Heads up - Musky river channel restoration week of 18th

[Bucksnbows]

Deep pool habitat


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[hunterbob1]

Great Job 

[Bucksnbows]

We obviously hit ground water in several locations.  I wet waded today, and as I walked above the weir you see that we built to anchor the top of our pool, I could feel much colder water hitting my legs in places.  Surface temps are now in the upper 60s, but groundwater is around 51 F.   You can really feel a big difference between 68 and 51! 

This should be one of the major thermal refuges for trout in this reach during summer months.  And deep enough to keep away most of the eagles and ospreys that fly over all day long looking for some food.  

[MightyOak]

Looking good thanks for sharing

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[Bucksnbows]

Met two of you from the site today and another recently.  Great to put some faces to screen names.  

If you swing by now or after we are done, you will notice how white some of the boulders are.  Those were not boulders we imported in from nearby Washington Twp. (Warren), they are limestone boulders we are pulling out of that deep pool.  They will soon color up as algae grows on them in short time and everything will blend in quickly.  I will be planting the point bars (aka - gravel bars) with a native riparian seed mix we get special for our work from Ernst Seed Co.  

[Bucksnbows]

1 minute ago, njbowhntr said:

Brian, very nice to meet you today.  The river looks great.

Even with the stained water I did well downstream, but no fly rod today.

It shouldn't have remained too off color as we aren't getting into too much fines (fine sediment) during our pool excavation.  Lots of ledge though! 

Great to have met you as well and glad you caught some downstream in our off color water.  

[Integracingsr]

Brian - What depth do you consider "deep pool" habitat?

[Bucksnbows]

Brian - What depth do you consider "deep pool" habitat?

That depends on the river or stream size and gradient. But here on this reach of the Musky, at least 5 to 6 feet deep. Some pools are initially dug deeper, but that is when we need extra material to build our point bars. In those cases, the pools will fill some until they reach an equilibrium with flows. Most pools fill some, but we ensure a scouring flow to keep them open.






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[_X7]

Looks like it will be a nice stretch of water when done. I fished the river above 78 for a lot of years before much of it went private and or off limits to fishing..

[Bucksnbows]

Tomorrow is our last day. I’ll be sure to show some good before and after shots.



Our deepest pool is 5 1/2 feet at deepest, measured by our client at Trout Unlimited. Thanks Cole!




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[FLDBRED-BDC]

I caught four absolutely gorgeous rainbows north of here today. No way were they State released fish ! I had my camera but with the weather getting warmer I did't want to put any additional stress on these beauties. 

Edited June 23, 2018 by FLDBRED-BDC

[madeinuk]

I am looking forward to fishing there myself now that the water will have more structure and those scouring flows to keep sedimentation at bay.

[Bucksnbows]

The Central Jersey TU chapter will lead a small riparian planting effort this fall. They will plant the small areas missing trees or where ash are dying off. Some spots may have been angler access, but we know with these types of restoration that anglers will find/create new paths to the best entry and exit locations for the newly restored sections. The old accesses no longer being heavily used will get a native tree or shrub or two.


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[Reeltight]

On 6/20/2018 at 10:55 AM, Bucksnbows said:

 

Volunteers, but we do a great job here. I sometimes drive the transfer truck. TU is allowed to prune the trails so we can drive up again. It got overgrown when the house was abandoned for several years. It is now restored and lived in by a Division CO and his wife.


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That’s great. I’m looking forward to helping those guys again. 

[Bucksnbows]

On 6/21/2018 at 8:58 AM, Integracingsr said:

Brian - What depth do you consider "deep pool" habitat?

Turns out our deepest pool depth was 5 1/2' on this project as measured (this time) by our client.