Questions for 3/18/2008

[etheonut]

To answer the questions of a few people who left questions on my answering machine today:

Yes, I do collect when water conditions are like you see them today.

Yes, it is very dangerous and I don't do it alone (any volunteers?).

You would probably be surprised at the number of fish that you would find in the main current of the creeks right now. If you are capable of catching them, you would find that their bellies are very very full! That's right, they are gorging themselves right now. Do all fish do this? Nope. During similiar conditions a few years ago I actually caught darters in a persons front yard. They had swam up a very small stream of water that was running through the grass. I imagine that they were also feeding, but also staying out of the main current. This has some serious effects on the local streams, none of them negative from the perspective of the fish. In fact, these spring floods are essential to the ecosystem that we call an Ozark stream.

I hope everyone is staying safe and dry, we aren't fish after all.

Kevin

[Sundance]

Thanks for the post, I was wondering about those things!

[sumpnfishy]

I've collected in much smaller streams than what is running between my neighbor and our houses, and that's just our yard! I went outside and heard a babbling brook and had to go find it and boy was I surprised!
Michael