Dam Removal

[calbo]

OK - for some reason I've tried to post this three times and keep getting blocked before I can post - one more try.

I commented about the dam removal on the Raritan a while ago. I've fished the Raritan for over 50 years - grew up in the town of Raritan and fished the Nevius street area - and 5 miles up-down stream while growing up. During the 50's and 60's we caught tons of fish - large and smallmouth bass, black and white crappie, white and yellow perch, channel, bullhead, and white catfish, eels, carp, pickeral, carp, trout - during stocking periods, and many other species. And, we ate them. Nobody told us the river was polluted back then - and we needed the extra food. I've been fishing the same area for the last 20 years - after laying off for several years.

I caught most of the same fish - plus - about 10 years ago, began catching stripers and shad early in the season. And, over the winter I was catching large rainbow, brook, and brown trout - probably the result of fall stockings.

Over the last 3 years - since the dam removal began - fishing has been mediocre - at best. Winter fishing has been totally unproductive - and the rest of the year basically sucks - a few small rockbass and smallmouths.

I attribute the decline in the fishery to ther dam removals - and a new population of foreigners that keep everything they catch - and there a tons of them fishing this area now.

My brother-in-law bought property on the Musky 17 years ago - built a home - and had access to ~ 1 acre of Musky shoreline. Three years ago TU came in and decided to remove the dams above and below his property - and a 100+ year old burm on his land. This, according to them, was going to allow andromonous species to more easily move from the Delaware up the Musky.

I used to fish his property often - caught trout, bass, walleyes, stripers, pike, and other species year-round. I taught my grand-children to fish on this property - they had a ball - catching sunfish, bass, walleyes.

After the TU crew decimated the lower Musky - the river on his property and several miles upstream and downstream is dead water. They removed all of the holding areas, deep pools, and debris that used to hold fish. He lost ~ 30feet of his shoreline - and his upstream neighbor lost over 60 feet of shoreline during high-water periods after storms. They destroyed what was a prestine, productive fishing run.

The most dangerous software ever developed was Microsoft's Power-Point - it gives the impression that the person presenting a proposal put some thought and analysis into his plan. The TU dudes apparently convinced the local politicians they had a sound plan - not. The river will never be the same. They've destroyed one of the most productive fisheries on the Musky. Lawsuits are underway - but it's too late.

I'm concerned the Raritan is going in the same direction - the andromonous species returned to the river after pollution clean-up efforts were implemented. Removing the remaining dams will not improve the fishery - it will simply remove natural holding areas that will no longer hold fish.

Just an old farts comments. Sad to think the current and next generation will not enjoy the river the way we did.

[acabtp]

before people came the fish didn't need the dams or the "holding areas" created by dams, and they don't need them now. i hope they remove every dam.

bummer your brother's honey hole got moved, but the river is better for everyone now

[bronzeback]

not true dude!! the river is way worse for me and a bunch of my friends bec the dams will be removed.. giant raritan smallies thrive in the dams.. especially july and august when they congregate to the oxygen filled waters created by the dam.. not to mention the deep holes created by the dam...

and if you are a trout guy.. dont listen to anyone but me on this one.. many many trout HOLD OVER bec the oxygen keeps them alive from the dams.

If i had nothing better to do and if i was an activist... i would do everything in my power to keep the dams up.

if the ppl involved were not so stupid.. they would just remove a portion of the dams so everyone is happy.. esp the ppl who actually think that bec the dams will be removed.. there will be 20 pound stripers up in duke island park. even if this did happen once every few years bec of abnormal flooding.. who cares!!

bottom line is.. the native fish in the raritan thrive bec of the dams.. if they did not thrive then there would not be so many trophys in the water!

BTW.. they also are the coolest looking things youll see on the river!!

anyone can spin my post anyway they want buy my point is that the raritan river is not better off bec of the dams being removed.. Its not better its worse!

[Lard Almighty]

I have mixed feelings about the dams coming down myself. I grew up fishing the Raritan, and for the last 20+ years the most productive spots on the river have usually been the dams. They oxygenate the water and create deep holes both above and below, and they tend to concentrate the fish during the hot summer months.

