Fort Peck Walleyes

[Mr T]

I haven't heard much about Ft. Peck this year. Anyone been up there since mid February? Someone said Crooked Creek is almost dry.

[T-Mac]

The locals say the ice is laying on the lake bottom in front of Crooked Creek Marina. Lookin bad !!!

[henckel]

Unless we get some huge, huge rains this spring, the ramp at Crooked Creek will be out of the water. The ramp at Nelson Creek on the Big Dry Arm will likely be out of the water, too. At Heck Creek (that one north of Jordan we can't mention on this message board but that rhymes with Swell Creek), an old low-water ramp north of the marina will be available, but FWP will be building a new road on the beach so that people can get to the ramp. I haven't heard yet of how the other ramps will be affected. -- mark

[EyeBoy]

MrT;
Not a pretty picture at all. As Mark so eloquently stated, WATER!!! WE NEED WATER FOR FORT PECK!!!!!
Nelson creek may be dry as well?? Would Forchette be usable?
ON-PLANE(MABY)!!!TOM

[henckel]

Tom --

I was putting a Fort Peck story together today on the situation up at Fort Peck that will run in the paper this Thursday. Looks like Nelson Creek, Crooked Creek and possibly Duck Creek ramps will be out of business this year and likely in 2002 as well.

Bone Trail and (if I remember right) the Pines will need gravel work to get to the ramps, but the ramps are usable.

##### (oh darn) Heck Creek will need a new access road to get to the old ramp north of the marina but that one should be good. Fourchette, Rock Creek, Fort Peck Marina, Flat Lake should all be usable.

Remember the boat plug,

mark

[Bob]

The Army Corps which runs Ft. Peck Dam has a great website which will give you up to the hour reports on lake elevations and boat ramp elevations. So now you can check out which ramps are usuable and which are not before you even leave the driveway! Here is the web address www.nwd.usace.army.mil/
When you get there, click on the "water management link" on the left side of the screen. Then click on the "missouri river region res. control" link and now you have 2 choices. Click on the "plots" to find the water elevation (up to the hour) for which ever reservoir you want. Or, click on the "boat ramp elevations" link on the left to see the various top and bottom elevations of the boat ramps on that particular reservoir. This is a great service to the public. I only wish the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) which runs a lot more dams than the Corps had this feature on their web site. In low water years, like this one, it really helps. Another tip, don't take Mark H as your tournament fishing partner. You'll likely end up 151 out of 150 teams! Can good reports be good fishermen? I'm not so sure.

[henckel]

Bob --

You're right, I'm a darn poor tournament fisherman. Never claimed to be a good one. That's why I don't donate my entry fees to more than one or two a year -- tops -- and that's mostly just to have some fun fishing with other teams that do win.

My biggest worry this year isn't winning or losing, it's how hard it's going to be to launch my boat. And, on top of that, what kind of navigational hazards am I going to face if I do get out there on the water.

If the water levels on Fort Peck keep dropping, some folks are going to be dinging some props, damaging some boat bottoms and probably ruining a few lower units.

Pray for snow/rain and a bunch of it. This drought isn't anywhere near over yet.

Good luck in your fishing. -- mark

[Bob]

Mark,
Poor in tourneys or not, your darn good on the computer. Keep up the great coverage in the Outdoors section. Thursdays are my favorite issue! One thing is for sure about Peck. Where the fish were last year is not anywhere where they'll be this year. It'll be like starting all over again learning the "hot spots". Maybe that will give guys like us a chance against the perennial "leader board repeaters". It should be noted, that this low water disaster will have a bright side in a few years when the water levels return to normal and flood all that grassy shoreline. When that happens it will surely mean a productivity boom. Lots of Plankton, lots of bait, lots of big fish. But till then, looks like were going to suffer.

[henckel]

Bob --

You're right on that Corps' boat ramp website being handy. I, too, wish the Bureau of Reclamation would have one. I'm pretty sure Yellowtail will be all right for launching. But if water levels don't improve, launching is going to be tough at Canyon Ferry, Clark Canyon, other places. I'm not sure what it will be like at Buffalo Bill or Boysen -- I'm not familiar with the ramps there. Any predictions on your part? And what is it going to do to the sauger runs? -- mark

[Birddog]

After ice-fishing at Devil's Creek this winter, I can't believe all of the stumps that are sticking through the ice. Makes me wonder how close they were to my prop last summer. I think an extra prop in the boat could be a good investment this summer......

[EyeBoy]

It's gonna be ugly.There are forests of waterlogged cottonwood trees, just waiting.....Even the odd reef or two.
ON-PLANE!!!TOM