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Post by dmancari18 on May 29, 2016 14:24:39 GMT -5
Was out on Marsh Creek today and saw hundreds of dead panfish, 90% crappie all over the lake. Mostly in the 3"-5" range, but several a little larger. There were several guys talking around the lake saying it's due to them spraying for weeds/grass recently. Such a shame!
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Post by fishermansteve on May 29, 2016 18:12:43 GMT -5
I was out today too and saw that, you know it's a bad day when you see more dead fish floating on the surface than caught.
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Post by cvllebanger on May 29, 2016 20:05:08 GMT -5
Hate to bring up a old subject but wouldn't seeing many many many dead crappie on the lake be more hurtful to the population than 1 or 2 or even 10 guys keeping 40 crappie over 10in in 1 day?
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Post by fishingpaul on May 29, 2016 20:39:38 GMT -5
Why do they keep screwing with this lake?
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Post by bassfever on May 30, 2016 4:44:37 GMT -5
If this is from weed spraying, such a shame. The lake needs weeds for better fishing. Years ago it had more weeds and the fishing was great. Better than great.
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Post by wader105 on May 30, 2016 9:46:39 GMT -5
i've been seeing this the last couple seasons, too. so, who's doing the spraying and where?
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Post by Marsh_creek on May 30, 2016 13:25:19 GMT -5
Spraying or any herbicide application has not taken place on the lake in 4 years. Even then the lake was only treated at the launches and mooring areas. Fish are stressed from the spawn on top of that the warm water temps are another stress. The lack of Dissolved O2 is another major stress factor. Dissolved O2 levels are low in the lake because of nutrient loading ( fertilizer in the lake) This also causes alga blooms that create a barrier stopping light from reaching the bottom of the lake which limits the amount of weeds. The boats that spray do travel all across the lake but this does not mean they are treating the lake. Typicality the boat goes out once or twice a year to collect weeds to innovatory what weeds are in the lake.They take water samples, Secchi disk samples, and Dissolved oxygen samples. We recognize there are issues with the lake Primary issues are Excessive Phytoplankton.
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Post by cvllebanger on May 30, 2016 16:30:28 GMT -5
So 3-5in crappie are mature enough to spawn? I'm no expert just asking a question. And if these are stocked fingerling kinda makes sense they wouldn't know where to be this time of year for good oxygen in the water but crappie born there you would think would know where to go
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Post by tomm on May 31, 2016 6:35:46 GMT -5
This happens every year and it's due to the spawn and heat as Marsh_creek said. Surface temps were in the low 80s yesterday morning and the shallows were full of spawning crappie, bream, perch and bass. That's pretty hot for them to be spawning in and adds a lot of stress.
Tom
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Post by fishnmusicn on May 31, 2016 6:51:41 GMT -5
You don't have to worry about the crappie population, if anything there are too many small ones all over the lake. I was out on Saturday in my kayak, the water was the clearest I've seen in a while, more weedbeds spotted than usual. Crappies in the shallows - if they were spawning they were awfully small, maybe 5 to 6 inches and easy to get on a jig. On the way in at the end of the day there were large pockets of boiling fish in different spots, further out in deep water on top. Look down in the water hundreds and hundreds of small crappie at each spot. Seems to me as well it's the heat, sure hope it isn't spraying because I was encouraged by the clear water. My question would be where have the larger crappies gone, maybe already spawned and out to deeper water. One thing for sure however is this lake is not lacking for an abundance of crappies. Same with yellow perch in the late fall, they were schooled up in tight bunches in many spots and easy to target, but all small.
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Post by cvllebanger on May 31, 2016 7:34:29 GMT -5
Again just asking questions trying to learn how come we don't hear about lots and lots and lots of panfish dying on Chambers struble octorara etc? Is it cuz Marsh warms up faster than others and catches fish by surprise? Other lakes just way cooler? Or small crappie in Marsh just pick horrible places to spawn? And yes bigger crappie have already spawned in Marsh when ever you catch those dark black crappie in early April they in spawn mode those same males that manage to survive are not that dark right now male and female black crappie look the same right now cuz they have already spawned
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Post by dmancari18 on Jun 1, 2016 10:24:59 GMT -5
I'm not buying that the lake hasn't been sprayed in 4 years. A lot of people that spend a lot of time on this lake would beg to differ. These dead crappies all over the lake are not of spawning size.
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Post by fishnmusicn on Jun 1, 2016 12:43:34 GMT -5
It would be nice to know from someone in the know when it was last sprayed. I don't doubt the heat plays a factor and there is a gross overabundance of small crappies in general this year, never saw so many small ones - for some reason crappies must be more delicate than bluegills. I saw more weebeds in general than last year, but they were more visible because of the calm conditions on that day and because the water was clear.
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Post by marsh oldtimer on Jun 1, 2016 16:38:47 GMT -5
Not sure who posted about the 4 years but that is completely false. Many fishermen I spoke to at the lake have witnessed the spraying several times over the past 4 years. I was out Friday and couldn't believe the extreme water clarity so also the algae blooms is another flat out lie. If you looked at some of the dead fish you would see that they had lesions on them. I caught a couple bass friday night that had growths and open sores. Something is going on just not sure what. I wouldn't believe a word that comes out of mouths of those who say there is no spraying and algae blooms. What a great lake this was before it became a tourist trap and they cleared all the vegetation. Such a shame. Hopefully prez Trump lays off the whole department along with the climate change doomsdayer nutz. Just my opinion/wish
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Post by linestretcher on Jun 1, 2016 20:53:24 GMT -5
I have lived and guided in Florida where spraying happen's all the time. Marsh creek has not been sprayed this year,just look at the grass in the lake it looks great. If it was sprayed it would be dead or dieing and it's not. Algae bloom is happening very noticeable in the water closer to the dam and that does kill some fish. I think the lake is the best it's looked in years and at the current rate it should be a great lake again in a year or two. (As long as they don't spray)
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