While I knew freshwater jellyfish existed, I had no idea they were in a local lake.  Friend and I were out in the boat yesterday fishing a deep bend.  I noticed some white blobs in the water, took a closer look and saw that the entire area was full of quarter-sized jellyfish.

Simply amazing.

Wow, cool.  Or not cool,...???

Do you know if that suggests anything good or bad?

Well, I have to wonder if any of the fish in the lake eat them. Or if they sting.

I was honestly so dumbfounded at the sight of jellyfish in the lake that I just sat there slackjawed for a while (some might say I do that all the time ).

If they're really prevalent, there has to be some fish out there who eats them. If that is the case, the only problem will be keeping my snot sticky enough to stay on the hook. ;D

Found this link via a Google search:

http://www.jellyfish.iup.edu/

Seems they are more prevalent than I had thought.  One of the lakes listed in VA (Flanagan) is downstream of the lake I was fishing yesterday, so I guess it is no surprise that the jellyfish were in that body of water.

Always something weird when I'm on the water.

I think I heard that they do not sting.

Im new to this sight,but while fishing in mauck Chuck Lake in Pennsylvania my partner and I saw quite a few.We were not sure at first but there they were.does anyone have any ideas?

good thing u didnt go swimmin!

Wow I learned something new here. I never would have thought such a thing existed. That is amazing. Thanks for the link too.

I guess next we will have freshwater sharks and octipus.  We got to stop those toxic waste spills.

No they are real!!!!!!!! e have seen them Several Times on Mauch Chunk lake in PA big clusters of Jelly Fish we picked some out of the water and we didnt get stung. They usually appear late in the summer after a hot spell

I wonder if there are peanut butter fish too

I wonder what it would take to catch a peanut butter fish?  A jelly worm?  

Or maybe some bread senkos.

All I know is that I'd sure as hell not be fishing for bass anymore.  

I wonder what it would take to catch a peanut butter fish? A jelly worm?  ;D ;D ;D ;D

Hey Burley What did they Look Like? The ones we saw the last 3 years traveled in large clusters ( Balls) and they pulsated and looked like Umbrellas in the water.

Dont let that keep you from bassin man Y :-?

I guess next we will have freshwater sharks and octipus.  We got to stop those toxic waste spills.

Actually, Bull sharks are known to travel into freshwater when hunting for food.  Not a good thing either as the Bull shark is known for more shark attacks around the world than any other species.

I guess next we will have freshwater sharks and octipus. We got to stop those toxic waste spills.

Actually, Bull sharks are known to travel into freshwater when hunting for food. Not a good thing either as the Bull shark is known for more shark attacks around the world than any other species.

Bull sharks don't necessarily travel upstream for food. They only do that if the food source in their home habitat is compromised. 9 times out of 10 a bull shark swims into freshwater to give birth. A baby bull sharks worst predator are other sharks. No other sharks have the nifty anatomy and biology to survive in the freshwater like the bull shark. If I am not mistaken, bull sharks have an organ that senses changes in salt content in water. When it senses this it kicks the sharks kidneys into overdrive so it can constantly be pumping (essentially peeing ) out the freshwater. This means that their are no predators for their young in freshwater. In fact, a baby bull sharks have ben known to stay in freshwater for some time in order to grow to sizes that make other sharks not a threat. That's normally why bull sharks come upstream. And yes, they rank in the top three at #3 in shark "attacks" against humans. #1 is the tiger shark I believe and #2 is the great white. How do I know all this? I watched Shark Week and stayed in a Holiday Inn Express last night!!!

Holiday Inn,..lol,..as far as fish eating them, I wouldn't count on it.  Doesn't happen in the ocean.

In all my years I have never heard of freshwater jelly fish. I checked the distribution map on the provided link and learned two things.

1. yes they do sting

2. they have been sighted in Florida

So now in addition to cottonmouths, scorpions, gators, rattlers and mocasins, I gotta worry about freakin jelly fish?

I think I'm gonna take music lessons

Good goin Avid PM LBH he has excelent music taste.  

In all my years I have never heard of freshwater jelly fish. I checked the distribution map on the provided link and learned two things.

1. yes they do sting

2. they have been sighted in Florida

So now in addition to cottonmouths, scorpions, gators, rattlers and mocasins, I gotta worry about freakin jelly fish?

I think I'm gonna take music lessons

You forgot about the ever so rare, yet possible bull shark Avid.

Lake Ouachita has a rare non-stinging jellyfish as well a freshwater sponge and freshwater shrimp found in a few of the cleanest USA freshwater lakes. If I thought there was interest I'd have reported it here. http://nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/SpecimenViewer.asp?SpecimenID=154958

Jim

   Wow!  This is great news.  I have been trying to identify these little wagon wheels for most of my 70 years.  I seen 'em, I seen 'em!   Thanks to the biology gals and guys!  

Poor Richard says,  There's no end to miracles; I'm here, ain't I?

Thanks for the link....I actually went to college there for two years and never knew they had any decent marine biology department.

so thats prob those little jellies my son collects on the shore of smith mountain.  i didnt know what they were but they sure looked like jelly fish.

also i saw the same show that valascus saw about bull sharks going upstream to give birth due to less competition for food and not being eaten.  dosent make it true but thats what sharkk week says.  and im pretty sure that bull sharks are number 1 in human shark attacks.

matt

The lake I fish as lots of freshwater clam beds. I see a lot of them look empty and eaten. What's eating them?

Dennis

Hey Burley,

I have never heard of freshwater jellyfish.

I have never seen them in our eastern Virginia lakes.

Thanks for the input.  I will now not freak out if I see them one day.

So, how was your fishing trip?  What did you catch?

I have a old quarry on my property in Coplay PA and they are all over in the lake.  I assumed thats why the bass are so big they eat them but im not so sure if they do eat them. 

Funny, I just discovered them in southern Illinois last week. First time I’ve ever seen them.