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Catahoula Lake waterfowl report

4K views 13 replies 4 participants last post by  Park Duck 
#1 ·
Has anyone been on north end of Catahoula Lake checking on duck numbers? With this strong cold front passing through, there should be a lot of new ducks.
 
#2 ·
Nebo side is full of ducks all the way to Old River. Bird Island and Mosquito Bend were a solid raft also. East side below French Fork is lacking in numbers. No food left I think. At the rate the ducks are stripping the millet, I don't see the lake holding a lot birds much after the first split. With Larry telling the world about the numbers, it's gonna be a circus. :biggrin: Saw the first cicro boat wreck yesterday. One day I'm gonna skip hunting and film the follies at French Fork and the canal.
 
#3 ·
Water may still be low up in the bend but I'm sure any water they can land in has a duck. Every report I have heard form the area has been good.

I been outside gathering crap for west zone opener tonight and there is a flock of snows every five minutes heading south.
 
#4 ·
Thanks for the duck report Toledo and Original Duckster. I need to brush our concrete blind near Bird Island point in the next few days. I hope they don't keep draining water off. The diversion canal lock was cracked yesterday. Original Duckster as far as boat wrecks are concerned, I have been expecting to see someone get killed or seriously hurt by all the crazy people who travel Old River before daylight without running lights on their boats. People with huge bass boats zoom right up on top of you and then pass you without any lights. It is especially dangerous on a foggy morning. I have seen several who have run up on the bank. Old River is not that wide and if you are not careful and don't know the river, it can be dangerous. One also has to watch for floating or submerged logs also. Nine out of ten boats don't have proper lighting.
 
#5 ·
Mr.L said:
I have been expecting to see someone get killed or seriously hurt by all the crazy people who travel Old River before daylight without running lights on their boats. People with huge bass boats zoom right up on top of you and then pass you without any lights. It is especially dangerous on a foggy morning. Old River is not that wide and if you are not careful and don't know the river, it can be dangerous. Nine out of ten boats don't have proper lighting.
Totally agree. There are some that wake up at the last second and then try to set some kind of speed record down the dam thing. Saw a guy in a big custom aluminum come around a corner going 90 to nothing and almost run over some kids puttin along in a longtail last year. A warden could post up along Old River and get a months worth of game and safety violations but that would take leaving the launch
 
#7 ·
Why are they draining lake down? It was 29.5 ft Saturday according to rivergauges.com center of lake reading. Are they not able to adjust for inflow and slightly crack diversion canal to hold lake at 29.5 ft? I can't understand why they don't hold water level at 29.5ft.
 
#8 ·
Mr L, just checked the gauges and they closed the locks @ 11:15 or so. Sometimes I cannot understand the thinking about the water level manipulation. I'm not a wetland biologist but I did stay at de camp last night. :biggrin:

A few years ago, Bruce was showing a new biologist around and they stopped by the camp. This hand explained to me that he knew what to do for Catahoula as it worked in several marshes up north. That those of us that had been around for 40-50 years were mistaken in our thinking. Hilarity ensued.
 
#9 ·
I can imagine how crazy it gets on Old River as I have seen the insanity at French Fork. Only time I go up Old River these days is fishing.

The Canal is as bad or worse. 5 men in a 12' bateau with a 6 Johnson or several folks in canoes amongst 30 big boats is scary to see.

Stock Landing is not as bad. The ciciros just get mashed in the mud by the airboats.
 
#10 ·
Original Duckster, I know what you mean about talking to some of these so called "experts." I have tried to explain to some of them about how Catahoula Lake and Old River has silted in over the years. Part of Big Bend use to have water years ago on the north end when it was flooded at 29.5 ft. Now water is not in this area any more at 29.5 ft. Old River has filled up in many places. In the early 70's you could run an outboard past Locust Thicket, now you have to use mud motor. I can remember when Big Bend was wide open all the way down the lake in the 60's. People would go along banks of Old River to lake to cut hay. Now most of Big Bend is a water elm thicket.
 
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