Dredge buddy

[kuger]

When I started dredging this spot there were no fish to be seen and now because I have created a pool and stirred up all kinds of food for them they are showing up.They have no fear and hang out with ya waiting to grab the next goodie you kick up.I have had some pretty big ones but this little guy has been hanging out for a couple weeks now,its amazing how much they grow!!Then I have fund something you dont see every day or probably ever will again,I think it is a sluice box!It has taken a beating and was pretty complete when I first started but it is extremely fragile.I dont want to take it out as I am sure it will disintegrate.Too bad I keep breaking it

 

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[XT18000]

When I was dredging in the Kalamath River in California we were surrounded by fish as we
moved rocks out of the way. The most fun was when you would roll a larger one over and
there would be a 5 or 6in" crawfish under it and it would put it's claws up like a boxer ready
to take you on. They would turn bright red and dance around; point the nozzle at them and
ZIP up the hose they went and out the back of the sluice; no harm done to them, some would
be back for a second ride! Can't make out the details of the sluice in your picture; if it's very
old and made of wood it will most likely just fall apart if you try to move it. You never know
what you will uncover while dredging; one fellow found a boot with the foot bones and the
leg bone up to the knee still attached to it ( boot was old style so must have been from way
back ). You just never know!

 

[Lookin]

Nothing like being underwater on a nozzle, is there?

After a lunch break during a dredging day, I headed back to the creek to get things going again. I stick my uptake hose in a 5 gallon bucket to keep gravel out of foot valve (pretty shallow creek). I went to adjust the way the bucket was sitting in the water and found a little colorful fellow putting on a show for a little lady fish - right in my bucket! I think he was wanting to spawn right there!

It is also interesting to see how many fish congregate in your hole after a break, too. It is like a fish magnet! Some of them wouldn't leave that hole for anything - even after you get dredging again.

Thanks for the pictures!

Lookin

 

[kuger]

Thanks for the replies,I forgot to mention in the one pic you can see the square nails holding it together.Itis under about three foot of overburden as well

 

[flyspekau]

NEAT STUFF Kuger is that a little brook trout? I can't think of a way for you to raise that box up without if falling all apart either unless you can slide a board or something under it and raise it slowly then let it dry and cover it once dried with varnish or something to hold it all together.

I really love dredging and just in the last 2 years gotten into it pretty heavily, slowly its gone with old equipment and constant repairing so I guess I am just paying my dues the hard way but I still have one helluva lot of fun.

Heres 2 perch bedding on my tailings the male and female both were fanning there tails and turning sideways making a place to lay eggs pretty cool last time out we found an old ax head I think is quite old

 

[djui5]

Gold and lunch!!

 

[bigfish31]

Those are good pics. Keep them coming!

 

[kuger]

Thanks for the replies!Fly,that is a great photo!!I think I am going to leave the sluice in place as there is still alot of overburden on it and I have damaged enough.It has laid in peace for 150 years.Dredging will get a hold of you,it is a must to have good equipment though!It is no fun fighting malfunctions.My air compressor gave me fits this year.I have extra everything including another compressor but it is seized up.As soon as you make your old dredge pay for itself,upgrade and continue to do so,dredging is hard enough without the heartache of breakdowns.I was thinking my little friend was Brookie too but there isnt supposed to be any in that stream?

 

[dave wiseman]

Looks like a rainbow hybred, ol Sammy Marshall plants them for the state in that creek....Dave

 

[kuger]

I looked into it and evidently it is a "Native",rainbow.There used to be some really nice Browns in that creek,but no more.I think the biggest I have seen in that creek was a 18 inch Rainbow.