Elk Rapids Dam

[Got Fish??]

 Are  there any fish coming up yet? Is there enough water?

[TheFishinPollock]

Was actually there today. Not a thing moving, no fresh runn off yet and the temps are coldddddddddddddddddddddd

[thedude]

just out of curiousity - what kind of fish are we talking about? like trout or salmon or something? do they actually go up into elk?

[TheFishinPollock]

There use to be big yellow perch runs, walleye runs, bass and steelhead runs.   Ain't had much in the last few years . I'm guessing it has something to do with the nets just out past the mouth of the river and dam outlets.

[djkimmel]

Nets can be a detriment to some fish runs... I haven't heard how that is working out in actual numbers and measured effect.

The dam blocks fish from getting into Elk Lake but I've seen different runs up to the dam in the past, and in the actual river channel just South. There's not much to either channel but I've seen anglers lined up on the channel to the Marina and dam.

I actually fished in the pond on the river channel South of the channel that goes into the marina and to the dam for King salmon that were running in there through the tubes years ago (apparently I was not aware this was a 'kids fishing area' or 'off limits' or some other weird rule? Actually never confirmed that with an official now that I think of it?) Salmon were trying to spawn in there. That was quite a few years ago. Looks a lot shallower on Google Maps satellite pictures now from when I was last there.

I've caught bass in the channel going to the actual dam but never hit it just right when they piled in as it was one of the well-kept secret years ago when we traveled up there for tournaments. A few anglers would go down there in the evening or on bad weather days when the lake chain was off limits. I saw a few limits ~25-30 years ago from shore fishing that channel that were bigger than the limits winning tournaments from the lakes at that time.

I had heard various runs weren't being perceived as being as strong the past few years. Wonder what the local MDNR folks up there in Charlevoix could say about that? If I remember, I'll have to ask if they have any numbers.

[Got Fish??]

There is a decent steelhead run in the fall and in the spring. During the spring turkey season or when weather is tuff. I like to hit the dam for steehead. During the year it has a steady sream of steelhead fishermen. I've seen fish cought there all year long.

[Got Fish??]

Any fish runnig up to the dam yet?

[Got Fish??]

There were some fish caught at the dam Sunday and vary few fishermen. We  were not so lucky. We went o for ElkRapids Dam.