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Location: Wisconsin | Went to a favorite lake this year and the cabbage was totally gone of two of my best points and across the mouth of two bays that I always had as go to spots. Any thoughts on what would cause this? |
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Location: Duluth, MN | Rusty crayfish perhaps? They've decimated cabbage beds on leech and the big v...
Edited by bdog 1/5/2013 10:59 AM
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Location: Gilberts IL/Rhinelander WI | It's a cycle that depends on ice out and weather patterns, it may or may not come back. Common on lakes in northern wisconsin anyway. |
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Location: Wisconsin | wow, I had no idea that it could change that much. I have been on this lake for over 25 years and in one season? These were large areas, but they are certainly gone. |
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Location: Gilberts IL/Rhinelander WI | I've had huge mid lake cabbage beds be very productive for years and then vanish for a year or two, only to come back or even move. As stated crayfish could be a factor as the lakes in Minnesota have endured. I believe it has to do with sun and warmth early in the season if crayfish are not the reason. Weeds spots move, rock spots don't. |
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Location: Wisconsin | here's hoping they return!!!! |
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Location: new richmond, wi. & isle, mn | Curious if zebras eventually can have an adverse affect on cabbage beds . Guessing they can't be doing the cabbage any good attaching to the plant's base stalk |
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Location: oconomowoc, wi | north twin in vilas cty hit hard by the rusty's over the last few years. some beds are starting to grow back but a long process.  |
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Location: E. Tenn | This is somewhat related, (and I apologize if someone thinks I'm hijacking this thread) but a lake I fish on up there has lost almost all its reeds, over the years. Recently (last two years) this noxious weed has reared it's ugly head. Anyone have any idea what this stuff is? It's just about impossible to fish this stuff even with topwaters.
Thanks
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| Nooooooodle weeeds lol |
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Location: Eastern Ontario | Is it possibily the flower stems of Valisnaria (sp) I have it on my lake and most seem to disapear by mid July timing could possibly be different for latitude.
Edited by horsehunter 1/23/2013 6:47 AM
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Location: MN | Mike, We're overrun with that as well the last two years. I heard someone refer to it as some sort of celery. But you are correct, sure grabs the baits. This stuff wasn't around, at least in any appreciable or noticeable qty, 5-6 years ago, but the last two it has invaded big time. In the lake we fish it didn't displace reeds, but rather cabbage and some fo the other more leafy stuff that was there. |
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Location: New Hope MN | MIke,
We saw those on a few lakes in Northern MN last year. Jigs, top water, spinners and slowly worked suicks were your only prayer to get through. Some sort of lillypad that didn't quite make it to the surface. |
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Location: Mayville, WI | Horsehunter is right - Vallisneria americana (eel grass/wild celery) flower stems. Native plant, on an up-cycle across the region (at least WI), NON-INVASIVE. It's actually pretty amazing how much plants can change within a lake from year to year and how similar those changes are among different lakes. Each year one or two species will become dominant and that changes year to year.
As for Clammer - could be a simple change or rusty crayfish. To see if that lake has rusties in it go here: http://dnrmaps.wi.gov/imf/imf.jsp?site=SurfaceWaterViewer
Then click on layer > Aquatic Invasives > Invertebrates > Rusty Crayfish
Zoom in to the lake & see if it's highlighted
sc
Edited by scmuskies 1/23/2013 9:02 AM
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Location: The desert | miket55 - 1/22/2013 10:23 PM
This is somewhat related, (and I apologize if someone thinks I'm hijacking this thread) but a lake I fish on up there has lost almost all its reeds, over the years. Recently (last two years) this noxious weed has reared it's ugly head. Anyone have any idea what this stuff is? It's just about impossible to fish this stuff even with topwaters.
Thanks
Without having it in hand, or a clearer picture it looks to me like the female flowers of wild celery/eel grass (Vallisneria americana) but I don't see any of the typical ribbon like leaves that should accompany the flower, so I'm hesitant to say that is exactly what it is. If taken earlier in the year it may just be the flower and the leaves are deeper. It's been years since I've taken any plant ID course so I'm horribly rusty.
If it is indeed wild celery/eel grass it is not a noxious weed, it is actually a native plant (to Wisconsin and most of the US). It is an important plant to canvasback ducks and other waterfowl. While difficult to fish, it also provides fish habitat.
