One year ago to the day Vermont again experienced massive flooding thanks to Hurricane Beryl. The damage was quite devastating again for many of the same communities that got hit last year, and extended east into New Hampshire and Maine. Devastation of homes, businesses and property have been tough to look at, but how have wild trout been affected? I have been asked this question a lot over the past year. Most people assume that fish could not survive in these conditions. Well, it turns out that a lot of water is pretty good if you are a fish. In fact, since last summers flooding (we have had many other smaller high water events in the past years well) and prolonged period of wet weather, the wild trout fishing has been the best I can remember. We have seen more large trout than in recent memory and greater numbers of all age classes of fish in just about every stream we have visited. Even some of the rivers that saw the most devastating flooding, have been fishing great. Surely there have been moralities to trout during extreme flood events, but these trout have grown and evolved in ever changing river environments and know where to go and how to survive.
How can this be when so much pollution, sediment, and debris has floated down the rivers? I think the answer has a few key factors. Higher flows and large amounts of cool ground water seeping into the rivers allow the streams to stay cool even during extreme heat. Fish have not been under thermal stress and there has been more area for trout to spread out from one another. They are not confined to deep holes and springs and can occupy the entire river all summer. High and dirty water also hide the trout from predators such as osprey and mink. Increased flows bring lots more food into the drift from dislodged earthworms and grubs to aquatic insects. Minnows and crayfish are easier for larger trout to prey upon in high stained water. in short, aside from surviving the short window of raging flooding, the fish are very happy and feeding heavily. Last fall the trout were shaped like footballs and having that extra body mass allowed more of them to survive the winter. On top of all of these factors, fishing pressure in way down or almost non existent because the average angler does not like to fish high flows or muddy water. Therefore less fish are being killed and eaten. The big challenge we have had has been navigating high flows and finding windows to fish a particular stream. This can be tough for new clients who have never waded a river before and may trips have been cancelled. We have been on smaller streams much more and have been constantly looking for the rivers that are starting to clear up and drop. When the water is stained but not muddy the fishing can be very good. 1-3’ of visibility is perfect, and you can often get away with fishing big nymphs and streamers, but do not overlook dry flies and terrestrials. Though high water and floods provide an opportunity for trout to flourish in many cases, not everything is all roses. Major floods have the power to transform the rivers in both good and bad ways. Some rivers may be unrecognizable and have all new pools and channels. Wade with caution. These changes may be positive or negative. Often pools are scoured out and deepened, but just as many may be filled in with new sediment. You may need to discover new productive areas of river. Likewise new wood may have entered the river from bankside trees collapsing or existing woody debris may have been washed away. There are many instances of river habitat degrading following a flood. To make matters worse road, bridge and culvert repairs made by town road crews in a hurry to get roadways passable often channelize and remove in stream structure making habitat worse and actually making future flood events more damaging by allowing the water to move faster down stream. Natural flood plains free of roads, buildings and agriculture allow flood waters to rise unimpeded into the surrounding lowlands, slowing the flow of water and debris, and mitigating erosion and damage downstream. They also filter the water and provide even more places for fish to escape raging floods. This all translates into better habitat for fish and more resilient rivers, with less catastrophic and costly damage to property. It would benefit us all to re-think building in these flood plains in the future. There is opportunity to use what we have learned from these flood events to build more resilient rivers, floodplains and infrastructure and decrease the devastation we are seeing with more and more frequency.
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July 2024
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Member: Trout Unlimited
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