Just heard that a small pond I fish that's run by the county just had a big algae bloom and it wiped the fish out. Bummer to as I've caught several 6s and an 8 out of it in the past 3 years.

That’s a heartbreaker. Had this happen several years ago. Pond was absolutely stuffed with aggressive 5+ pounders and I never once saw anyone else fishing it. Rolled up one day with my float tube and there were 1,000s of dead fish and bright blue algae everywhere. That’s a sight….and a smell I’ll never forget.

Scary stuff, how does this happen? I don’t really know anything about blue algae, I’m guessing it’s an invasive species? 

3 hours ago, David 7 said:

Scary stuff, how does this happen? I don’t really know anything about blue algae, I’m guessing it’s an invasive species? 

 When agricultural nutrients and urban waste runoff enters these bodies of water, microbes such as cyanobacteria can consume these nutrients and quickly increase in abundance. Cyanobacteria (also known as blue-green algae) produce compounds called cyanotoxins that can be harmful to humans. Microcystins are one group of cyanotoxins that can cause skin rashes, hives, or if swallowed, gastrointestinal symptoms. In extreme cases, liver damage can occur if a large amount is ingested. There are approximately 80 variants of microcystins known, and microcystin-LR is the most toxic.

Its the worst thing I've dealt with fishing the last few years now, in our case its runoff from the upstream farms. Ponds don't stand a chance and there is a lot of big bass in ponds.

Stuffs no joke. Against my better judgment I went out a week or so ago in a lake I always fish, but had an odd algae look to it. Didnt look like BG so I shrugged it off. A week later I still have a rash on my behind 

Luckily I have never seen this stuff, our water usually moves pretty fast

Algae blooms have devastated fish populations including trophy bass fisheries. Rancho Margarita and Laguna Niguel lakes had massive bass kills in 2014 from Golden Algea that kills fish not animals. Some algae's Kill both gill breathing fish and animals.

Tom

But let's keep using fertilizers and building in every square inch we can, right? 

That is a bummer.  This year has been bad for algae blooms with the super hot weather early in the summer along with lack of rain/wind.

 

Ag runoff in Iowa is rampant.  What's crazy is that it used to be much worse.  Without the CRP initiatives, buffer strips around streams, cover crops, etc, we'd really be screwed here.

 

I'm afraid my favorite little big bass pond is headed for a downturn.  Some a-holes threw crappies in.  Never a good thing for bass size structure in a small pond.  I guess I'll be harvesting every single crappie I catch there in the winter or any other time.

The state drained one of my favorite strip pits to put in a culvert several years ago. It was loaded with 3-5 pound fish but they all died as a result. 

 

Now they drained another one of my favorites to turn it into a duck marsh, because I guess ducks can't land on water unless it's a less than 2' deep ?‍♂️ Wasn't a lot of fish in it but seemed like every 4th or 5th fish would be over 5 and that's my kind of fishing but it's dry as a bone now while they fill it in.

On 8/6/2021 at 2:19 PM, ThrowinPlugs said:

But let's keep using fertilizers and building in every square inch we can, right? 

Not until the last tree is cut down and the last fish is caught will man realize that he cannot eat money.

43 minutes ago, ironbjorn said:

Not until the last tree is cut down and the last fish is caught will man realize that he cannot eat money.

Municipality’s are searching for tax revenue.  They don’t care the thousands  of lake houses being built are degrading water quality.   Money over clean water….

5 minutes ago, Nelson Delaney said:

Municipality’s are searching for tax revenue.  They don’t care the thousands  of lake houses being built are degrading water quality.   Money over clean water….

Man defecates, urinates, and dumps pollutants in the water he drinks. Our species isn't as smart as we think it is.

4 hours ago, ironbjorn said:

Man defecates, urinates, and dumps pollutants in the water he drinks. Our species isn't as smart as we think it is.

 

i think it's important to point out that intelligence, and wisdom, are not the same thing at all. you can be either and not both, and in fact, that's pretty common.

8 hours ago, ironbjorn said:

Man defecates, urinates, and dumps pollutants in the water he drinks. Our species isn't as smart as we think it is.

And makes it illegal to do it in the bushes…..

1 hour ago, TnRiver46 said:

And makes it illegal to do it in the bushes…..

Or gather rain water