Nymph-wristed
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I went right to Leslie Nielsen in the Naked Gun....
The importance of beavers
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wildtrout2
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Bamboozle
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sarce
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They're everywhere here in central MD. These dams usually last 2-3 years before they blow out. If you can believe it with how stagnant this looks, it's wild trout water. I prefer these low and semi-temporary dams remain in place, they trap a lot of sediment that would otherwise fill in habitat downstream and also provide deep water which is lacking in some of the local streams
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wildtrout2
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Back in the early 70's, I fished a beaver pond in the Poconos that was created by the daming of a very small brookie stream. This small pond was loaded with native brookies. I'll never for get the experience.
Bamboozle
Well-known member
There is or was a huge beaver dam on a braid of Lyman Run above the reservoir. I found it by accident when fishing upstream because I was wet wading as usual and all of sudden the water felt really warm.
I don't know a thing about beavers but that can't always be a good thing...
I don't know a thing about beavers but that can't always be a good thing...
CinnamonJoe
Well-known member
'Bam,
Its not.
I've watched this thread and kept quiet til someone else posted an observed, logical negative consequence.
Lest I make a reputation for myself of being 'anti 🦫' , on account of my record of openly pointing out some of this. LOL
I posted a link to a study a couple weeks back where some of these drawbacks were addressed.
For coldwater fish, hypoxia can be a real concern depending on the specific stream type/flow/geology/time of year. A beaver dam in the wrong trout stream, with all the wrong things going for it, can result in a stretch of frog water that is no good for trout. I have seen it several times here in the upper midwest, and I have seen more than 1 state's DNR intervene, and take the offending dam out to set things right for the trout and other coldwater species they were trying to protect in that stream section.
To be clear, in my uneducated opinion (I am not a fisheries biologist/ecologist) I think beaver action is probably truly beneficial to some trout streams/cold water fish probably 2/3 of the time. But not all the time. It depends on the specific stream/situation.
Joe
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salvelinus
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There was a beaver dam on Kettle along Leetonia Road, below Billings Branch. A few years ago it was breached, perhaps by the DCNR, as the warm water was likely detrimental to the downstream brook trout.
Thank youThis is a contact page for a Penn State Extension virtual meeting for learning about beavers and their importance to the health of streams, rivers, lakes, wildlife and plants.
wildtrout2
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I agree. This makes sense.
sarce
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Just remembered a spot in CO I fished that had a large beaver dam, 4-5 ft high. Upstream of the dam it was native cutthroat trout paradise. Below was overrun by non-native brooks. So it was a case where it was beneficial to the native fish by providing a barrier to invasives. Altitude was too high for water temps to be of any concern.
Agree that it can be harmful in certain locations. But trout and beavers coexisted for a long time before we were around to decide when and where we should blow up the beaver dams. So I don't get too bothered by finding a new dam on my local streams.
Agree that it can be harmful in certain locations. But trout and beavers coexisted for a long time before we were around to decide when and where we should blow up the beaver dams. So I don't get too bothered by finding a new dam on my local streams.
rustbeltwilds
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Yeah horsing them in on the old levelwind baitcaster and the old glass rods
