I know sometime before winter they will switch from shooting water out the top gates to shooting it out the bottom. Just wandering if anyone knows when they make this transition.

Been wondering that myself....

it happens late- mid november. They wait for turnover. I believe the idea is to ensure there arn't sending unseasonably cold water downstream.

Ditto

If i am not mistaken the river will see discoloring around Oct 20 and the gates will go to the bottom shortly after in november
the period between End of October into january is the prime time for feeding walleye IMO

Never fished the river after September from what I'm told I'm missing out on the prime walleye time. So I'm going to try to make a couple trips this fall and just wanted to make sure one was when Kinzua was shooting out the lower gates because I've never seen it before.

could be about icing issues with the surface area ? 

Are the doors below winter pool?

what is a good CFS for kinzua, based on the discharge gauge at the dam?  i see its hovering around 1800 CFS currently (10-3-2011)
I mean "good" based on  wading safety around the islands, exposure of good fishing spots, clarity, etc..
Thanks.

howdy CU.

yes. we did talk about about wading last year? fuzzy memories.
anyway-

I think its safe to say, that for most people the shallows around dixon is completely wadeable. I'm comfortable wading & crossing to about 2200 cfs. But for the novice, Crossing the river at the rapids at dixon- IS challenging even at 1800. Go carefully and be safe.