How are Waneta Lake weeds this year

[muskiedreams]

I haven't been there this year so I was wondering how the weeds are in the lake this year in light of all the recent herbicide treatments over the past several years. I am mainly concerned about healthy habitat weeds. Weed beds that provide nursery and feeding grounds for sport fish, not a small clumps of weeds here and there. Is there more or less abundance that in previous years? How would you describe the overall makeup of the vegetation in the lake in regard to type, density and distribution?

 

Also, any observations on trends in regard to fishing quality for musky as well as other species, including success rates, size trends, fish health or other fishery quality concerns and observations, especially as related to loss of vegetation over time.

 

There has been very little recent talk about the lake on LOU. I don't know if it is because of closed mouth fisherman who don't want to give up secrets, everyone went to Facebook or some other platform or maybe some other reason(s).

[fisherman21]

Last time I was out was in June. We got 2. Strong weed line when we were out there 

[fisherman777]

On 9/6/2024 at 4:25 PM, fisherman21 said:

Last time I was out was in June. We got 2. Strong weed line when we were out there 

Those early weeds were gone by the 4th of July. Herbicide treatments happened there late June, was a flyer at the launch after it happened. Noticed very little weed growth anywhere on the lake July through August and very stained green water. East side had lots of decaying algae. Haven't been back recently but may head down there this weekend and can give an update.

[muskiedreams]

Those early weeds may have been Curly Leaf Pondweed, which naturally dies off and floats to the surface. But I believe that when they are floating, drop their seeds and they grow the following year. And any weeds that die or are killed with herbicide that fall to the bottom, and the nutrients they were holding return to the bottom and feed the vicious circle of life. So I believe just collecting and removing those weeds will reduce that species of weed over time.

 

So it sounds like there is or was a lot of algae. Killing weeds allows there to be a lot more nutrients mixed into the water that is feeding the algae. Weeds hold nutrients and also reduce the effect that wind has on stirring up nutrients from the bottom which feeds the algae. The excessive algae clouds up the water more, and the combination blocks the sun from reaching the bottom, and weeds need sun. So even if the herbicide didn't kill all the native weeds, they cannot grow without sun.

[fisherman777]

3 hours ago, muskiedreams said:

Those early weeds may have been Curly Leaf Pondweed, which naturally dies off and floats to the surface. But I believe that when they are floating, drop their seeds and they grow the following year. And any weeds that die or are killed with herbicide that fall to the bottom, and the nutrients they were holding return to the bottom and feed the vicious circle of life. So I believe just collecting and removing those weeds will reduce that species of weed over time.

 

So it sounds like there is or was a lot of algae. Killing weeds allows there to be a lot more nutrients mixed into the water that is feeding the algae. Weeds hold nutrients and also reduce the effect that wind has on stirring up nutrients from the bottom which feeds the algae. The excessive algae clouds up the water more, and the combination blocks the sun from reaching the bottom, and weeds need sun. So even if the herbicide didn't kill all the native weeds, they cannot grow without sun.

Yeah that seems to be the situation as you described there. Noticed the curly leaf pondweed back in June forming a ring around the deep edge of the lake. Once that died off, initial weed growth was only moderate until the herbicide treatments which seemed to kill most of the deeper weeds remaining around the lake. Better weed growth was in the extreme north and south ends in shallow water but a lot of that stuff didn't seem the healthiest either. 

 

Seems the herbicide treatments might be doing more harm there than good.