# C.C Conditions....



## BIGTCAT'N

Anyone seen the water conditions on C.C recently?

Thanks


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## crappietime

Was there yesterday and water level was right at winter pool and very fishable. Crappie are still biting.


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## yakguy

High water


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## MuskyFan

^^^^ Yup, and going up. They're not pulling any water. The LMR was almost to the road on 42 near Spring Valley.


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## garhtr

MuskyFan said:


> They're not pulling any water.


 It's flowing now, the wellman gauge jump to 11ft, unfortunately more rain on the way.


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## MuskyFan

garhtr said:


> It's flowing now, the wellman gauge jump to 11ft, unfortunately more rain on the way.


Yeah, they must have opened it up some. Outflow at 6 am was only 82 cfs.


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## garhtr

MuskyFan said:


> Yeah, they must have opened it up some. Outflow at 6 am was only 82 cfs.


 I was heading that way to fish the spillway, glad I glanced at the gauge, guess I'll bluegill fish a farm pond instead.
Hopefully not much rain and the lake drops quickly.
Good luck and good fishing


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## MuskyFan

I'm headed to Cave tomorrow. It's up but not enough to take the docks out of play (I hope). Was down there Tues and the docks were ok so hopefully it doesn't go any higher. They are pulling 3500 cfs since then to keep it down.


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## garhtr

There's a positive high water at this time of year, the saugeye are moving about and plenty of fish will go over and through local spillways including CC, the days after they pull water might make for some outstanding spillway fishing.
Good luck and good fishing !


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## yakguy

Gate to spillway road entrance was closed yesterday, as were all of the other gates to the park, including the Visitor Center gate. Assume Covid-19.


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## yakguy

But you can park at fossil hunting parking lot and walk hiking trails around the spillway.


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## Legend killer

So are all ramps blocked off?


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## yakguy

Legend killer said:


> So are all ramps blocked off?


Wellman ramp was open yesterday. The gate at the driveway leading to Visitor Center was closed, and gate leading to road to gorge/spillway was closed.


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## Legend killer

North pool open?


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## MuskyFan

It was Sunday but no docks. Lower road closed so you need to go thru the parking lot and do a u-turn.


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## Rooster

Any update on water condition or access? I want to drop a kayak in there tomorrow, and search from some crappie.


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## sjwano

I went on Sunday afternoon, walking from the fossil parking lot to near the dam area. I thought the lower end might be more clear. The water was milk chocolate and up roughly 10 foot or so, thus a lot of trees and brush under water near the bank. Heavy current flow too. I was pitching jigs for bass, and casting spinners and cranks for bass/muskie/saugeye. No bites, lost a few lures with so much flotsam in the water. Good luck though!


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## MuskyFan

The lake dropped enough I could get in at Wellman with my v-hull but it took some wading and gymnastics to do it. The lower parking lot is dry now. I pulled over the dam side of the ramp and parked my boat on the grass/mud bank. Same thing getting out. 

Water is full of mud and debris as you’d expect. About 3-5” of visibility. Even bright yellow and oranges are barely visible below the surface. 

Didn't catch anything but graphed several muskies in 8-10’ over sand and mud paired up for the spawn.


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## Rooster

Did some recon today, but no fishing.

Wellman is open, but high and muddy:











Fifty Sprngs picnic area is closed:












Marina Ramp is closed:











Youth fishing pond is open, and it is possible to drop a kayak there.


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## MuskyFan

I put in at Wellman yesterday. Solo. Took a bit of agility to climb onto the truck and in the boat. Pulled up on the bank to the left (dam side) of the docks.


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## Bronson

Thanks for the updates fellas. Has anyone seen it today?


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## Rooster

Fished out of Wellman today between 10am - 5pm. Looked to be dropping, and still very muddy. Lots of boats on the water today. I was hunting crappie, but only found a few white bass.


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## garhtr

Rooster said:


> found a few white bass


 You have my interest-- any size ?
Good luck and good fishing.


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## Rooster

Just runts, but were hitting hard when I ran into them.


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## Rooster

Any updates on water conditions?


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## ruffhunter

drove around last evening. only one empty boat trailer at wellman and a lone kayaker in the middle of the north pool. You can see its come down a lot from debris line but has a few feet to come down yet. The spillway was closed but looking down there, the flow was at its banks at the rock line, if you've been down there. Young rd not useable imo. quite of few vehicles parked here and there along wooded pull offs, seems a little early for shrooms


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## Harry1959

I drove up to look at welmans today, muddy, as was said they are dropping it


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## MuskyFan

Harry1959 said:


> I drove up to look at welmans today, muddy, as was said they are dropping it


Thank you sir. Looks like I won’t need to be part gymnast next time I go.


