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Posts: 3867
| The lake I recently moved to has a big weed control project coming up this summer. They're going to spray floridone in 2pbb at turnover to try to kill off a major eurosian milfoil invasion that began about 8 years ago. The milfoil is truely amazing, to the surface now in at least 1/3 of the 350 acre lake. Growing to the surface in water that use to be 15' deep, so thick/dense it looks like you could step out of the boat and walk on it.
The herbacide is a "proven" type, reportedly safe when used within limits. My biggest concern is that something like 11-50% of the resulting debris will never decompose, just settles down to become weedy muck.
Any thoughts?
By the way, the milfoil's growth was accelerated by three specific issues that will confront any developed lake in the north: 1) zebra mussels that have cleared the water and allowed sunlight to penetrated to unprecedented depths; 2) the leaking of MANY 20-40y/o septic systems that provide fertilizer; and 3) pleasure boaters' (going round and round and round the lake) props clip the milfoil tops and the cuttings settle to start new plants.
I think this is going to be a problem all over the place. We should get into the milfoil control biz.
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Posts: 1137
Location: Holly, MI | Do you like the answer of "harvesting" it? It doesn't seem like they can even keep up but on a small lake near me they are always cutting the weeds with a floating harvester. At least this way the cut weeds are taken out of the lake. The zebra mussles sure did dramatic changes to Lake St Clair here in MI. They are such efficient water filterers that they clear up water so good that sunlight now reaches much deeper. Then the weeds start in deeper parts of the lake than they ever could grow before. The clean water sure was nice but now the floating weed problem is not fun to deal with. Capt Frank probably knows a lot more than me on this one. "times, they are a changing" |
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Posts: 743
| Well, this is what you get for leaving the UP, hommie. Welcome to Indiana style musky fishing (in southern MI). the lakes w/ a descent population around them get this more of this than what you saw up north. yes, the weeds will die, they become nasty muck at the bottom, and it's nasty. when boats go fast shallow, like they will, the water will get turned up. floating weeds everywhere, making is super challenging to cast...
then,next year only 1/2 the weeds will grow back, and when the use the same amount of weed kill again, there will next to nothing, w/ plenty of muck to go around for everyone...this is how fish in Indiana, that's how you will fish in southern MI. peace out, Ranger.
toe |
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Posts: 2427
Location: Ft. Wayne Indiana | Ranger,
Just like my brother Tom stated, this is Indiana fishing exactally.
The muskies will still relate to the dead nasty weeds that will be around.
Remember, they need cover too. I have found that green weeds and brown dead weeds hold large numbers of fish. Expecially on small lakes where these muskies need to hide somewhere.
Don't sweat it, fish it like you normally would. The fish will still be there.
Hulbert
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Posts: 294
Location: Suspended | We've been confronting the same problem in our 2600 acre lake. Some will tell you chemicals are not the answer. They'll kill the visible weeds great but the roots remain and the broken down dead portion turns into fertilizer on the lake bottom that helps fuel next year's growth. Another concern is for the fish because they'll lose all cover and the young will have no where to hide in those areas exposed to the chemicals. Chemicals are still used in our lake in certain areas but the majority of weeds are harvested by machines and sent to a land fill (for a fee) for use as fertilizer for the county's residents - free for the taking.
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Posts: 1310
Location: Washington, PA | I've never tried growing weed in a lake. |
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Location: Pewaukee, WI | This is really been a hot topic as of late around here. to spray or not to spray that is the question....we have full time summer weed cutters running all the time and it helps but is only a bandage....I can't believe they haven't come up with something to better control it....I would like to get in early on that stock if a company did........
I haven't heard of anything to fix the problem only to deal with it..... |
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Posts: 5874
| A co-worker has a lot on North Twin, and he said that South Twin now has Milfoil in it. It is about a 7 acre patch this past year, and they were trying to control it with divers treating that area. It has gotten away from them, and they are now considering spraying the area. Perhaps our resident N/S Twin champion, SVL, could shed some more light on this? |
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Posts: 1916
Location: Greenfield, WI | The North Twin Lake Association is very upset with the DNR, who tries to be in charge of everything until there is a problem, basically washed their hands of this problem. As I am aware, milfoil had shown up in the lake about two or three years ago. The association has been trying to control the pest with pellets. Being that the weed can generate itself from just a tiny piece, harvesting would cause an even faster spread of milfoil in the long run. As is always the problem money is the issue, even more so with the relatively small size of the association. Tom Hickson, owner operator of North Twin Lodge, has been one of the leaders of the association's efforts. The particulars of their efforts can best be told by him at 715-545-3474. It is very disheartning to see such a scourge of a weed find its way into such a beautiful body of water.
I was on the previous Governor's Taskforce on Invasive Species. The sad fact is that the spread of milfoil and many other waterborne pests, almost always occurs through laziness of not cleaning off your boat trailer or boat of plant material before going from one lake to another.
Minnesota has initiated roadblocks and fines to enforce laws banning traveling on the roadways with weeds visible from your rig. Wisconsin has a new governor who has no interest in doing anything meaningful along those lines. On our task force, we never became aware of a single problem plant or animal being eliminated after it gained a foothold into a new location.
I'm normally quite optimistic about most everything in life, but on this subject all I see are "doom and gloom"!
