 had to be under 15 or 14 inches

 

[Kurtr]

Also the spring bite at PKC on the swift current was insane. For weeks pre spawn and even until Memorial Day it was lights out. Almost all males hitting cranks. We ran cranks upstream with the big motor, I had no kicker. It'd take 10 minutes to go 20 yds in spots. The CORPS would always flood the system around Memoerial Day, turn the water to chocolate milk, and it was over.

I had GREAT fishing in Mobridge every summer, but they got pretty dinky. They even upped the limit to 14, 10 had to be under 15 or 14 inches

That was the year the lake flooded and pushed all the bait through the turbines down south. I had a pontoon full of kids and about 100 walleyes to clean wont ever do that again