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## MuskyFan

So, it’s saturday and the temps are forecast to be 70. At 8:30 the parking lot is half full. Not bad. All fishermen which is usually a good thing. Fish all morning then notice, ut oh, social distancing is getting kinda close. Lake seems to be full like it was summer. Around 2:30 head back to wellmans. Oh man, that’s a crowd waiting to get off. A bunch of us solo guys waiting our turn to tie up. Then it happens.

Miss Pleasure Boater waits her turn in line. Waits until everyone is backed down in the water. Now’s her turn. Does she follow the turn right then circle back to the left and wait for the next open lane? Hell No!!!! She turns left then circles back to the right and blocks the ramp. THEN she unhooks the boat and throws bags into it.

Now this is going to be interesting. She does a 14 pt turn around to line up on the left ramp (as looking from the water) but someone is already there. Now she’s blocking him and the line above her. The windows roll down and several hands come out waving the guys on the ramp to “go around”. WTF!

He finally gets out and it takes her no less than 5 mins to back down the ramp to the water. Guess what? The damned motor won’t start so she opens every hatch in the back trying to figure out why it won’t start. Finally, in her disgust and our relief, she pulls out of the water.

Sorry this was long. But for the love of God, please learn ramp etiquette and don’t be like her. I know I’m preaching to the choir but it’s only April not Memorial Day.


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## Legend killer

Muskyfan must have got skunked.


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## MuskyFan

Yup. Saw one fish. But sitting at the ramp for 30 mins waiting to get to the dock is not a great way to finish the day.


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## Legend killer

MuskyFan said:


> Yup. Saw one fish. But sitting at the ramp for 30 mins waiting to get to the dock is not a great way to finish the day.


If you need a tranx 500/400 they are 30% off at https://www.reedssports.com/shimano-tranx-500-pg-casting-reel-trx500pg-022255161572.

Bought a new 500 for 349$.


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## MuskyFan

Legend killer said:


> If you need a tranx 500/400 they are 30% off at https://www.reedssports.com/shimano-tranx-500-pg-casting-reel-trx500pg-022255161572.
> 
> Bought a new 500 for 349$.


Thanks for the link. That’s a great price but circumstances at work will keep me from making any large purchases until things go back to the way they were before this current chaos.


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## cincinnati

MuskyFan said:


> ....it takes her no less than 5 mins to back down the ramp to the water. Guess what? The damned motor won’t start so she opens every hatch in the back trying to figure out why it won’t start. Finally, in her disgust and our relief, she pulls out of the water.
> 
> Sorry this was long. But for the love of God, please learn ramp etiquette and don’t be like her. I know I’m preaching to the choir but it’s only April not Memorial Day.


You just can't fix stupid! And because it's a probability thing, the more people using the ramp, the more stupid you will see.


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## Bronson

That place was out of control Saturday. One guy had his older Ranger tied to a dock for over 3 hours while he was in the parking lot working on his trailer. That left one dock for single boaters to tie up their boats to go get their truck. There were huge groups hiking and having picnics in the fossil area. Its just a matter of time before it is all shut down. The parking lot below the dam was blocked off and it made it a madhouse for hikers.


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## Bronson

You can see the older ranger tied up in Musky Fan's first picture. I'm surprised somebody didn't untie it.


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## burnsj5

I was kinda of bummed being without a boat this spring (actively restoring a ranger 690), but reading your guys reports and seeing photos of the ramp make me kind of glad I'm not stuck in that madness right now. I normally avoid weekends all together but sounds like not much of a reprieve from the crowds even on weekdays.


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## Lil Crappie

Had no trouble at ramp today. Got out about 2. Left at 6:30. Pretty muddy and low. Did catch a few. All on minnows. Mostly running boat after tuning it. 
Still not but 2 places to tie up, for 4 ramps. If more than two boats with one person in it, slows it down a bit. Still have to wait.
Need an extra dock but off to side like Northpool.


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## Bronson

Or just need morons not to tie their boat up on 1 of the 2 open docks for 3 hours so he can go work on his trailer. Especially after seeing how busy it was getting. That has nothing to do with patience but everything to do with your fellow anger/boater


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## burnsj5

Bronson said:


> Or just need morons not to tie their boat up on 1 of the 2 open docks for 3 hours so he can go work on his trailer. Especially after seeing how busy it was getting. That has nothing to do with patience but everything to do with your fellow anger/boater


I can understand wanting to work on the trailer but yeah, once you notice it's busy you need to pull it if you can or just go in the middle of the week when hopefully it's less busy.
I had to replace my bunks on my last boat, took all of twenty minutes to get the old ones off and put the new ones on, already had them carpeted with all my tools ready to go. Went during off hours and was a smooth process, wonder if the guy was surprised by the crowds or just didn't care.


