# So How Bad Is The Rifle?



## FISH_4_TROUT (Aug 18, 2010)

Just wondering what kind of weather the West Branch area got last night and how bad the water level is on the Rifle now. I can either take tomorrow or Monday off and I'm thinking Monday might be it after all the rain we got last night. Maybe by that time the water will have subsided a little.


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## mquigley69 (Oct 10, 2009)

We didn't get much rain last night but we did get about 5 in. of snow/slush. It made a real mess out of things.not sure how it affected the river I haven't drove by it yet today. Sure wish spring would get here.

_Sent from my DROIDX_


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## feedinggrounds (Jul 21, 2009)

I will check tonight and post,


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## fishingfanatic (Jan 26, 2011)

http://waterdata.usgs.gov/mi/nwis/uv?site_no=04142000

check out as I previously got from another fellow member.

Currently at 925cubic feet per second in relation to:
min=222cfs
median=454cfs
mean=615cfs
Typical water level average is around 2.5' & currently at 4.5'
In short high, extremely fast & muddy of course.

mother nature just will not play fair this year?


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## feedinggrounds (Jul 21, 2009)

Chocolate milk and lots of it at Greenwood rd. Seen it higher this spring but lots of heavy wet snow to melt and run in yet up stream, a few days at the least.


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## FISH_4_TROUT (Aug 18, 2010)

I check the water level religiously on the USGS site but that data is taken in Sterling which is quite a ways downstream from where I like to fish. I was kinda hoping the water level increase was from that area and not as far north as West Branch.


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## Anish (Mar 6, 2009)

This has nothing to do with the river but, we got some bad a** thunder-snow! :coolgleam
Heard the first round of it yesterday evening while we were watching my son's best friend's house burn down. :sad: 
It's been a rough 24 hours. :sad:


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## PantherMartin (Feb 4, 2011)

Still high but not as dirty gonna walk down from the house and check a few spots i will post back later.I have lived on the river for 22 years and this is about the worst spring I can rember for the water level.


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## feedinggrounds (Jul 21, 2009)

PantherMartin said:


> Still high but not as dirty gonna walk down from the house and check a few spots i will post back later.I have lived on the river for 22 years and this is about the worst spring I can rember for the water level.


 You can say that again, can't catch a break!


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## jmarsh (Feb 10, 2010)

Well I hate to ask, but whats it look like today, high as hell i bet?


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## feedinggrounds (Jul 21, 2009)

Yes in Skidway it is, but can't say about farther up stream.


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## fishingfanatic (Jan 26, 2011)

jmarsh said:


> Well I hate to ask, but whats it look like today, high as hell i bet?


 Within inches of flood stage & still rising. -Worst year ever for fishability. :rant:


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## Ralph Smith (Apr 1, 2003)

Gosh I miss fishing that river. Should be some holes full of fish when it settles down.


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## CAPT HEAVY (Nov 4, 2002)

Drove through Omer yesterday and the river was high with the color of chocolate milk.


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## jmarsh (Feb 10, 2010)

I swear to god im gonna take up knitting.... Mother nature cant meddle in that one....


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## Boardman Brookies (Dec 20, 2007)

Any word on how it is looking around the Rec Area, Sage Lk, Peters or Selkirk? My day was planning on heading up there for the opener and I told him I would ask, Thanks in advance!


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## country time_85 (Mar 12, 2009)

Tried sucker fishing saturday around the skidway area and couldnt even get a three ounce pyriamid sinker to stay in one spot .. The rifle is flowing hard and if we get the rain they are calling for this week good luck trying to fish the river... The last time i seen the Rifle fishable was the last week of march. Terrible year so far for good fishing water..


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## feedinggrounds (Jul 21, 2009)

Might be better by next weekend... but watch the weather this week it is real high right now. Up in the rec area it might be a little calmer, the last snowmelt sent a lot of cold water downstream. I am going to spend the opener in da U.P. eh


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## tcriver (Nov 3, 2008)

saturday the rifle was over its banks in the rec area.tried fishing and almost took a swim


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## proulxde (Jun 5, 2008)

Fished rifle all day Friday from Selkirk to M-55 and Saturday from M-55 to troll landing. Water was up 2.5ft., moving fast and clarity was anywhere from 8-16".

No hookups on steel, a few small trout and a decent rainbow. Sage Lake Rd. looked like hell!


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