# Flat River Fish Ladder



## waterfoul (May 18, 2005)

Which incedentaly doesn't have a ladder!


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## Undertow (Apr 5, 2006)

Trout king know your talking about my stomping grounds. I fish all over that area. I do not want to see a fish ladder there for two reasons. One I dont want steelhead and salmon screwing up the smallie fishing. Two I dont want the pollution. The banks of the flat are relatively clean. If you have ever fished between the grand and the dam on 21 during the steelhead/salmon run then you would understand. During that time the place is a mess. Fishing line balls, empty cans, trees filled with bobbers, and trash everywhere throught that whole stretch. I would not want the upper flat to look like that. Just my opinion.
Undertow


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## scoot (Jul 4, 2001)

hey waterfoul,

I know of a Tiger Muskie caught under that same dam a few years back. 44 incher i believe.


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## twohand (Aug 5, 2003)

Undertow said:


> One I dont want steelhead and salmon screwing up the smallie fishing. Undertow


How would Salmon and Steelhead hurt the smallmouth fishing


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## cireofmi (Feb 13, 2001)

Trout King said:


> there is not a ladder in Ionia or the locals would be out of luck in fishing there. this is a shoot which they can use, but the dam doesn't stop fish if they want to jump anyway. i've seen a lot of steelies easily jump that, there is a much bigger dam with stronger current pstream which they must jump to get way up to prime spawning grounds anyway. AND THEY DO


Are there two dams on Prarie Creek? Where is the other one?


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## Trout King (May 1, 2002)

The other one is a little bit further upstream near where I do a lot of my fishing. It is not very big, and not in use anymore. Just water going through the shoots, but has a lot of current that the salmon and steelies have to jump. The guy who lives there used to let people fish it, but now is pretty strict who he lets in there. Luckily I've fished the creek my whole life and know most of the people, and am on good terms.


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## cireofmi (Feb 13, 2001)

One of these years I need to invest in some waders.


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## Trout King (May 1, 2002)

eric...the other day i bought a pair on sale at gander mountain for $90...good waders too


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## cireofmi (Feb 13, 2001)

I am starting a new job one of these days, just waiting on the uniform. So I will have a little extra spending money after the first couple paychecks.


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## waterfoul (May 18, 2005)

cireofmi said:


> I am starting a new job one of these days, just waiting on the uniform. So I will have a little extra spending money after the first couple paychecks.


I've got a pair of 3.5 mm neoprenes from Gander... used them all season without an issue. Seem to be holding up pretty well (and I fish a lot!). I believe I paid right around $100 for them... maybe just a little more.


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