LOW>>LOW Flow on the Fox.

[kevin summers]

Just wondering if anyone has been getting out and can remember the river being this low in June? I have walked the channel a bit in B-town and places I would have never ventured, are pretty do-able . Just wondering? Thanks

[Chris Meade]

In 2012 there was a drought.  The low water levels concentrated smallies in the channel areas, so 30 fish days were not unusual. Right now the water level is about 8 inches higher than what it was in July 2012.  The action I've encountered lately has been pretty inconsistent. But, that's probably due to "operator error."

[Tom L]

I would use this time to explore the river, just as you did Kevin.  You can learn a lot.  Places that were too deep and too fast during the normal level will hold fish.  Stealth, stealth, stealth!!

[Paul Trybul]

There are a lot of water treatment plants along the Fox river. With the lack of rain, I wonder how high the percentage of river flow comes from treatment plants. It's probably not a good idea to wet wade under these conditions. I also heard there is a warning this summer for blue green algae which can cause health problems.

[Eric]

It’s terrible. Many areas good for kayak fishing are stagnant and the surface full of foamy scum and cottonwood. The extended high heat is just going to make matters worse unless we get a deluge of rain to provide some breath to the river.

Otherwise, I imagine fish kills are imminent. The water feels like bath water at the end of the day.

Even with good fish handling techniques and quick unhooking, I suspect even C&R mortality rates will sharply increase.

I’d expect a summer low to be in the 700-800 CFS range, not 400-500 for weeks on end! Hope it doesn’t persist through July and August. 

While true, we can still find productive areas on the Fox and have success, the overall situation is dire.

[Joe R]

Haven't been fishing Fox but it's pretty sad on what I'm seeing way farther upriver on the kish. North branch fo example. Not a clear flow I would normally expect in low rain periods but as you mention more stagnant brownish water and in eddies yes foamy cottonwood swirls. Besides that more silt over areas that in past was cleaner gravel. Rains and higher water will help flush lousy water and silt. Normally I'd expect more fish farther upriver towards Marengo as fish move up from winter areas with high water rains. No dams but low water downed trees fish could not do a typical spring and early summer move on rain heightened river.  Colder water species like pike and walleye will be primary risk for fish kill. At the southern limit of natural range hot rivers they are stressed as is but once caught need immediate release.

[Ben K.]

Hate to hear that Joe. prespawn on the North Branch was already looking low but not stagnant. I really enjoy the mix of bronze and teeth in that stretch. Hope we get some rain so the big ones can hold out. 

[Joe R]

I waded fox Thursday around dundee where water is always fast lots of biting dinks in fast shallow rocky water.  Canoe time between Belvidere and cherry valley this morning everything fine there. But on way home I waded near .Marengo it's a bad situation there. Previous couple years good fishing now it's terrible brown water and all the small rain events just add more silt over sand and gravel. Never seen so much silt. Need high water events to flush. I seen 2 dead suckers and 2 swimming sideways neither will last.  There's a lot of seasonal fish movement on rivers that are not dammed and since I like to get upriver and skinny I definitely see much more fish upriver all year if springs bring flood events