Author Topic: Anybody done a recon crappie trip to San Carlos  (Read 4026 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Fishless

  • AZCA Members
  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 4408
Anybody done a recon crappie trip to San Carlos
« on: March 29, 2021, 03:41 PM »
I know the lake is open and we had pics of them cleaning the ramp did anyone ever make it out there to fish it for crappie?
"I won't be wronged, I won't be insulted, and I won't be laid a hand on. I don't do these things to other people and I expect the same from them." John Bernard Books

Offline OneBlade

  • Administrator
  • Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3394
  • San Carlos Crappie
Re: Anybody done a recon crappie trip to San Carlos
« Reply #1 on: April 11, 2021, 08:42 PM »
From AZ Anglers (possibly true?) pictures of San Carlos. They still are selling permits but Talkalai is still open. See prior post for water level link

Offline OneBlade

  • Administrator
  • Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3394
  • San Carlos Crappie
Re: Anybody done a recon crappie trip to San Carlos
« Reply #2 on: April 11, 2021, 08:56 PM »
From Bob Stevens shared through AZ Anglers:

I've been wanting to go down to the lake and today we finally took a drive down there. My heart sank..... but then again I wasn't surprised in the least bit. San Carlos Lake is pretty much empty. No matter how you look at it the picture is sad. No water..... no life...... no people..... no boats..... no fishermen..... no people swimming or recreating along the shores. The fish kill so devastating its almost unimaginable  and the stench unbearable. It was like people were coming to pay their last respects to a once thriving environment.

Some will give reasons or excuses to try and paint a different picture but it's devastating all the same. Back when I was very young I remember fishing at spots that were at the high water mark. The lake being so full it stretched on to eternity for over 20 miles. Hundreds of boats out on the water of every type. People water skiing and camps all along the shorelines. Swimming and jumping off the train Bridge at Sixmile.

Catching bass every time we went from just about any shoreline we chose. Staying into the night fishing for catfish. The lake store being fully operational and fishing lures, camping equipment and fuel being sold there. Trucks pulling in one by one pulling boats, RV's stocking up on supplies before heading somewhere along the lake for long holiday weekend stays. Just the atmosphere made one want to spend time down there.

But all we have left now is a run down store that sells almost only alcohol, outdated gas pumps, buildings rotting and falling apart, rental services for boats in ruins, a marina long since gone from Soda Canyon, boat ramps high and dry with no water in sight, trash, tragic stories of people losing their lives to accidents, suicide etc, a dry wasteland with only a high water mark to recall memories to.

Can we, as a people, govt or even a movement bring back even a part of what once used to be? Is it even possible? Where do we start and how long before a difference is made? It breaks my heart to see and think of all this. I don't think I'll ever see the lake full again. I only can hope that I will. I look at my boat and wonder if there will ever be a time when boats will be abundant again on San Carlos Lake. I guess only time will tell...........

Offline Fishless

  • AZCA Members
  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 4408
Re: Anybody done a recon crappie trip to San Carlos
« Reply #3 on: April 12, 2021, 05:38 AM »
sad state of affairs between droughts and water sales down stream it will take a miracle to every see that lake with much water again :crybaby2:
"I won't be wronged, I won't be insulted, and I won't be laid a hand on. I don't do these things to other people and I expect the same from them." John Bernard Books

Offline OneBlade

  • Administrator
  • Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3394
  • San Carlos Crappie
Re: Anybody done a recon crappie trip to San Carlos
« Reply #4 on: April 13, 2021, 06:14 AM »
sad state of affairs between droughts and water sales down stream it will take a miracle to every see that lake with much water again
It really only takes a good year to fill 'er up to high levels. Looking at the graph it gets low every year and then depending on rainfall it can get pretty high (see 2017 year before it emptied spring 2018).  Even in 2020 it seems to be at the 2nd highest level it was in 10 years. I don't know if a part of the dam broke again - last time there was allegedly some gate locked open or just simply need to give water downstream for some contracts or something.

See acre storage graph picture attached or view 10 year graph (takes a minute or two to load): https://nwis.waterdata.usgs.gov/az/nwis/uv?cb_all_=on&cb_00054=on&cb_00065=on&cb_00065=on&format=gif_default&site_no=09469000&period=&begin_date=2011-04-14&end_date=2021-04-13

Offline sparkchaser

  • Administrator
  • Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1939
Re: Anybody done a recon crappie trip to San Carlos
« Reply #5 on: May 30, 2021, 12:36 PM »
Current pics of San Carlos as of May 29th shared from another member. Sad state of a once great crappie lake
SEA.....HAWKS....

Offline Fishless

  • AZCA Members
  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 4408
Re: Anybody done a recon crappie trip to San Carlos
« Reply #6 on: May 30, 2021, 08:31 PM »
WOW!! mud puddle, amazing to see all the cracks in the dam and pieces falling off with the water so low why not now fix or replace the dam, heck put in a bigger one so IF we ever get a real wet winter the lake could fill up even higher :dontknow:
"I won't be wronged, I won't be insulted, and I won't be laid a hand on. I don't do these things to other people and I expect the same from them." John Bernard Books

Offline on the rocks

  • AZCA Members
  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 569
Re: Anybody done a recon crappie trip to San Carlos
« Reply #7 on: June 02, 2021, 08:41 AM »
No irrigation for farmers in the Safford area. The pool by the damn had blue herons standing in the middle. Water was only up to their knees. Estimating 20" maximum water depth by the damn. That is 20 inches of water not 20 feet. Wondering what happened to the minimum pool of water the lake was suppose to hold.

Offline OneBlade

  • Administrator
  • Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3394
  • San Carlos Crappie
Re: Anybody done a recon crappie trip to San Carlos
« Reply #8 on: June 29, 2021, 08:22 PM »
I know it’s dry but are these real? (Found on facebook)
San Carlos Reservoir, photo credit to Dewey Wesley Jr.

Offline apenland01

  • AZCA Members
  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 204
Re: Anybody done a recon crappie trip to San Carlos
« Reply #9 on: June 29, 2021, 08:39 PM »
That's some great photoshopping!!!  All the water turned into farms pics.  I like it....

 

SimplePortal 2.3.7 © 2008-2024, SimplePortal