Rock Lake Steelhead

[quadrafire]

Probably a dumb question, but is there a chance any of those plants could make it back up from a sea run?

[Henrydog]

Real Answer is No that is why they put them there and in Sprague, because the Eviro wackos on the coast don't want them in the gene pool.

 That said I used my useless degree in Geography from EWU to find if they go down Rock creek I think the can get to Palouse Falls and then to the Snake. 

My son and I caught a slew of them the last week of Jan, on egg sucking leeches and a full sink fly line on the very far end at the falls.  They are small but fought harder than the average Williams Lake Planter.  It was fun for what it is.  I do bird hunt Escure a lot, and I thought maybe in 2 falls they would run up Rock Creek if they think the lake is the ocean.  I don't know.  Normally I do the Ronde or Tucannon for a castnblast, but it would be cool if run the river.

[quadrafire]

That's what I was thinking following the river down. I know there are a couple of falls, but I don't know how big they are. Probably to tall to prevent a return.
I fished it with my son last weekend at the outlet and I fly fished the stream below the bridge. It is fun for sure. Good size for eating as well.
Thanks for your perspective

[Henrydog]

The first falls would be Towell Falls near Revere.  I have hiked there many times, that one they could get down.  There are a couple of pools depend on how much water is flowing.  That said I don't think they could get back up it, it basalt columns.  I think Rock Creek enters the Palouse River near Hooper, I am doing that off memory, another 5 miles from there its Palouse falls and that would land lock them for sure on the return trip.

[jjhunter]

Rock Creek enters the Palouse in Lacrosse.

Palouse falls would be the big issue.   There is also a stretch of Rock Creek at Revere that runs dry (still runs under the rock) and would be troublesome.   

[quadrafire]

DUH!!!!!! I forgot about Palouse Falls. 

[quadrafire]

It's a fun fishery for what it is though. We caught about 75% steelhead 25% rainbow

[Henrydog]

There is also a stretch of Rock Creek at Revere that runs dry

You are correct, right at Jordan Knott it is dry every fall.  Do you know why that is?  There is always plenty of water up steam, and plenty downstream.  On the state land there is a little irrigation for the alfalfa but I would not think enough to draw it down. There are some good sized fish before Towell Falls and up at the old bridge off of Breeden Road.  They must come down the river during run off and then get trapped

[jjhunter]

The water runs under the surface in that stretch.  It nearly solid rock.  It used to be pretty rare, but the last 15 or so years, the water table has really dropped in that area so you see it dry 6 months of the year.


 

[quadrafire]

I've seen similar on crab creek. A stretch of underground flow. Geological mystery and pretty cool !!

[Limhangerslayer]

The water runs under the surface in that stretch.  It nearly solid rock.  It used to be pretty rare, but the last 15 or so years, the water table has really dropped in that area so you see it dry 6 months of the year.

  and above revere it is a frog pond for quite a ways.   Once it drops south of revere it turns into some good fishing though.