# It is over.



## Sunbeam (Feb 24, 2009)

It has been a historic run at the stilling basin of the Livingston dam. There has been periods of higher flow rates but never for the extent that we saw this year.
Look at the flow chart at the US 59 bridge for the last year. The line at the 1000 chart line is normal flow. Anything above that is flood water.
Note that since January 1st 2015 until this week there was only a few days in March when the lake was not receiving flood waters.
Almost unbelievable that that much rain fell on the upper river and local watershed in those early months of the year.
Some results:

Most striped bass lost from the lake proper.

Poor White bass spawn due the high water.

Poor fishing in the upper river in the spring.

Poor fishing in the lake due to muddy water for about two months in the spring and early summer.

A bumper crop of large mouth buffalo that my be detrimental to game fish spawns in the future.

Good cat fishing in the lake proper.

Fantastic fishing below the dam for many months. Great striper fishing.

http://nwis.waterdata.usgs.gov/tx/n...od=&begin_date=2014-09-11&end_date=2015-09-18

This could happen again in a week, month, year or this is more likely a once in a life time event. It appears to be over. Hope everyone got an opportunity to take advantage of the great conditions.


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## Northern fisherman (Sep 16, 2014)

Great information as always Mr Sunbeam and as far as the opportunities my boys and me had a ball catching below the dam I believe we made some lifetime memories it was just that awesome for us still makes me grin today when I think back, thanks!


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## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

LOL....it ain't over with all due respect, not nearly so, not even close. There's a million stripers below the dam...just ask my fishing partners this week. 

Also, the lake will see the greatest increase in white bass recruitment in history of LL, due to countless number of predatory stripers removed from the lake. 

Nope, its definitely not over.....the effects from this will be felt many months and years.


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## shadslinger (Aug 21, 2005)

The bell tolls, http://www.trinityra.org/
One gate


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## Bluiis (Aug 20, 2005)

*No singing the Blues*

I agree with Meadowlark that LL is not under a dooms day scenario but from another reason we should take into account. Yes, a tremendous amount of fish surly escaped through the gates of LL this year no doubt.

Here is a list of lakes that are above LL that have dumped tons of fish as well. A good many of these fish surly will work there way down to LL.

TRINITY RIVER BASIN BRIDGEPORT 836.0 -----  832.99   265  EAGLE MOUNTAIN 649.0 -----  647.34   333  LAKE WORTH 594.0 -----  592.81   0  BENBROOK 694.0 710.0  687.99   0  JOE POOL 522.0 536.0  521.84   0  MOUNTAIN CREEK 457.0 -----  457.59   0  RAY ROBERTS 632.5 640.5  632.90   630  LEWISVILLE 522.0 532.0  522.15   214  GRAPEVINE 535.0 560.0  535.46   378  LAVON 492.0 503.5  489.37   0  RAY HUBBARD 435.5 -----  433.32   23  CEDAR CREEK 322.0 -----  320.37   0  NAVARRO MILLS 424.5 443.0  423.80   0  BARDWELL 421.0 439.0  420.27   0 Richland Chambers

Richland Chambers alone has 24 gates that were open for a very long time.

Here is a video of Richland Chambers 24 Gates open in May






My last two trips to LL was difficult to catch keeper White Bass because of the millions of 4" to 6" white bass that would attack any jig. I assume those millions of undersized white bass will be keepers next year.
Also, next year we should see Hybrids show up in LL as well from Richland Chambers and others. I am excited about the prospects for LL next year, but only time will tell. Let's hope so anyway.


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## Danny O (Apr 14, 2010)

Meadowlark said:


> LOL....it ain't over with all due respect, not nearly so, not even close. There's a million stripers below the dam...just ask my fishing partners this week.
> 
> Also, the lake will see the greatest increase in white bass recruitment in history of LL, due to countless number of predatory stripers removed from the lake.
> 
> Nope, its definitely not over.....the effects from this will be felt many months and years.


As one of your fishing partners over the last three weeks, I can attest to the amount of Stripers in the stilling basin. Each day was different, but each time was an awesome fishing experience. The pattern changed with each gate adjustment but we adapted and caught and released quality Stripers. Anxious to see what it is like at 1 gate.


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## Whitebassfisher (May 4, 2007)

I believe it accurate to say "History was made."
We may not agree on or even understand all the nuances, but it was an event.
I will stick with my old "Water is life" saying and predict all will be fine.


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## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

Bluiis said:


> I agree with Meadowlark that LL is not under a dooms day scenario but from another reason we should take into account. ....


 Excellent point Walt. I intend to target those hybrids this fall both below the dam and on the lake. On the lake, Oct. is historically the best month for catching them for me....and we should have a lot of hybrids from RC and CC in the lake now.

Everyone I catch just reminds me what a fantastic fishery (more fantastic) Livingston could be if T,P,&W would stock those hybrids here.


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## peckerwood (Jun 9, 2012)

I live within a 30 minute drive of 5 of the lakes listed,Bridgeport being 1hr away,and have seen over the last 50 years any big change to those lakes such as going almost dry to overfull has always lead to outstanding fishing in the years to come until the next disaster.The dry lakes fill up over small willows and the overfull have spawns way farther up the river and creeks.The fish seem to grow twice as fast and spawn so much better in the new fertile water.


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## Whitebassfisher (May 4, 2007)

Meadowlark said:


> Everyone I catch just reminds me what a fantastic fishery (more fantastic) Livingston could be *if T,P,&W would stock those hybrids here*.


We know it won't happen, but it would be great!!


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## Sunbeam (Feb 24, 2009)

I did not indicate the great fishing was over. Livingston has been great fishing since the contractor first made the dam closure in Oct 1968 and will remain so for many years to come.
What I said the great rise of 2015 is over. One gate flow is certainly not a flood condition.
THE FLOOD IS OVER.


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## GT11 (Jan 1, 2013)

The flood may be over but the after affects are still with us. Water is still a little high up the creek (haven't seen the bottom board of my dock in months) and midlake is still not 100% back to normal. Maybe with the gates back to normal, we will finally get back to clear water in another month, just in time for the winter rain!

The crazy weather produced very different fishing patterns this year. I saw birds working up Kickapoo again this weekend.


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## shadslinger (Aug 21, 2005)

I'm glad the high water is gone!


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## whsalum (Mar 4, 2013)

GT11 said:


> The flood may be over but the after affects are still with us. Water is still a little high up the creek (haven't seen the bottom board of my dock in months) and midlake is still not 100% back to normal. Maybe with the gates back to normal, we will finally get back to clear water in another month, just in time for the winter rain!
> 
> The crazy weather produced very different fishing patterns this year. I saw birds working up Kickapoo again this weekend.


 GT11 I caught schoolers twice last week off the bank at my camper, never seen that before !!


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