tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27235314.post6486458425202013033..comments2024-02-06T05:12:15.198-07:00Comments on OUTDOORS NM: BLM Drops More Rocks in San Juan River for Fish Habitat - Trout Unlimited Cries FoulKarl F. Moffatthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04679135529095834999noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27235314.post-55910352401005338012010-05-03T07:30:59.642-06:002010-05-03T07:30:59.642-06:00FWIW:
I have fished the area in question many tim...FWIW:<br /><br />I have fished the area in question many times over the years, almost on a monthly basis.<br /><br />In my mind, there are two sections of boulder improvements.<br /><br />The first section described here is the area below the BLM parking area down to the pump house.<br /><br />The intitial boulder improvements in that area made things WORSE, not better.<br /><br />There was no need for it. The area HAD structure, HAD riffles and HAD plenty of fish.<br /><br />They basically semi-wrecked a good area. A good area with alot of fish that were just about everywhere and with a concentration at the pump house bend.<br /><br />Then there was a huge monsoon one year and the whole area sanded in from sand coming down the canyon....it was like an underwater mojave desert. You could walk the whole river down around the pump house and there was nothing.<br /><br />The few fish that were caught were really skinny, not the normal chunky San Juan trout.<br /><br />To a point, where really, I had just about given up on it.<br /><br />Finally, things have started to come back, but it is still nothing like it was before they placed the boulders.<br /><br />That being said, the second area, the area below the pump house, the long, straight structureless area above the bait waters, has improved substantially.<br /><br />Fist moral to the story: WATCH WHERE YOU PLACE THE BOULDERS.<br /><br />Second moral to the story: How much of the sanding in of the area below the canyon was related to oil and gas activity? Alot? Some?<br />None?<br /><br />If it was alot, then there is a legitimate complaint about the methods being used in the oil and gas fields for sentiment control.<br /><br />Do the oil and gas guys use silt fences around their drilling operations? If not, why not?<br /><br />It's pretty inexpensive and effective way to control the silt.<br /><br />As far as Moral Number One to the story goes.....The Powers at be actually made a good area WORSE but made a very marginal area somewhat better.<br /><br />If I had my druthers, I would have just as soon they left the whole thing alone....the trade off of semi wrecking a good area for semi improving a lessor area was not worth it.<br /><br />In a perfect world, they would should have left the upper area in question alone and only improved the lower, flat straight area.<br /><br />As far as Trout Unlimited goes, boy I don't know what to say there, other than I appreciate their overall efforts to improve trout habitat.<br /><br />As an outsider to the area, I will say this, the Farmington Newspaper is about pro Oil and Gas as it gets.<br /><br />Quite out of touch with the rest of the world. So basically, I don't trust anything they write up.<br /><br />The Durango paper might just be the opposite....I don't know.<br /><br />Just one very average fly fisherman's opinion who fishes the San Juan almost monthly on travels back and forth from Colorado to Arizona....and enjoys the experience. ALOT.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27235314.post-68868211911688768532010-04-16T17:38:41.737-06:002010-04-16T17:38:41.737-06:00good coverage and analysis, karl.good coverage and analysis, karl.Ken Morrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13753278561416639577noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27235314.post-49943155153189161372010-04-16T10:16:35.525-06:002010-04-16T10:16:35.525-06:00I understand why Trout Unlimited does not endorse ...I understand why Trout Unlimited does not endorse this project, it’s very simple, The San Juan is a tail water fishery and the fish are non native. Look at what’s been going on at Lee’s Ferry for the past 8 years. What I don’t understand is why Trout Unlimited picks and choices which tail water they want to support, they support habitat improvement projects on the Conjoes river, that’s a tail water fishery with non native fish?? Trout Unlimited as become a radical left wing environmental group that is in line with the Sierra Club. I don’t have a problem with this, but they need to change their name, “Native Fish Unlimited”??Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com