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## MuskyFan

burnsj5 said:


> I was kinda of bummed being without a boat this spring (actively restoring a ranger 690), but reading your guys reports and seeing photos of the ramp make me kind of glad I'm not stuck in that madness right now. I normally avoid weekends all together but sounds like not much of a reprieve from the crowds even on weekdays.


Find someone going solo and offer to drive the truck or on/offload the boat. Makes it a lot easier for everyone.


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## Legend killer

burnsj5 said:


> I can understand wanting to work on the trailer but yeah, once you notice it's busy you need to pull it if you can or just go in the middle of the week when hopefully it's less busy.
> I had to replace my bunks on my last boat, took all of twenty minutes to get the old ones off and put the new ones on, already had them carpeted with all my tools ready to go. Went during off hours and was a smooth process, wonder if the guy was surprised by the crowds or just didn't care.


It was a weekend, obviously didn't care.


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## monterey190

It sure would be nice if they put some more dock space to tie up at Wellman. I usually go out alone, and can get my boat on and off the trailer faster than most people with help. But avoid the weekends completely because of the lack of dock space.


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## MuskyFan

monterey190 said:


> It sure would be nice if they put some more dock space to tie up at Wellman. I usually go out alone, and can get my boat on and off the trailer faster than most people with help. But avoid the weekends completely because of the lack of dock space.


No reason, other than $$$$, that they can’t put in two tie-off docks, one on each side of the ramps. Just like North Pool. While they are doing that they could add a sand beach for kayaks to make it easier for them.


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## Legend killer

Buy a power pole


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## Bronson

I probably would have broken it off and beat someone with it Saturday!


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## sjwano

Fished for a couple hours last night off the Young Rd. ramp. Lots of fish marked that appeared to me to be white bass and crappie, popping the surface. Guys were catching crappie shallow near standing timber. I was trolling for muskie, no takers. It was busy up in the creek arm, lots of people out.


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## bbsoup

Hit Caesar yesterday 3 to 7 pm. Sorry, didn't catch enough crappie to be helpful. Heard second hand, though, of good catches by others. Found 67 degree water up shallow. Only problem is the lake is still very muddy. If it would clear just a little I'd say watch out. Lake level was actually a little low. Still a million people out, some parked in the grass at Wellman because the lot was full.


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## flyman01

Went up to Haines boat ramp yesterday @ 2:30 to fish the head waters thinking I would avoid a crowd, I could not have been more wrong with my assumption. The parking lot was about 75% full to my amazement and had to wait about 10 minutes to put in while others were loading and pulling out. Once we were in, we headed up stream and the number of boats and kayaks in the head water was unbelievable. We did see what looked like crappie hitting the surface and the bite for White Bass was good; we got a decent number of them to hand over the 3 hours we were out fishing but nothing very big in size.
It was about 5:30 when we decided to head on out, I docked the boat and walked up the ramp to the get the truck/trailer, the turn around was lined with parked cars, people fishing off the dock and bank. Times like that I wish there was a park ranger around to cite each one of them for improper parking, the lot had plenty of space for the cars.....just lazy and did not want to walk.


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## Legend killer

Won't be as crowded next week


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## BIGTCAT'N

Fished Wed from 8:00 to 1:00 P.M... Caught around 40 crappie all on minnows. The best depth depth was around 10' down in 18'-20' ft of water. A lot of smaller fish. Kept 12 over 9 with a 16" by far the biggest.


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## 9Left

MuskyFan said:


> No reason, other than $$$$, that they can’t put in two tie-off docks, one on each side of the ramps. Just like North Pool. While they are doing that they could add a sand beach for kayaks to make it easier for them.


State just dropped a load of cash to renovate CC campgrounds...New sites, and shower houses come on the restrooms… New playground equipment… It's all under construction as we speak


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## Lil Crappie

9Left said:


> State just dropped a load of cash to renovate CC campgrounds...New sites, and shower houses come on the restrooms… New playground equipment… It's all under construction as we speak


Saw that! Looks good!
Before they built Caesars. Campground was a killer spot for quail. Pre Blizzard years.


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## bbsoup

Thanks, 9L. Didna' know that. I don't get out enough any more. Good stuff. Live close but use the campground. Useful info


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## 9Left

bbsoup said:


> Thanks, 9L. Didna' know that. I don't get out enough any more. Good stuff. Live close but use the campground. Useful info


bb... The campgrounds are completely closed for two reasons… The construction… And the corona… However… The campground RAMP Is still open for use


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