Fish going thru the dams

I know there are a lot of folks that believe a tremendous amount of fish go thru the dams year round. I don't buy it. First off I believe a large percentage of fish are just too smart to get sucked thru. They are scattered throughout the whole lake and the ones that are close to the dam have plenty of time to get out of the way. To my way of thinking, if there were the amount of fish folk believe that are going thru, the lower lake at Sardis and the down stream rivers would be overflowing with fish. This is just my opinion and I know not everyone even all the biologist will agree with me.

You should have been at Arkabutler Spillway 4 or 5 years ago! It was a SNAGFEST!

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Originally Posted by spindle

I know there are a lot of folks that believe a tremendous amount of fish go thru the dams year round. I don't buy it. First off I believe a large percentage of fish are just too smart to get sucked thru. They are scattered throughout the whole lake and the ones that are close to the dam have plenty of time to get out of the way. To my way of thinking, if there were the amount of fish folk believe that are going thru, the lower lake at Sardis and the down stream rivers would be overflowing with fish. This is just my opinion and I know not everyone even all the biologist will agree with me.

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I agree. My boat doesn’t get sucked through when I get close to the gates. The fish are more than capable of swimming away in that amount of current.

With that being said, I’ve noticed over the years that when they work on the gates and they shut down the spillways there aren’t very many if any crappie in the pools below the Dams. The fish that do go through must feel the water is going to fall out to the point they would be trapped. Crappie seem to be very aware of changing water levels to the point they fear being trapped in a confined space.


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Anchored as far up in Sardis spillway as I can paddle I see a good many good size crappie floating down the stream. The game warden said they come through the tunnel and hit the breakers at the bottom and are stunned. They might get their bubble back and swim off or become food for others. Can't pick them up.

Here's a good article that explains what happens during the winter when we get those brutal cold snaps, the part about the fish going out the spillway is closer to the end of the article. Seems they go into some sort of thermal shock and just get pushed thru with the current when laying deep in the channels. Tagging crappie at Sardis Lake and Enid Lake

Someone mentioned the other day that we lose more fish out the spillway each year than what is actually harvested by fishermen, I doubt that very seriously. I wouldn't think we lose 25% thru the spillway compared to the number that is actually caught in the reservoir, just my opinion though I have no proof of it, and the 25% is a high guesstimate.

I don't have a clue how many go through the dam. I can see where extreme cold and lethargic fish would go through. But on
those years the lower lake should be a hot spot and more often than not this doesn't seem to happen. The carp are in there,
does that play a role? Someone with research could probably come up with a more accurate answer than me riding by looking
through the windshield saying by God they need to do this or that.

FWIW, lots of crappie go through the dam at Jordan (NC). You can see plenty of floaters and the birds are in droves there for the buffet.

Where did all those fish in the lower lake at Sardis come from this last spring????

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Most of my fishing below the dam at Pendleton is for fish coming upriver not down.maybe those floaters have come up to the dam and are disoriented from fast current.

OK GENTLEMAN . THAT RIVER WAS FLOWING THROUGH THERE WAY BEFORE THE DAM WAS BUILT . THE FISH FLOW IN AND THE FISH FLOW OUT . IT IS JUST NATURAL FLOW OF THINGS . SEEMS TO ME TO WANT THEM ALL TO STAY IN THE LAKE WOULD BE AT LEAST WISHFUL AT THE MOST . SO IT IS AND HAS BEEN THE NATURAL FLOW OF NATURE . JUST MY OPINION .

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Originally Posted by 4THETHUMP

OK GENTLEMAN . THAT RIVER WAS FLOWING THROUGH THERE WAY BEFORE THE DAM WAS BUILT . THE FISH FLOW IN AND THE FISH FLOW OUT . IT IS JUST NATURAL FLOW OF THINGS . SEEMS TO ME TO WANT THEM ALL TO STAY IN THE LAKE WOULD BE AT LEAST WISHFUL AT THE MOST . SO IT IS AND HAS BEEN THE NATURAL FLOW OF NATURE . JUST MY OPINION .

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And what makes you the geologist all of a sudden?? :Rofl :Rofl :Rofl I agree, these fish are in these rivers below the dam all year, just may have to hide in deep holes during lean water times. And I also agree they would in fact come upstream to look for all that bait coming thru the gate. Heck few times I snagged at the spillways I get more stankin' gizzard shad then anything, so bait is plentiful no doubt.

