[dbeam]

Mack's recent post about the temp of a flow near Raleigh got me thinking about the river here.

I have fished the Catawba river at the upper end of Lake Hickory for years. One of the main reasons that I go there in the summer is that the water within a couple of miles of Rhodhiss dam is always 5-10 degrees cooler (more than that when the wheels are running) due to the water coming through the dam from the bottom of Rhodhiss.

I fell dumb for never checking it out before now but do you think that since the cooler water from the bottom of the lake above cools the river more than the lake, would the opposite be true in the middle of winter. Since the deep water at the dam is rarely going to be colder than the low 50's will it make the river warmer in the winter like it makes it cooler in the winter?

Darrell

 

[zky1812]

Yes, I would think that is what happens.

 

[dbeam]

I need to do some research this Feb.

Darrell

 

[Mack in N.C.]

I need to do some research this Feb.

Darrell

dbeam, I have some spots that in the winter never get below 50....more spots that you could imagine.....i have never done much winter fishing until I met Jeff(was always hunting in the winter) but these spots seem to always have fish. pm more if you want more info. Mack

 

[froggy waters]

Darrel �� now you are thi k like a pro

 

[Nat's Dad]

I would think the deep water coming from a dam might be low in oxygen depending on the reservoir.

 

[biglenr]

I would think the deep water coming from a dam might be low in oxygen depending on the reservoir.

Possibly. But would the travel through the wheels oxygenate it properly? Just asking... I don't know, but it sounds like it would.

 

[froggy waters]

Well . Not sure what to say Oxygen gets into water as it moves in things containing oxygen. So if there were a leaky pipe and water comes through a pipe exposed to oxygen in small streams or air bubbles . Allowing it to disolve increasing the desolved oxygen content. As well as water flowing over rocks . So cool water and turbulent water would be a good summer spot

 

[Botanist]

Often the water coming out of the base of the dam is relatively well oxygenated. Colder water temperatures allow for more dissolved oxygen to be in the water. A lot would depending on how it is released and it if is passing through turbines. However, there are also certain conditions (such as if there is a lot of decaying algae) in which the deeper water gets depleted of oxygen and the water coming out while colder is oxygen deficient.

RJ

 

[Nat's Dad]

hmmmmmmmmmm......if only I knew such a spot.

 

[froggy waters]

Yeah I don't have any places like that . I may need to expand my searches

 

[Tomahawk]

From what I've seen Falls dam below badin is like that. They pump water from the bottom of badin 180'. It goes through the dam and gets mixed up real well with oxygen. Years ago, Alcoa company had their scientist measuring the oxygen content of Falls and they told me it was really good. Sund ay i was at Falls and the water was only 75*. Badin and Tillery right now are around 83-86*. That's a big difference. That's one reason I like fishing there in the summer, no thermocline.

 

[dbeam]

I know that in the summer the water is much cooler below the dam, and I would guess that it is well oxygenated due to the about of thread fin that congregate in the river. I would also guess that Rhodhiss and Hickory are well oxygenated anyhow due to the about of freshwater coming in from the Catawaba and Johns. Neither have an noticeable issue with algae either.

I will check the water temps this winter.

If I can get my boat problems fixed Friday I hope to get out Sunday and look for some well oxygenated fish, chilling in the cool waters.

Darrell

 

[Fish Whisperer]

There's little algae or grass growing and decaying in winter, so little oxygen demand in colder months.

As stated above, cold water holds oxygen very well. Check some of the USGS water quality data over a year period.

Darrel, you are definitely onto something. I would imagine a bottom draw in winter would be an excellent place to fish.


-Jeff

 

[Mack in N.C.]

Got buddies down in Georgia and there are a couple of rivers where the striped bass make 2 runs a year. ea spawning run or false spawning run depending on the river and then another run in the summer. when they come back down from spawning nd get in the lake they are ok till it hits late june july, then it gets hot and they say "hmmm this lake is hot, lets go back up that river" so a few jawga rivers have some nice stripers in them during the hot summer. used to have a buddy who lived on Morganton. he told me bout some stripers in the river during the summer. I suspect the some stripers run up out of Rhodiss and into the Johns and Catawba to escape the heat.

 

[finstalker]

OK guys, Meet and Greet at Rhodiss this coming February to bring this speculation to an end. Darrell can take a plunge in the lake and then the tailrace so he can tell us which is warmer. I'll bring the coffee.....and some towels.

 

[fuquay fisherman]

I need to do some research this Feb.

Darrell

Why don't you go down to the river this weekend and jump in during the snowstorm to give us an approximate water temp. I just remembered this thread and I am curious to know since I'm planning a mid Feb float from the powerhouse at lake James to search for Brown trout hold overs.

- James -

 

[dbeam]

I will try to check it out in the next few months, using the temp reading on the FF. Hopefully not swimming. Be careful putting in at the power house, I have not done that stretch but I have been told it is hard to fish and keep an eye on the snags if they are running both wheels.

Darrell

 

[fuquay fisherman]

Will do, with cold temps I take extra precaution.

- James -