Edit: looks like sc beat me to it.
Edited by Pointerpride102 1/23/2013 9:18 AM
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Location: MN | X2 what pointer said! The cans and ringbils I shot this season were fat and happy stuffing they're gullets with wild celery this year. Awesome to see it making a comeback on my duck lakes! |
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Location: Wisconsin | Well, thanks SC and pointer, you guys know your stuff. According to the DNR site SC provided, no rusty crawfish issues.
As for Mike55...THANKS for hijacking my thread!! Really, because you have also brought up the other issue that I have with the lake. This same plant is in many of the area that previously had cabbage. It is tough to fish with that stuff around. |
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Location: E. Tenn | Thanks for all the information, I should have posted this photo was taken mid-September on the Three Lakes Chain in Oneida Co. This weed has always been on this lake, but only in a few small patches. My guess was this stuff really liked the hot summer weather over the last couple of years.
Pointerpride102.. Although the pic doesn't show, we did in fact find the long ribbon-like leaves attached to the stalks.. I guess your plant ID skills aren't as rusty as you might think!
As for the reeds, they were pretty extensive on this lake through the 80's, and have all but disappeared since then. I guess it's all just part of the grand scheme of things..
Edited by miket55 1/23/2013 11:04 AM
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| Five or six years ago, when the drought in the Northern Highlands of WI, as the weather folks called it, was at its worst, we had incredibly thick stands of the wild celery off our dock, to the point it would stall out a boat coming to the dock. I had to buy an aquatic weed cutter to clear a path. However, since the drought ended it has almost disappeared. Not sure if it is because the water is higher or because the clarity of the water is reduced with more normal rainfall.
While the stuff is very thick and difficult to fish or even go through, it was attractive to fish. Once I cut a path through, all the kids on the dock had to do was throw a worm or plastic under a bobber next to the weeds and they would catch bluegills or crappie. Since it died back, been a lot less pan fish. |
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Location: The desert | Tim Schmitz - 1/23/2013 9:10 AM
X2 what pointer said! The cans and ringbils I shot this season were fat and happy stuffing they're gullets with wild celery this year. Awesome to see it making a comeback on my duck lakes!
Cans will actually alter their migration path to find this plant. Check out their scientific name, you'll notice a similar word! |
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Location: Ames, Iowa | On Battle Point at Leech this weed was almost nonexistent in 2011. And there was a return of some cabbage patches!
In August 2012, this celery/eelgrass was everywhere and the area was pretty much unfishable in 6 to 10 feet of water. |
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Location: Lake Country, Wisconsin | saw a lot of that kind of weed on LOTW last year and was wondering what it was, thanks for the info... |
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| Take a look at these 2 articles about invasive crayfish (including Rusty Crayfish) in the Nov/Dec 2012 issue of MUSKIE:
http://issuu.com/muskie-ed/docs/muskie_nov-dec_2012_crayfish?mode=window&viewMode=singlePage
If you have trouble with the link send me a PM and I'll email the articles to you.
The plants in question are the tough female stalks of Vallisneria (a.k.a. tape grass). It appears Rusty Crayfish like the thin green tape grass but not the tough curly stalks.
You will see in my article that several folks from the MF Forum were quoted. Kevin, MUSKIE Editor
Edited by esox99 1/24/2013 10:22 AM
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| miket55 - 1/22/2013 11:23 PM
This is somewhat related, (and I apologize if someone thinks I'm hijacking this thread) but a lake I fish on up there has lost almost all its reeds, over the years. Recently (last two years) this noxious weed has reared it's ugly head. Anyone have any idea what this stuff is? It's just about impossible to fish this stuff even with topwaters.
Thanks
We call it "goddam snotweed!" I'm not sure what it IS, but it's about the only thing that you just can't remove from a bait no matter how hard you rip it. Infuriating stuff it is! |
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Location: MN | Pointerpride102 - 1/23/2013 8:32 PM
Tim Schmitz - 1/23/2013 9:10 AM
X2 what pointer said! The cans and ringbils I shot this season were fat and happy stuffing they're gullets with wild celery this year. Awesome to see it making a comeback on my duck lakes!
Cans will actually alter their migration path to find this plant. Check out their scientific name, you'll notice a similar word!
I never noticed that before! I loves me some cans! More specifically fire roast Cans... YUM!!! |
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