How High Of A Waterfall Can Fish Swim Up?

[wheels]

I was out backpacking up Cat Creek this weekend and we stopped at Cat Creek falls for a break. While we were there I took some underwater photos and sure enough there were some bulls at the bottom of the falls. I had my rod but the rest of the crew wanted to keep hiking so I figured that at least I knew there were fish in the creek. We ended up camping upstream of the falls a ways, and I tried fishing quite a bit, but didn't even see any signs of a fish above the falls. I took dozens of underwater photos and they didn't show any fish whatsoever (not even minnows). I am wondering if perhaps the Cat Creek falls were too high for fish to swim up? Does anyone know what the general limit is? Do waterfalls only really come into play on smaller creeks, as there are obviously fish both above and below many other falls on rivers (ie. the sheep and the elbow)?

[maxwell]

i think the amount of water falling has something more too do with it.. ive seen larger salmon and trout make it up mega sized falls but there was a steady stream of unbroken water for them too swim up..

[birchy]

6.493 metres.

[wheels]

6.493 metres.

 

 

I knew there had to be an exact height! Thanks birchy! LOL

[Jayhad]

6.493 ms serious????? thats like 20' I thought I read some where that most spawning trout and salmon can leap a maximum of 7' I'll try to find some data supporting it. But I guess Max has a good point about the flow

[monger]

Watched a salmon show the other day that said they could jump 15+ feet.

[Pipestoneflyguy]

I watched a 32-34 bullie try and get up about 10 ft of waterfall for about half and hour last week - it was awesome, he never made it but what a show of strength watching how close he came a few times - I also caught 5 cutties out of the pool he was originating while watching all this happens. That was on the Pipestone which isn't shocking but some of the smaller waters I have found big bullies in is astounding, especially when you ponder what they overcame to get where they are.

 

Now that said, on smaller creeeks such as Owen near the park boundry, our biologist has us reduce the largest step to less than 6" (convert steps to riffles kinda deal) so that small bullies can travel to spawn so to me those these two examples suggest fish size and water volumes both have a large impact on climbing capability of bullies

[ÜberFly]

Very cool! Did you get any photos or vids?

 

P

 

I watched a 32-34 bullie try and get up about 10 ft of waterfall for about half and hour last week - it was awesome, he never made it but what a show of strength watching how close he came a few times

 

[Guest 420FLYFISHIN]

there must be adaquite flow over the falls so that when the fish swings its tail is in still able to force its way through. When the water droplets break apart it becomes impossible to push agains anything and they will have to make the jump. I think most fish can jump (vertical) 2 or 3x their body length

[maxwell]

its not about the jumping imho its about the swimming up teh falls.. fish u see jump missed there run and didnt make it that go! ive seen lots of chinooks and sockeye as a kid and it was cool too see them smash out of teh water into teh falls but when u watched the top u could see others power up the main stem of teh falls and pop out on top! good reason why lots of fish can make it up through drainage pipes.. there was a pic posted a few year sback about soem browns making it out of a fish hatchery this way i think teh story went...

[Guest Sundancefisher]

6.493 ms serious????? thats like 20' I thought I read some where that most spawning trout and salmon can leap a maximum of 7' I'll try to find some data supporting it. But I guess Max has a good point about the flow

 

Actually close but not quite...

 

6.4931 m

 

LOL Birchy.

 

The height a fish can jump is dependent upon the fishes length, water volume, water depth, slope of the falls, and so many other variables.

 

If there are no fish upstream it could be the falls for sure. Otherwise...just proximity to human access. Maybe further up the habitat was better or less fishing pressure. F&W are always looking for places to safely stock native cutts so you may want to mention this to F&W as a potential hideaway for cutts.

 

It is given therefore that a 40 lb chinook can jump higher than a 8 inch bull. Fish need not only a take off place but also a landing place.

[Pipestoneflyguy]

Sorry no pics - been an anti-camera kinda summer.