Report of the KRCD ex com meeting
I just attended an Ex Com meeting (Kings River Conservation district. Seems that the Lower Kings is high right now not due to flood releases, as I thought, but due to irrigation demands. Whether it will go down or not this spring is anyone's guess. It looks like we'll be dealing with high water until fall. The water might or might not clear up, which would help the fishing, but right now it's very muddy as well as high. The report was that the mud was coming from Mill Creek, but that is currently running clear and about 100 CFS. The release from the dam is currently 890.
They are continuing to plant the river and expect the trout to do well and the water temperatures to remain cool, flows high. This fall we could see some really good fishing in the Lower Kings.
Some of the fish being planted now are brown trout fingerlings. Those should grow up some during the summer and add to the fishing success this fall. Right now, it's looking like a good fall and winter ahead, but fishing may remain challenging for the rest of this year.
Thanks for helping to stock the Kings River! Several club members responded to the need for volunteers to help take baby trout to their new home in the Kings River where, if everything works as anticipated, they can grow to be big trout. The water in the river is really high just now, not good for fishing currently, but good for lots of cold water the little babies will need to grow to big fish size.
Here are a few of the people who answered the call for volunteers. There were more, of course, but not all at the same place at the same time for pictures:
And how are the new little trout fry doing with all of the water and the river the color of chocolate milk? Quite well, actually. While the water is colder than average, and trout are therefore taking longer to grow up, cold water is exactly what trout need to thrive.
I'd expect the fishing to be quite good here this fall, what with all of the nice cold water we'll be getting this year.
Moreover, the other streams in the Sierra should also provide good sport this summer once the snow melts and we can actually get to them.
So, fishing looks good this year, maybe not at this particular moment, but certainy as the season progresses.
Water content of the Southern Sierra snowpack:
As of today, March , the water content of the Southern Sierra snowpack is more than twice the April 1 average, with one more (at least) storm predicted for this weekend/early next week.
To keep track of the snowpack, which is bound to effect our fishing next summer, go to this website:
https://cdec.water.ca.gov/snowapp/sweq.action