Weed Growth in PC-your opinion?

SK60 · Senior Member

Weed Growth in PC-your opinion?

lightfoot · Senior Member

Historical observations from fishing Putah the last 30 years or so.

Weed growth and sedimentation seems to build up over the years and then gets blown out during a wet winter that brings the glory hole into play. I no longer have my older fishing journals

but would find it interesting if there was a correlation between fishing success and years the glory hole spilled over.

It seems lots of water would clean up the gravel and allow for additional spawning habitat the following year. Increased fishing success a couple years after that?

Nohackle · Senior Member

I haven't been out to the creek in almost two months due to a back problem so I don't know exactly how bad the weed problem is. From my past experience I recall two basic types of weeds. The weeds that have stems and leaves seem to be beneficial to the stream in that they provide habitat for the stream's insects. The other type of weed growth is very stringy and composed of very, very fine fibers; I don't believe this type of weed growth provides much habitat for the streams insect life. From a flyfisherman's point of view, this stringy stuff just interferes with the fishing by clinging to your fly drifting by. Thus, you have to check and clean your flies after almost every cast. I really hate the stuff.

mx19 · Senior Member

Weed growth is effecting the fishing and the fish.I have been doing some hands on research over the last month.Im almost done and will have a full report very soon...

mx19

SK60 · Senior Member

Thanks MX19-we look forward to your report. Don't forget to include pictures. smile

LilWhippersnapper · Senior Member

This year was bad for weed growth... Not just at Putah, but other bodies of water too. I do a lot of bass fishing at Clear lake, and there was grass growing in places I've never seen it grow before. I think it has something to do with the lack of rain.

Blue Wing · Member

SK60 wrote:

It appears to me that the weed growth in the creek has been expanding each year, covering more area in its usual slower water sites and expanding into faster areas where it has been absent or almost so. This year it appears particularly bad.

We would like to hear your views, since it is one more environmental factor that could impact the creek's health or condition.

Thanks.

SK60
Putah Creek Trout
    Hello,
I don't post often but I do visit PC on ocassion. I am 100% in agreement with your observation. In response to another post regarding the Glory Hole over spilling during high precipitation years, I tend to agree that the higher water levels and flows will blow out most weeds and accumulated sediment out of the system but will also scour the bottom and the sides of the creek creating slower current flows in some of the pools which I think is condusive to weed growth and more silt build up in some areas. But hey, that's mother nature.

   I was at the creek yesterday and noticed weed growth on gravel beds in an area that in general has not been affected with the high water years. I have not seen this in previous years.I am not a biologist but, Could it be elevated nitrate levels in the water content? This post is not intended to offend anybody and or stir the pot in any negative direction. I am just chiming in my .02 cents and is worth what you paid for it.
             Thanks,   Blue Wing

-- Edited by Blue Wing on Wednesday 7th of October 2009 10:18:44 AM