Taylor River fish ladder

[scottm4300]

Just curious - I drove by the Taylor River (freshwater side) on Towle Farm Road the other day and the river looked INCREDIBLY low!! I know there was talk at one point about getting rid of the fish ladder down by I-95. Has that been done?

That's a wonderful place to float around in a canoe and catch a few largemouth from time to time. I hope they don't destroy a perfectly good fishery! It's shallow enough as it is!!

Anybody know what's going on there?

Thanks!

[oddfish]

I don't know anything about it but I know a guy that knows or can find out it may take a day but I'll post back on it.


I have heard there are decent sized pickerel in there is there any truth to that?

Oddfish----------------

[scottm4300]

Oh Gawd yes!! The biggest pickerel I ever landed was in there. I laid it across my canoe. The head of the thing was hanging over one side and the tail over the other side - and it wasn't at the end of the canoe! There are some big fish in there. I know the alewife run has diminshed over the years up through there, but when they do run up in May, the pickerel and bass have a field day with them.

[oddfish]

Apperently every Fall they pull the pen boards down to draw the water down for the winter and spring run off. My friend thinks there has been no chance to the fish ladder.


Oddfish

[Riverjim]

Back years ago when the Herring run was in the 400,000 range the bass were absolute pigs. I had heard rumers back in the day that the next state record largemouth might come from there...Since then the Herring run has been decimated...Not only bad news for the largies, but the Stripers too.

[HarryG]

It's crazy what those brackish large mouths look like. Two years ago a buddy and I were fishing the blue back run via canoe. It was early season only scattered hearing and no bass. So we were paddling around for shits and trolling mag bombers. All the sudden Scotts rod goes nuts and we are both excited to see the first NH striper of the year. Turns out to be a massive LMB that took a magnum bomber sideways in it's mouth...fackin sideways. Scott picks it up and half jokingly says "I'm afraid to lip the thing" I laughed called him a puss and looked into it's mouth. You could actually see it's teeth. Had to be about 12 lbs. I'm sure it was washed out during the melt and settled in quite happily into the brackish water.

Bottom Line NE seacoast kicks ass so dynamic.

[Merrillizer™]

Yesah, there is some fine fishing over there. I have seen some of the biggest LMB's I have ever seen in real life come out of there. And ya, tha pickerel fishing in the Taylor can be a lot of fun on light tackle and a buzzbait. If you find em bunched up, it's a pickerel every cast.

[DBunker]

I am glad someone brought this place up. I have been fishing it pretty well for the last couple of years and I think it is one of the best freshwater fisheries I have every hit, especially in the winter. Caught at huge pic last Sunday, at least 2 foot long. I have caught many big bass and in the winter some monster crappie.

That said, its days may be numbered (that is why I am not too concerned about spot burning this place).

The word is that the dam is owned by the state Department of Transportation. Both NHDOT and NH Department of Environmental Services want to see the dam and fish ladder completely removed.

The dam and culvert under 95 has to be replaced because it is like one of the top five most deteriarting structures in the state. Really bad rust from the salt water. So NHDOT has to do something. The cost of putting in a decent fishladder that works (current one is junk) would cost about 2 million based on last year's estimates. NH DOT does not want to shell out the money and NHDES was to restore the Taylor River which would turn the pond into a salt marsh that looks like the south side of the interstate.

Residents are understandable worried that their pond front property will be reduced to a tidal stream (too shallow for stripers). They are also worried about salt water in their wells too. And not having a water source for fire prevention.

I am slightly torn on the subject. I understand that restoring natural fish passage would encourage herring to spawn in the system (if the trawlers don't get them first) but decent freshwater fishing spots in the Seacoast are a rare commodity and I really like being able to drop my yak in and just catch fish after fish.

Not sure who is going to win. The dam may be removed with in a year or so and if that is the case, I suggest that all of us go down and catch those fish before they die in the salt.

[HarryG]

For the record I wasn't even talking about the Taylor river I was talking about a similar river system.

As for the home owners I feel bad, however making things right, the way nature had created it matters more to me than a few peoples property values. It's just tough luck. My truck depreciated $10,000 in 4 months which screwed me financially but no one is going to come save me. It's just the way it goes. I would much rather have the possbility of a return of atlantic salmon to the area than have a few people enjoy pond front property.

[oddfish]

I'm kind of torn, not for the property value. But we are talking about two systems now and there is a nice freshwater system in place and those fish deseve a shot at life. On the other hand they got there artificially and the fish that were displaced would be deserved of a life too. tought call. That's why I release dog fish alive, and I don't kill too many green crabs. We as humans screw things up a lot. But look at this case from both sides. If we didn't put a dam there a beaver might have put many up stream and then we should leave those because thay are natural??? All tought calls.


Oddfish---------