Float Trip Suggestions - April 11-13

[Foggy_Goggles]

Thoughts in no particular order

a. Drive from Canyon to Granite, observe all the raft companies. This is the primary economy for a fairly depressed area. You ain't gonna convince anyone that trading whitewater $s for fishing $s is to the locals benefit. Browns Canyon is the most heavy commercial rafted section in the world.

b. Overly simplified, there are no dams on the Upper Ark. You understand that water is taken from the Roaring Fork Valley and diverted under Indy Pass into the Ark right? Lake Creek actually supplies the majority of the non-native flow to the Ark (as I understand it).

c. Highwater boating is quality boating. Boaters don't want a constant trickle. Sort of like fishing, just because you can fish doesn't mean you will. It's conditions dependent.

d. The Voluntary Flow Program (which has never been guaranteed) is very important to the whitewater community. Basically this is 700 at Wellsville until the middle of August under certain situations. The way people I know who've lively hood depends on water in the Ark have explained it too me is that this pre-season releases almost certainly mean the end of the VFP. Many years, it's the only thing running towards the end of the summer.

e. Not that it matters, but what is probably most fair is to provide the biggest benefit/ least damage for the most people. The established whitewater industry stand to lose a lot (their business, real estate, job etc.). The benefits to the fishing industry are unknown. This is why people get fired up. The perception is that the managing entities (AHRA and Colorado State Parks) are tossing out a system that works pretty good without much public input.

f. I've probably spend close to 500 days on all sections and tributaries of the Ark kayaking, rafting and fishing. Its a resource that is very important to my quality of life. If I seam defensive, this is why.

[gretch6364]

Thank you for the additional information. The rivers here are so fucked up and there are so many arguments and fights over the water. I have been reading some threads on it, and it confused me a little on where the water was coming from. Several boaters were saying to "leave the river alone" let it be natural" and were mad about the pre-season VFP release, which is talking out of both sides of their mouths, because they want the VFP during the season, which is not natural flows since it is from a different basin.

I guess gonna have to watch how it all falls out. Obviously, I have no desire to hurt peoples livelihoods, and don't want the rafting industry to be hurting. I have been down Brown's with a guided group several times and it is a fun run. I figured the fisherman in my could come out a little more in this forum section and didn't think it would be so offensive to be excited for improved spring fishing and another early season float option away from I-70.

Oh, and the goggle is the one thing I miss from skiing the springs.

[snapt]

Screw floating

[Hoka Hey]

Grey Reef is fantastic that time of year regardless of flows.

[BS720]

Screw floating

Awesome!!!!! Is that a bottle of Fireball in the boat??

[guide]

Grey Reef is fantastic that time of year regardless of flows.

Hoka, check your pm's

[gretch6364]

How is the wind usually up there is early in the year?

[concretejungle]

Central Wyoming? I'm going to go with it depends on the minute. If and angler could predict the wind a few weeks out I'd buy him many beers.

That said I'd try to hit up the North Platte or the Bighorn if I was you. I'm new to fishing and haven't fished there but my semi-frequent drives between CO and SWMT have peeked my interest.

[downvalleytrash]

the Bighorn

Yep.
Just check the flows, as they have been releasing water.