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Hopes for Lake O.H. Ivie are Up Along With Water Levels
Hopes for Lake O.H. Ivie are Up Along With Water Levels 10/1/12
jsamp@cbs7.com
CBS 7 News
October 1, 2012
Lake O.H. Ivie - Mike Stuard has been a fishing guide at Lake Ivie for the past 20 years, he says he’s never seen the lake this dry.
“This ramp was bone dry right here,” Stuard said, “You could drive right out in the middle of it.”
He says this job is his livelihood and business hurts when fish don't bite.
“I’ve been praying everyday,” he said, “People weren't coming, they were in the mindset that they couldn’t get in the water anymore.”
Over the weekend, Lake Ivie received almost double the amount of water from rain. Ramps that were closed over the summer are now open. Mike says he’s already back to work, with over 200 pounds of catfish caught in one day.
“I wasn't ready to get a real job, I need to keep fishing,” he said, “I was about to go to Odessa and get a job.”
Just up the launching ramp, business is taking a turn at the Concho Park Marina.
“The food tastes so much better when someone else is cooking it,” said store manager Lynda Boberg.
She says their store is known for their burgers and sandwiches, but with the ramps closed, they weren’t reeling in enough people to enjoy them.
“I’ve never ever seen the lake this bad,” she said.
Lynda says it’ll be a busy work week the marina even changed business hours to keep up with their long lost customers.
“Rain will be coming and will actually fill the lake up again one of these days,” she said.
In just two days the rain gave the lake fifteen more feet. Although there’s a long way to go, hopes for this year are up, along with the lake levels.
“We are safe until the end of next summer,” Stuard said.