However, they create barriers to fish movement, both predatory and prey species. Also (and this is very evident at the Roberts Street dam) the river above the dams can get choked with silt due to the river not being able to flush itself out. While the dams themselves can create good fish habitat, I feel that their presence as a whole is doing more harm than good.

Once these dams come out, the landscape of the river will change; only time will tell what it ultimately looks like. Fish will adapt to the changes and find new holding areas, which anglers will discover in time. The river can behave like a complete system, as opposed to being isolated to sections created by the dams. I for one am very excited by all these changes. Once the dams come down, the Raritan will be like a whole new river that young and old alike can discover, just like many of us did when we were kids.

[bigfishy]

Very much agree with Lard...

Dams do oxygenate the water , for small stretches...
They do create holding water, but the fish hold there
because they can't go further up or down...

Without the dams, fish could use the river as a whole ecosystem...
Not that it would happen with the put and take fisherie that jersey
has but if both dams were removed trout would have the chance to move
up and find springs, holes, and key feeders..Thus having a better chance
for survival....Everything in time would get bigger and helthier with the
removal of these silted over areas...

Everyone NEEDS to be patient and let nature fix herself

[bronzeback]

i very much agree with the original poster although lard and big fish make nice points

i do say this with the all due respect, big fish, i think u said fish dont hav anywhere to go... so thats why there hang at the falls.. well u are definately wrong with that one and u also are right... so ur right and wrong.. lol

muskie, northerns and smallies just to mention a few.. these fish have plenty of places to go.. in fact.. they can go miles down stream to the next set of falls or up stream to the next set.. esox and smallies, ect they go to the falls for one reason only... bec thats the place to be. the oxygen and the deep cool holes from the falls...there are many nice smallies t hat never go near the falls.. they dont want to go to the falls.. same for some northerns and muskie.

im sure u were not referring to these fish.. u prob were tlkn about shad stripers carp herring ect just to name a few. oh i just read ur post again.. u were tlkn about trout too.. perhaps ur right bro.. one can argue that removing the falls, makes for better fishing...

but just hear me out.. removing the falls makes it worse, for many fish and many fisherman.. so we can argue both ways and we are both right.. lard said it best.. he is torn..

Tear them all down....Free the rivers.....BOO HOO! .....doing this is not about us(the fisherman) its about the river and nature and the ecosystem....it took years for the river to adpt to the change of the dams being installed and it will take time for the rivers to readjust as they are removed....be patient! You not catching as many fish is small potatoes compared to the bigger picture!

[bronzeback]

hey hat, w hats up? howd u do with the stripers this may? u doing good, dude?

im gonna say this bluntly bec ur my friend.. u dont kno what ur tlkn about.. shut it.. zip it..

be patient.. ????????

did u read what the poster said? ohh u did? are u sure? hahaa

he said it ruined the fisherie!! he said its nothing but open water..

if thats what u ppl want.. then be careful what ya wish for!!

im licking my lips for ur response my ole pal

[bigfishy]

Originally Posted by maddhatterr

Tear them all down....Free the rivers.....BOO HOO! .....doing this is not about us(the fisherman) its about the river and nature and the ecosystem....it took years for the river to adpt to the change of the dams being installed and it will take time for the rivers to readjust as they are removed....be patient! You not catching as many fish is small potatoes compared to the bigger picture!

I second and third that...

Everyone has an opinoin and there own reasons for that opinoin...
We are all right in our own way

Siltation = destruction of insect life...A free flowing stream is helthier in every
aspect...
Not trying to scuew anyones opinoin or tell them that they are wrong...
Do lots and lots of research , when it comes to dam removal , fish migration and insect population...When researching, look all over this country and the world for similar situations and their future outcomes...If you are a fisherman, and are interested in the far reaching future of any rivers health, it will all make sense...Imediate positive changes are almost impossible with any senario...Patience is the key to unlock this door

[bigfishy]

I for one am very excited by all these changes. Once the dams come down, the Raritan will be like a whole new river that young and old alike can discover, just like many of us did when we were kids.
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This is what excites me the most