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Posts: 2276
Location: Chisholm, MN | http://news.dnr.state.mn.us/2016/12/08/zebra-mussel-larvae-confirme...
Well, it's official. Zebra muscle veligers found in Leech. Sad, sad news  |
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| They are well established in Cass so this shouldn't really come as a surprise. |
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Posts: 897
| It's inevitable in every lake unfortunately. |
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Posts: 45
| whynot - 12/9/2016 7:20 AM
It's inevitable in every lake unfortunately.
I read an article mentioning that shield lakes are seemingly resilient to Zebra mussels. Something about not enough of certain nutrients in the water. |
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Posts: 141
Location: Minnetonka | I'm not an aquatic biologist, but I believe Rusty Crayfish feed on Zebra Mussels. Could this distract their attention from the few remaining weedbeds that they've been eating, or will it cause a growth in Rusty population as well? By 2020, I might start selling hot dogs and slushies around the midlake rock reefs. |
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Posts: 897
| Redlineracer12 - 12/9/2016 9:16 AM
whynot - 12/9/2016 7:20 AM
It's inevitable in every lake unfortunately.
I read an article mentioning that shield lakes are seemingly resilient to Zebra mussels. Something about not enough of certain nutrients in the water.
I really hope you're right! |
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| The best hope for lakes is that boat owners follow the simple guidelines of clean boats, clean waters. They had a small musky tournament on the chain where I live a couple years ago, virtually all local guys. There were just over 30 boats involved. A group of volunteers that regularly work the boat landing worked with the organizers so that all boats could be checked but no real delay. They got to the landing early and with a group of 5 or 6 volunteers, quickly went down the line, checking the boats/trailers and asking questions suggested by the state DNR. Just over half the boats/trailers had aquatic vegetation on them, including eurasian milfoil. In Oneida County the transport of any aquatic vegetation can result in a $200 fine and here over half the boats had it, including one of the worst. Apparently a lot of the guys had gone fishing the night before, came in after dark and did not check their boats/trailers.
I will say that as a long time volunteer, there is night and day difference in knowledge and attitude today from when I first started. Rarely do volunteers get sworn at today, in fact much more likely to be thanked than cursed. Not the case when we started. |
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Posts: 386
| I kept a few sunnies this summer from a lake that is absolutely infested with zeebs and almost all of the fish had crushed up striped shells in their guts. it seems at least something will eat them. I would think carp would eat them too. I know it's helping another invasive, but at least we can catch and arrow carp which is way more fun than getting feet all cut up when a sandbar looks inviting on a hot day. |
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Posts: 3136
| Rusty crayfish wise,,,I have been told the southern states commercial crayfish netters are eyeing up Minnesota possibly because the crayfish populations are down in their area. You would think the tribes might turn this into a business. |
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Posts: 409
Location: Almond, WI | Whitefish will eat zebras as well. The part that is problematic is that zebra and quagga mussels are not as efficient nutritionally for whitefish and panfish (it takes a lot of calories to break them open and digest the shell--same as bass and crawfish) as well as they compete with other small stuff that won't eat them (like minnows and fry). |
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| The whitefish in Green Bay have adapted to eating gobies, another invasive fish. This apparently was a pleasant surprise for the fisheries biologists and it has really helped the whitefish population on the Bay. |
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