Somerset Lake draining

After labor day...save ya the trip it hasn't been worth it this year.

In case anyone cares the fish recovery at Somerset Lake is to be done 10-24 and 10-25 I believe.  The last I saw it was to start at 10:00. I watched the one at Donegal last year and enjoyed it of you have the time
 
 
 
It probably would be a good idea to call the Commission in Somerset to confirm the info before driving to far.

george:  I'm pretty confident of the info but didn't want anyone mad if I had something wrong with the date or time.
 
I stopped up yesterday at the main boat launch and the water went down at least as far as the cove that had the osprey nest in it.  I could see a lot of carp tails out from where the boats were tied up when people left their boats there so it must be pretty shallow there.
 
When I drove down the road where the office is there were workman making  plank walkways which are what they used at Donegal.  It looks like they made a road heading up to the breast so the fish tank truck could get up there.   If you come I'd guess park as near to the breast as you can and sit on the stone at the breast to watch.
 
At Donegal they had volunteers make a bucket brigade to pass the fish from man to man up the hill.  If your physically able I'm sure they could use help.   If they do it like Donegal they will probably pull the plug at the end of this week and drain it down to a small pool near the dam.
 

Hey, B.T not to side track you guys but that dam hill you love, came up that hill, east bound and almost down, top the hill started down blew the motor and had to head for the shoulder. As I was climbing out of the tractor Smokey pulled and yelled " Driver where you going?" My reply was " I have 40,000+ lbs of toilet paper in this box and I need every roll!" Still get nervous Everytime I go pass there! Five hours later the Hook showed up.

davef
In case anyone cares the fish recovery at Somerset Lake is to be done 10-24 and 10-25 I believe.  The last I saw it was to start at 10:00. I watched the one at Donegal last year and enjoyed it of you have the time
 
 
 
It probably would be a good idea to call the Commission in Somerset to confirm the info before driving to far.

Dave
How long did it take to complete the fish removal at Donegal?   It is going to rain Tuesday, but I guess they will remove fish rain or shine.

....... drove my Chevy to the levy but the levy was dry.....

Gosh what a sad day for many a angler, the day the Somerset died.

Wishin yinz folks a quick refill. 🍺

Davef good you have somewhere to wet a line. Safety is utmost when dealing with our man made lakes and reservoirs. Still a shame, why it takes so long to correct the problem. Our little lake here in NW PA was tied up in red tape and had it not been for a group of individuals remaining vigil I think the project would have gone by the wayside. Drained in 2012, for a second time no less, the friends of Tamarack learned this month, work will begin immediately.

Hope I can fish her waters a few more times, just for, old times sake.

pfbc posted a photo of a nice walleye. Bunch of guys running around in waders with nets. Going on until the 26th

George:   There is a lot more fish in there than you think.  They lowered the lake about 18 inches over night and started at 9:00 this morning.  They are still hauling walleyes out left and right as of 11:30.  The paper said they collected about 1000 fish yesterday and they were estimating about 10,000 yet to go.
 
If you go dress warm.  The cold wind was ripping over the top of the dam.

I didn't stay after 11:30 but they were planning on shocking the stream again.  They were letting a lot of water run through when I left so I would bet there were more walleyes in the stream.
 
The water was almost up to the tops of the barriers in the stream.

According to a fish commissioner I talked to on Tuesday they were not going to lower the dam any more.  Anyway, that's a lot fish left in there. 
 
Wonder what they will do with the carp.  Fertilizer?   lol  
 
That's a nice muskie.   Some of the bass I saw were at least 6 lb and some walleyes about that big.
 
Was interesting to watch.  Never saw them shock fish before.

did they say where they were taking the muskies?  loyalhanna lake?
 
imagine any pike went to Que Rez

the way the state treats pike, im guessing it was buried with the carp.

Surprising how many fish and how many nice fish came out of there.   All I heard was they were taking the bass too Glade Run.  They also said they were going to put some walleye in Shawnee.  
They are supposed to fill the lake back up to where the grass was planted to stop erosion.   They will need a lot of rain because not much water comes in to Somerset Lake.

looch325
Glade Run in Zelienople?

The one in Zelie is Hereford Manor

Glade Run is in Middlesex Twp in Butler County couple miles off of Rt 8