troutman29
Registered: 07/16/08
Posts: 46
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Reply with quote | #1 |
just took a look at the newspaper and saw that they are going to start draining savage res. in the next week i talked to someone from the fishery divsion and they said that it will be a creek by the end of october and it will take 10 years before the fishing will be any good just might have to take a trip in about a week to see what the bite is like don't this just suck for us ice fishermen.
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StrikeLead
Registered: 09/05/06
Posts: 427
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Reply with quote | #2 |
I agree....it stinks. I wonder what will become of the huge walleye at the bottom of the deep.
Now, if they are smart they will take advantage of this opportunity to build structure. Savage could be a much better fishery with some proactive management. For having such a close eye on the trout tributaries, they don't seem too interested in managing the fish in the reservoir.
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My biggest worry is that my wife (when I'm dead) will sell my fishing gear for what I told her I paid for it. ~Koos Brandt |
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icematt
Registered: 01/09/08
Posts: 178
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Reply with quote | #3 |
This sounds like a major opportunity from the bank. Are you allowed to fish it in these situations. If he banks are firm enough a mountain bike could provide access. Hopefully they'll move the fish to another lake. Never fished it, but this may be something to do until the ice. |
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PhilS
Registered: 09/30/05
Posts: 102
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dls
Registered: 10/04/05
Posts: 93
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Reply with quote | #5 |
We've been fishing it pretty regularly since the "touron" season kicked in this past June on DCL. What a place! We've had great days and slow ones but we've always angled a few each time out. This is where I learned to fish, how to handle multiple types of water crafts, and used it as an ace-in-hole spot when things got too dogged day hot, too busy, or became too much of a hassle. Now it seems Savage Reservoir is about to be placed on the ruined list. What a shame! We're going to be there these next few weeks to see the end of a great fishery. I'm no spring chicken so it looks like it might be my last hoorah on that water. How sad indeed.
I'm far from knowledgeable on many matters but it seems that some type of "coffer dam" could be placed up stream. It sure makes sense to me but... I also know there's some type of B.S. justification why it's not being done.
As for the trout lovers group who's gotten all the press, I hope that it's not a 100% fish kill at the dam release site and some of those beautiful bass, walleye, perch, and even redeyes live to feast on anything that might be held over downstream.
By the way, if you want to see a big eagle, head for the Savage. We've seen it all summer long and that bird is beautiful!!
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Jared
Registered: 08/28/07
Posts: 89
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Reply with quote | #6 |
The MD DNR website has much information about this issue and has details about the reservoir re-stocking effort that will take place starting in the spring.
It is expected that many of the fish in the reservoir will pass into the river below the dam and if they don't perish because of the lack of suitable habitat for warm water species in the river they will end up in the north branch. Can you say walleye in the NB, that would be cool. It is expected that the trophy trout fishery below the dam will survive. They will be collecting browns and brookies and putting them in a holding area that is separated form the river below the spillway. I personally enjoy fly fishing and the Savage below the dam is a local treasure. I, along with many others have allot of concerns about that fishery, whether there will be enough cold water flow (should be given the time of year) and the impact of sediment from the res. Officials have stated that they think the sediment issue will have little effect but we will most likely lose the spawning year. There are no additional restrictions on fishing the res during draw down, just be careful from the shoreline as it will be very easy to get stuck in that mud as the water recedes. I suppose the work has to be done but it is a shame to lose the fishery in the reservoir.
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YPFINATIC
Registered: 01/19/08
Posts: 68
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fishing4u2
Registered: 02/03/07
Posts: 252
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Reply with quote | #8 |
Hello Ice-bro's,
What with the early arrival of cold air and water to Garrett County, the end of the tourist season is fast upon us... which means my thoughts turn to ice madness. Been off-board for months now, so its refreshing to visit and 'see' the usual hardwater crew here chattering away.
I was going to comment on the Savage dewatering issues, but as I read the posts I see y'all have got it all basically covered. Undoubtably there will be quantities of both fish and sediment exiting the reservoir basin towards the very end of the drawdown. My bet is that many of the warm- / still-water species will simply keep moving downstream, seeking more suitable overwintering habitat than is offered by the Savage tailwater. I suspect that next year the North Branch of the Potomac, particularly well downstream of the mouth of Savage, will see some better-than-average smallmouth fishing. As for displaced walleyes, I presume they are a lake-strain, in which case I'd be surprised if they established a significant or lasting presence in the NB above Cumberland. Because the tailwater is a high-gradient reach, and at some point during the winter and/or early spring we can expect one or more significant high-flow events to occur, sooner rather than later much of the passed sediment will be flushed away to become the Potomac's problem. On the other hand, both natural and scheduled whitewater pulses from Jennings Randolph Reservoir will keep it moving along. Provided that the outlet repairs are completed before, say next June and it is possible to largely re-fill the basin prior to the onset of truly warm days AND nights, the exceptional quality trout fishery will likely be spared. Recruitment of wild trout might suffer temporarily, but in a season or two things will be back to normal for them. However, in the event that repairs and subsequent refilling are unavoidably delayed, and a partially re-filled lake is not afforded the opportunity to stratify before hot weather sets in, there simply may not be much or ANY sufficiently cold water passing through the outlet works to meet the trout's thermal requirements (particularly for native brook). Thus, we can all wish/pray/hope/cross fingers for a relatively wet, cold 2010. Alas, the lake fishery will take more time (many seasons) to develop. I for one look forward to the rare opportunity to actually view the bathymetry and cover options of the lake basin, whether or not I can ever cut loose in the future to fish it during the spring/summer/fall period. I've never ice-fished Savage Reservoir, although I hear it has its loyal hardwater fans.
Good thing I decided not to comment on the topic, eh?
Loss of bandwidth notwithstanding,
'4u2 / Don
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If its got fins, count me in |
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Streamfisher
Registered: 09/15/09
Posts: 5
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Reply with quote | #9 |
FYI, I have caught walleye in the NB near Barnum on a couple of occassions.
It's too bad about the reservoir...I've had some good times up there. Hopefully we'll have decent fishing up that way again in a few years.
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fishing4u2
Registered: 02/03/07
Posts: 252
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Reply with quote | #10 |
Literally anything swimming in the reservoir above (including walleye) could be expected to turn up occasionally in the river near Barnum of course. But an odd fish or two now and again does not a self-sustaining population make. When MDDNR/Fisheries sought to establish the species in the Potomac River, they rightly focused their efforts much farther downstream, where conditions are much more suitable.
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If its got fins, count me in |
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chesapeakecarper
Registered: 09/06/07
Posts: 38
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Reply with quote | #11 |
Passed through the Savage area in this past week's WVa trip and it's INCREDIBLE to see this lake drained nearly to the dam...I had to take some pics and there were lots of angling-gawkers like me checking out the bottom structure...cool seeing the old bridge at the lower end. Sounds like a good window for someone to compile a bottom structure photo map.
I'd post some pics but I'm still on the road in Pa now; maybe some of you locals can fill that need...
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chesapeakecarper
Registered: 09/06/07
Posts: 38
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