YES INDEED MY FRIEND . SAME AT THE REZ . THEY PACK IT IN THE SPRING AND SLIP ON DOWN WHEN IT HEATS UP .

THAT'S BIOLOGIST TO YOU . MISTER TO YOU

So they came over the weir at the lower lake. If you think fish are not going out the spillways you are confused, it's a flat fact. Some years are worse than others, colder the winter the more likely we are to use them.

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Originally Posted by Rees Guide

So they came over the weir at the lower lake. If you think fish are not going out the spillways you are confused, it's a flat fact. Some years are worse than others, colder the winter the more likely we are to use them.

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I'm not confused, if you read my earlier post I agree a large majority go out the spillway each year, but doubt if it's anywhere compared to the numbers harvested on the main reservoirs each year. Sardis is a different beast, she has plenty of crappie to lose and what she does lose the "guides" swarm her in full force and usually wipe that out clean in 4 to 6 weeks easy when it does happen. They don't get them all though, think numbers of decent fish exist right now in the lower lake, just harder to catch.

I NEVER SAID THEY DIDN'T GO THROUGH THE SPILLWAY . I SAID IT WAS A NATURAL PROGRESS FOR THEM TO GO THROUGH THE DAM , JUST LIKE THEY COME DOWN THE RIVER INTO THE MAIN LAKE . I CHUNKED A FEW ROCKS AT THAT SPILLWAY MYSELF . LOL

FWIW, I was at the Enid fish grab today. Did not see a single crappie brought out of there and only 7 bass. What amazed me was the amount of Asian carp below Enid

Four years ago we were catching some studs on Grenada in the fall, fish pushing 3, weighed in at 2.75. Not big numbers but 1 or 2 a trip, talking about excited about spring. Hard cold snap and open gates and all the sudden they are snagging monsters below the dam!! Hummmm.


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I know that happens at Butla too during the winter. Maybe a seasonal thing. At winter pool, the deepest water is at the dam. All I know is that today no crappie were removed from below Enid

It is a lot of nice fish caught in the spillways for short periods, in brutally cold weather. MS crappie get screwed up in extreme cold just like me . but I can't help but believe that way more leave due to excessively high creel limits, washing machines, etc .

During the summer months I agree, however during the winter I saw first hand at Enid . While working there as a Ranger (temp . )We were called back during the 911 attack . Every night we would go down and see how many were floating to break up the boredom . People came to dip them up till they were told it was illegal by the local game and fish officer . Never saw water this high while working so no idea what goes through during summers with high water . Ole miss put a net in front of the gates one summer from Friday evening till Monday morning at 6 :00 A.M. during low water (extremely low ) They caught a few small cats .

I am sure some fish get sucked through the dams and below dams are always good places to fish. But when pouring the water out of a 5 gallon bucket of minnows I have noticed how they always swim in the opposite direction of the water flow therefore staying in the bucket till almost all the water is gone. By saying this I think if a fish didn't want to go through a dam it would be hard to make him because they swim pretty fast when they want to.:twocents

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Originally Posted by Snubby

I'm not confused, if you read my earlier post I agree a large majority go out the spillway each year, but doubt if it's anywhere compared to the numbers harvested on the main reservoirs each year. Sardis is a different beast, she has plenty of crappie to lose and what she does lose the "guides" swarm her in full force and usually wipe that out clean in 4 to 6 weeks easy when it does happen. They don't get them all though, think numbers of decent fish exist right now in the lower lake, just harder to catch.

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I'm seeing a pattern of disdain for "guides". So, a dozen or so guys guiding are raping and destroying all the fish in four huge reservoirs?

It's not the guides... It's their clients! LOL

A guided clients spend in our local economy than most of us locals do in a month.

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dumb question but on a guides second trip of the day can they keep 40 or just 30 since they have already taken their limit on the first trip????

2 trips in one day is very rare for most guides, not saying it doesn't happen but it is rare. Also most keep just the clients limit, guide is not included in the creel

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Originally Posted by Rees Guide

2 trips in one day is very rare for most guides, not saying it doesn't happen but it is rare. Also most keep just the clients limit, guide is not included in the creel

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Not to pick on the guides on the lake but I do think that the guides limit should be part of the limit on a boat. Let his clients get their limit but he is getting paid so his limit shouldn't be in the boat. Have no problem though with him having 5 people in the boat and him having 5 peoples limits in the boat. Just not his.

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Originally Posted by Gomer Snerd

dumb question but on a guides second trip of the day can they keep 40 or just 30 since they have already taken their limit on the first trip????

