What Happened to the White Bass - Mississippi River – General Discussion - Mississippi River – General Discussion - Page 3

Hi Brian,

1. “Are you studying the mussels and clams on the St Croix?”

No, I’m not studying mussels specifically. I am more interested in how the biology of the river is interconnected. I would consider myself an avid river fisherman but much less serious than I used to be in my youth.

2. “…what was it like before the dam was in place? I’m assuming a more steady flow like a natural river?”

Thanks for asking, although I’m not old enough to know what the river was like in 1906 before the dam was built. Old pictures and written accounts before the dam was built lead me to believe the river up stream of St Croix falls was over 7 miles of rapids/small falls with swift water falling through a narrow rocky gorge.

I can only assume 7 miles of falls would heavily aerate the water dumping into the lower portion. I feel the hydro electric dam much more closely emulated that water quality during peaking operations than it does now with its steady release. Much the way turning your kitchen faucet on and off full blast would aerate differently than a steady slower trickle.

In the past the dam would hold back water at night when power demand was low and spool up the turbine’s in the morning leading to a fast current flushing through the backwaters with white foam floating down the river. The fish would turn on and off with that cycle of aerated water.

I really appreciate all observations from others, more the better. The large bait forage seen in pool 4 and the increase of Perch and Northern numbers that may be historically different are of great interest to me. I would also be curious to hear an update on the White bass in the Winnebago system in a few more years or if there is more insight into the collapse of the fishery at some point.