Cowlitz - Blue Creek- Fishable??

Fish Hawk Adventures · 01-03-2003, 02:46 PM

Ok with everything else blown out I see the Cowletz has been running at 2950CFS and now has rose to 3400CFS and is predicted to drop back to about 3200cfs.
Would it be an correct assumption that the river may be fishable around Blue Creek?

[ 01-03-2003, 07:49 PM: Message edited by: TALONS ]

Hogmaster · 01-03-2003, 02:48 PM

Dude,

Check it out. Try 11,000!

There will be no bank at Blue Creek!

http://www.theguidesforecast.com/frariver.html

DanS · 01-03-2003, 02:53 PM

The creek itself is open now. I wouldn't recommend going there to anybody, though.

Sturgeon Tom · 01-03-2003, 04:18 PM

Hogmaster at what point would you consider it ressonable water?
st

Drachir · 01-03-2003, 04:27 PM

I just looked @ the outflow from Mayfield, it looks like 3400 cfs. At that river height it should fish fine, if not being a little on the low side. I think it fishes best between 4000-5000 cfs out of Mayfield. We fished it in August w/ the river running 2900 cfs, this will give you a comparison, only 500 cfs more than early August.
They must have a good reason to be holding so much water @ Mayfield.

Hogmaster · 01-03-2003, 05:12 PM

I agree with everything you wrote Drachir, but if you click on the link I had in my first response and check for the Cowlitz you'll see that it raised at Castle Rock from 5000 CFS on the 26th to 11,700 at 11 AM today, 1/3.

Mayfield may be running in the mid 3's but there is a heck of a lot of water coming down between there and Castle Rock.

Might want to call the Barrier Dam Store for a local perspective on Blue Creek...

10 lb line · 01-03-2003, 06:18 PM

Went to Blue Creek and Barrier today, water running about 4000, they let out early in the a.m., as I was told.
Only l fish, winter caught at the Barrier, really slow there.
Blue Creek, same off the bank, not many winter sh being got there, still late summer getting caught, lots of fishermen, not many fish.
Don't know how the boats did.
Hope this helps
Good fishing.

Fish Hawk Adventures · 01-03-2003, 06:35 PM

Well is it worth the trip? Was Blue Creek pumping mud? How was the color? I know that the flows are still low and I am not to sure how many creeks dump into the Cowletz between Barrier and Blue Creek. I do not think to many. I may be all wet though. Is the mayfield river gauge at Barrier Dam? I think by road is is only about 4 miles from barrier to blue creek.
Thanks

Bob Barthlow · 01-03-2003, 06:43 PM

It's Cowlitz................ and it's 7 miles from Barrier to BC............color is good and the Toutle is running 5000 cfs thats why the Cowlitz is running 11,000 cfs at Castle Rock.

DanS · 01-03-2003, 06:49 PM

RR is right. It's only running at 3770 right now below Mayfiled and that's low for this time of year.

The link below is the one you want to be checking if you're interested in Blue Creek:

http://waterdata.usgs.gov/wa/nwis/uv...t=rdb&period=7

Is it worth the trip? Maybe. The fish have been coming in in spurts. If you're there the day some come through it would be more than worth the trip. Otherwise, you'll be fishing in a crowd for no apparent reason except everything else is puked.

Hogmaster · 01-03-2003, 07:03 PM

Thanks for the clarification on the flow, guys!

Drachir · 01-03-2003, 09:33 PM

Thanks Dan S. & R.R. for the back-up!! :grin:
I've always used Mayfield as the best indication of water conditions @ Blue Creek. I like the link on I-Fish home page, the NWS NW River Levels. It seems fairly accurate, and easy to get to.