More Freshwater

River flooding; when can we expect fishing to return

We live in a land that has rivers that are prone to flooding. All you have to do is fly or drive any distance and you can see ancient patterns of flood plains and rivers rerouting themselves. The cycle of buildup and teardown real-estate has been going on since this planet started to cool. River flooding is nothing new. Mother nature always reclaims her own, eventually.

During some of the recent flooding in the east, I have friends who had some serious damage and during my younger days have worked as a first responder in a serious national flood tragedy. So I do not want to trivialize the emotional and economic impact. And I consider myself darn lucky not to have it happen to me.

But seeing my favorite fishing hole take on 5 times the water at Lord knows what speed (yes I got a close as I dared and checked, also the Geological Survey people keep amazingly accurate reports on a web site) at way over capacity. When will it return? I figure that probably ecological wise, the flood may be natures way of clearing out the debris, resowing nutrients, depositing silt and creating marshes. But all the forage fish and all the game fish are probably dead, damaged, or wash away also. What about all the nymphs and hellgrammites that live on the bottom, that small fish feed on. Are they now gone also?

This question is for fishermen in the GREAT PLAINS states and on the Missouri & Mississippi who regularly see mother nature upchucking, and any fishery biologist who happens by.
How bad is it? Can fish actually survive that assault? Will this kill off forage fish for generations? What about this years breed that will turn into breeders in 2 or 3 years? You can't restock it, if there is nothing there for the fry to eat?

Anyone out there have an answer? How long does it take rivers to recover?