05-09-2011, 03:35 PM
I live 25 minutes from the Mississippi River in NE Arkansas. We have several shutes and Tributaries running through my area off the Mississippi. One of the great fishing spots within 10 miles of my hometown is flooding worse than it has in 100 years.
All the farm ponds and local natural ponds within 10 minutes of my apartment are either 4-5 foot high or more. The streams and rivers here are ALL at least 10 foot above normal and at least one 2 miles from my home are at 15 feet above normal.
It's impossible to spot any Bass here spawning. Last week I saw a few making some preparing nests, but now the water (even in the ponds) is just a pure brown muddy mess.
The levee here that harbors the Marked Tree Siphons is only about 8 foot from overflowing. I tell ya I hope this all subsides this week and never happens again in my lifetime.
This flood has almost completely ruined the bass fishing in our area. Luckily there are a few local ponds that are Spring Fed and still hold some relatively clear water. Those few ponds are the only ones producing any fish at all. No crappie, Bream or Bass are hitting in any of the rivers, streams or local ponds that aren't Spring Fed.
Below are a few photographs I took on the way to one of those ponds to see if the bass were still hitting there. You can click the image for a larger view of each.
#1 This photo is off part of the Ducks Unlimited Protected (Sunken Lands) about half a mile from my home. It is almost always dry land with an occasional overflow that fills little pockets here and there. NEVER 6 foot of water like you see below:
[inline Usually_Dry_Field.JPG]
#2 The image below is usually a creek with running water during the spring. The creek is usually never more than 3 foot deep in spots and NEVER over 10 foot wide. In the summer it often almost dries up to a trickle. The telephone pole is ALWAYS on dry ground. Now the flood water is at least 6 foot high on it.
[inline 2_foodwide_creek.JPG]
#3 The picture below is of the St. Francis River runoff shute. About a mile up from where this picture is taken there is a spillway, it is fully closed but water is flowing AROUND it and about to completely submerged it. This shute off the St. Francis is one of my favorite Blue Catfishing spots and is usually only 20 to 30 yards wide with sand banks that you can walk along.
The tree in the left of the image is usually ALWAYS on dry ground. Its base is about 8 foot below that current water level. Then the normal river shute flow it another 20 foot out from it toward the center of the photo. This is NOT GOOD.
[inline spillway_river_usually_40yards_wide.JPG]
The local Corps of Engineers have blocked off all levees and you can be arrested or ticketed if caught driving on them because they don't want any vibration on them in hopes to not have a breach.
This flood water is supposed to CREST sometime in the next 24 to 48 hours with another 2 to 4 foot level increase.
It's really horrible to see our favorite local fishing spots just being destroyed this way. Even after this flood water has receded we are going to have at least a foot of pure mud to deal with the rest of the year at least.
Hope others living near the Mississippi are safe make it through this mess we are having to endure.
Tight lines guys....
[signature]
All the farm ponds and local natural ponds within 10 minutes of my apartment are either 4-5 foot high or more. The streams and rivers here are ALL at least 10 foot above normal and at least one 2 miles from my home are at 15 feet above normal.
It's impossible to spot any Bass here spawning. Last week I saw a few making some preparing nests, but now the water (even in the ponds) is just a pure brown muddy mess.
The levee here that harbors the Marked Tree Siphons is only about 8 foot from overflowing. I tell ya I hope this all subsides this week and never happens again in my lifetime.
This flood has almost completely ruined the bass fishing in our area. Luckily there are a few local ponds that are Spring Fed and still hold some relatively clear water. Those few ponds are the only ones producing any fish at all. No crappie, Bream or Bass are hitting in any of the rivers, streams or local ponds that aren't Spring Fed.
Below are a few photographs I took on the way to one of those ponds to see if the bass were still hitting there. You can click the image for a larger view of each.
#1 This photo is off part of the Ducks Unlimited Protected (Sunken Lands) about half a mile from my home. It is almost always dry land with an occasional overflow that fills little pockets here and there. NEVER 6 foot of water like you see below:
[inline Usually_Dry_Field.JPG]
#2 The image below is usually a creek with running water during the spring. The creek is usually never more than 3 foot deep in spots and NEVER over 10 foot wide. In the summer it often almost dries up to a trickle. The telephone pole is ALWAYS on dry ground. Now the flood water is at least 6 foot high on it.
[inline 2_foodwide_creek.JPG]
#3 The picture below is of the St. Francis River runoff shute. About a mile up from where this picture is taken there is a spillway, it is fully closed but water is flowing AROUND it and about to completely submerged it. This shute off the St. Francis is one of my favorite Blue Catfishing spots and is usually only 20 to 30 yards wide with sand banks that you can walk along.
The tree in the left of the image is usually ALWAYS on dry ground. Its base is about 8 foot below that current water level. Then the normal river shute flow it another 20 foot out from it toward the center of the photo. This is NOT GOOD.
[inline spillway_river_usually_40yards_wide.JPG]
The local Corps of Engineers have blocked off all levees and you can be arrested or ticketed if caught driving on them because they don't want any vibration on them in hopes to not have a breach.
This flood water is supposed to CREST sometime in the next 24 to 48 hours with another 2 to 4 foot level increase.
It's really horrible to see our favorite local fishing spots just being destroyed this way. Even after this flood water has receded we are going to have at least a foot of pure mud to deal with the rest of the year at least.
Hope others living near the Mississippi are safe make it through this mess we are having to endure.
Tight lines guys....
[signature]