Edited by Steve Van Lieshout 1/16/2004 9:42 AM
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Posts: 1335
Location: Chicago, Beverly | I agree with Lobi and the others about the harvester. Much better then the spraying. I fish those Musky lakes in Indiana where all they do is spray..spray..spray... No good my friends. Any wind out of the south and I can't get away from my dock there are so many chopped up and floating weeds. Then you get mister amateyr weed control expert, dumping crap he bought at lowes into the lake right in the middle of the bass spawn. Idiots. The lake ascociation keeps sending me letters saying if I want weed control I better pay up or I won't get the weeds sprayed in front of my cottage....please, stop spraying then in front of my place, I haven't payed once in the ten years I've owned the cottage. I see them spray weed beds in non traffic areas where there should be good fishing. Harvesting may not kill the weeds but it does control the weeds. Spraying kills them but just makes the whole situation worse, the weeds come back as strong as ever. If they ask you to contribute towards spraying, I suggest you don't, let them run out of money. When they are out tell them to get the harvester. Heck, on my lake I would volunteer one weekend a month to run the stupid thing.... |
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Posts: 1335
Location: Chicago, Beverly | "The sad fact is that the spread of milfoil and many other waterborne pests, almost always occurs through laziness of not cleaning off your boat trailer or boat of plant material before going from one lake to another." I pulled this quote from SVL's post. The lakes in Indiana have Zebra Mussels. How many guys that fish those lakes take the time to clean their rigs before dumping them into a different body of water after fishin these lakes? The Mussels initially got their foothold in Wawasee. Popular belief holds that they came from the rich folk spending a weekend on lake michigan in their boat, bringing it home and dumping it right back into wawasee. Other belief is bass fisherman fishing weekend tourney's on Erie for smally's, then coming home and dumping ithe boat back into the lakes. Either way, no-one cared abouyt the mussels. Bass tourney's on wawasee all the time, guys who live on Barbee, Tippy, Webster and others pull their boats out, fish the tourney up at wawasee, come home and dump the mussel infected boat into the other lakes. It won't be long before lakes currently without mussels will have them.. Take the time to hose down your boat with hot water and soap. Zebra Mussels cannot survive in every lake. In Webster they are there but cannot get a strong population going due to the muck and silt bottom of the lake. Barbee and Tippy got them, Tippy looks real bad. I cannot emphasize more that if you fish a "infected" lake, pull out and go to another lake within about a week, you may be transferring the "infection" to different lakes. Sorry for ranting here guys, Weed Control and Zebra Mussels are two things I really hate.. |
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Posts: 462
Location: Syracuse, Indiana | Welcome to my world. I live on a water ski lake near Webster. Our lake is also home to Zebra Mussels and Milfoil. One of my neighbors complained to me that the infestation was "because of fishermen, because ski boats and trailers can't carry [the pests] from lake to lake". Our lake association treats Milfoil chemically, but in moderation. Doing so results in some Milfoil remaining, but not in such mats that bog down boats (Webster had exactly this problem a few years ago). Our lake also has good Cabbage beds (and good bass fishing, but no muskies). In my view, the chemical treatments on Webster (combining those authorized by the DNR, those authorized by state law, and those done privately beyond the bounds of the law) were not moderate, but excessive. The weed treatments on Webster killed Milfoil, but also did in the Cabbage and other favored weed species. The detrius fueled algae growth, limiting water clarity and fouling the lake bottom. Last year, most prevalent was a spiral grass-like weed. Muskie did continue to use what weeds existed. I suggest any chemical weed treatment start incrementally, and beware of private "helpers". Incidentally, whenever I pull out of Webster, my first or second stop (sometimes I hit Ye Olde Tackle Box first) is the car wash in town. $1.50 in quarters cleans off the boat and trailer, including live wells. Judging by the Duckweed usually found there, I'm not alone. |
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Posts: 1335
Location: Chicago, Beverly | Dcates, which lake? I'm on Kuhn. No musky on that lake...honest... You also point out that some say that pleasure boats and jag skis cannot transfer zebras... You and I both know different. They are on the weeds, if the weeds are on your trailer then they get transferred to wherever you launch next. Your water pump on your motor can suck them in and then when you start it at the next lake blow it out into that one. The weeds don't care what kind of boat you have. I do think the Bass guys helped spread them throughout Kosciusko County, but do not think it was only them.
Edited by kevin 1/16/2004 3:36 PM
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Posts: 462
Location: Syracuse, Indiana | Kevin: I live on Lake Rachael, commonly known as Camelot Lake. It is an old gravel pit with exceptional water quality (we even have Ciscos, I'm told. Not common in Indiana). I have good neighbors, but one or two need educating. Kuhn has muskies, but I haven't found how to catch them. I've had follows, mostly from the weed edge on the west side, and have marked fish suspended. Good water clarity there, too. I predict that chain will be hot in a few years. Good population of 30"+ fish. Let'em go, let'em grow. |
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Posts: 1335
Location: Chicago, Beverly | SHHH!!!! QUIET!!! WEST SIDE HORRIBLE!! NO FISH THERE>> If you ever want to get out with me let me know, I'm usually at the lake every weekend. |
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Posts: 20218
Location: oswego, il | Two years ago High lake had great cabbage and coontail beds. last year it was a millfoil mess and hardly fishable. It was as if i went to a different lake. Water clarity was horrible too.
I think eventually a solution will be found to deal with this weed. it's just going to take some time. |
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| I fish Tonka a couple times a week and when the milfoil first arrived everyone thought the lake was done. While it is not the most attractive stuff, it has not been a detriment to the fish. (fishing is far better today than it was pre milfoil) In my opinion spraying and cutting are both a waste of time and resources. Once the milfoil is there, the lake would need to become a nuclear waste site to get rid of it for good. Like anything new, it will flourish for a few years while it feeds on the excess nutrients that you described and once the nutrients are gone, the milfoil will go back to more manageable levels.
You'll just have to adapt to fishing in and around the milfoil. Not as pleasurable as fishing in cabbage but you'll manage. |
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