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How would a guide book 2 trips in a day unless he was booking half days.Theres no forsure way to know you will have a limit in a half day when booking full day trips.

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Originally Posted by Pithon

Not to pick on the guides on the lake but I do think that the guides limit should be part of the limit on a boat. Let his clients get their limit but he is getting paid so his limit shouldn't be in the boat. Have no problem though with him having 5 people in the boat and him having 5 peoples limits in the boat. Just not his.

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Ive been by myself with a guide,wouldnt go with a guide by myself unless we were gonna keep mine and his limit.We only had 3 fish over a one man limit when i went,but that was fine too.I know theres nothing guaranteed when fishing and learning a new technique is just as important as catching fish in my opinion.

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There is a boat limit on crappie on the big 4....the boat limit is 40....so if a guide or anybody else has a bunch of people onboard...total combined limit cannot be over 40.

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Got checked one time this spring, thought we had the couples limit, turned out we had 31, I like having that little bit of wiggle room myself.

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I’ve never done but one trip a day. Don’t know any guides doing doubles but it may happen. Way the law is written, two clients can keep 30. If I were to book a second trip for a half day after having two limits, technically we could only keep 10. I usually cut folks off at 30 but like Rees said, it’s nice to have the wiggle room for when you miscount.


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Originally Posted by feelay

I'm seeing a pattern of disdain for "guides". So, a dozen or so guys guiding are raping and destroying all the fish in four huge reservoirs?

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Not seeing how you got that out of my post, I never said anything about the 4 main lakes, matter fact in another thread I said the reservoirs seem pretty dang healthy to me. I did mention some abuse maybe happening by some guides as well as locals in that same thread as well. I was speaking clearly about the lower lake on this particular post. I put guides in quotes because if I was a client spending big money to come from out of state and fish then I would want to see and fish a big lake and not a small 425 acre lake shooting fish in a barrel fishing with 50 - 75 other boats. That's my opinion though and so far the socialist ain't took 100% control of the country yet so I'm still entitled to it. As long as the rules are being followed, taxes are being paid on the income and everyone maintains proper etiquette on the lakes I have no problem with folks earning a living if they so choose guide a few clients.

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Originally Posted by Snubby

Not seeing how you got that out of my post, I never said anything about the 4 main lakes, matter fact in another thread I said the reservoirs seem pretty dang healthy to me. I did mention some abuse maybe happening by some guides as well as locals in that same thread as well. I was speaking clearly about the lower lake on this particular post. I put guides in quotes because if I was a client spending big money to come from out of state and fish then I would want to see and fish a big lake and not a small 425 acre lake shooting fish in a barrel fishing with 50 - 75 other boats. That's my opinion though and so far the socialist ain't took 100% control of the country yet so I'm still entitled to it. As long as the rules are being followed, taxes are being paid on the income and everyone maintains proper etiquette on the lakes I have no problem with folks earning a living if they so choose guide a few clients.

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Didn’t see me out there, did ya? Lol
All those gewbers piled up in the lower lake this past spring and me and a buddy or two were all alone on the big lake catching fish just fine.[emoji6]


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Originally Posted by feelay

Didn’t see me out there, did ya? Lol
All those gewbers piled up in the lower lake this past spring and me and a buddy or two were all alone on the big lake catching fish just fine.[emoji6]


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That boat you got wouldn't fit in the lower lake :Rofl

Reese and Feelay are doing it right. I've only hired fishing guides twice. Once was on Kentucky Lake. That guy was a joke. He was a bass fisherman and practically begged me to switch to green carp for the day because he had a tournament coming up and wanted to practice (on my dime). I wound up taking over the trolling motor and fishing stake beds I was finding on the depth finder. The other time was Richard Bowling on Truman Lake. He was awesome. That guy knows crappie. I swear he could catch fish in the middle of Walmart parking lot. Neither time did I keep the guides limit. The main reason I hired those two wasn't necessarily to put limits of fish in the boat, but more to learn fishing techniques and fish habits in the body of water we were fishing. Personally that's the most valuable reason to hire a guide.

10 guides x 30 fish per day=300 per day. 300 per day x 4 days=1200 keepers taken per week.

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Originally Posted by spindle

10 guides x 30 fish per day=300 per day. 300 per day x 4 days=1200 keepers taken per week.

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Why are you counting other people’s fish? Pretty sure if they are legal it’s none of your or anyone else’s business. If it’s jealousy, I know a guy or ten who maybe can give ya a pointer or two....[emoji23]


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