Anybody know what's going on with the Baker River? It hasn't changed color at all since the big flood in October. Looks like card board at best and has wreaked fishing the lower Skagit all season. Wonder if it's coming from the lake or big washout on the lower or upper river. Would love to get the boat in below the Baker and fish some of that "new" water in the Skagit from the flood.

I wonder about the flows on the Baker. They've been bouncing it up and down a lot. Nearly 0cfs to 4000cfs in a day and it's been like that for a long time.

Fishbreath,

They have been opening and closing the dams on the Baker at odd intervals, with the dam usually closed midnight to six am, then, they open it back up and start generating power again.

I live on the Skagit less than 1/2 mile downriver from where the Baker enters the Skagit. Sickens me when I look out in the early Am and the river is the beautiful emerald green..clean, clear and 4-5 ft.+ visibility. Run in and toss on the warm clothes, grab a pole and by the time I get there you can see the mud flowing against the north bank. It IS fishable even when the Baker is running, but fish the south side as the murky water typically hangs on the North edge of the river.

Fishing down here is not all that great for steelies...lots of decent Dolly's (see avaitar image), but the steelhead have a few holes they hang in downriver.

Try above the Baker, or down below Grandy Creek. I am told the fishing is better there. The water up at the HMSP is beautiful, as it is above the Sauk as well. The Cascade was giving up lots of hatchery fish, but am told its near elbow-elbow fishing. I would rather go empty handed than fish in that setting...I hate crowds.

We have a nice stretch of water from the house down to the Dalles bridge. Lots of Dolly's and some Cuts. Coffee's always hot if your in the area.

Mike

Fishbreath,
After the first flood, I spoke with a person from the hatchery. He said there was a massive slide between the two lakes. Things aren't looking so good for the lower.

LT

Cupo, Somewhere I read that new equipment that was installed in the dam gave them less control over the flow. It seems the flow is either shut off or wide open. My feeling is that this has made fishing the lower river generally harder. Just when you start getting a good drop and clearing of the water, Baker dumps a four foot wave of mud water down the river. Makes it pretty hard to anticipate good fishing conditions.

The bakers flows have always fluctuated between 150-4000 cfs. usually one or the other. Sometimes it will hit 6000. Just check the USGS page to verify this. It just happens to be more apparent with its steelhead mud color.

Lunch time is right, the Baker is always like a yo-yo this time of year but it's the color that's the problem.

I like the lower river only cause there's a lot less pressure. Nothing like fishing without seeing anyone around. Of course the fishing isn't like up around Rockport or above but if I had my choice I'll take the slower fishing with no one around!

Don't give up down below as the big nates will soon be making an appearance. A whole lot of fishing for a chance at little catching on a big one. Those big ones headed for the Sauk don't parachute in!

Fishbreath,

The turbidity of the Baker has been exacerbated by mass wasting on Miner's Creek, a tributary of Lake Shannon, the reservoir behind lower Baker Dam. The mass wasting is a result of logging action that occured on Burpee Hill around 10 or so years ago. Every time there is a major flood, the slide fills Lake Shannon with mud that can take months to run through the system, even though the water throughput at lower Baker Dam would more than totally refill that reservoir. Thank your local DNR who approved logging those unstable slopes on Burpee Hill. Hard to say how many more years of this effect we're in for.

Sincerely,

Salmo g.

Thanks Salmo. I just knew it was more than power generating.

They have been running 4000 CFS out of the Baker since the 3rd, and the Skagit (with the new snow melting) is running at close to 19' right now, and sure to rise some more as this snow begins to melt faster.

Looks ugly too.

Well, there's always next fall..

Mike