Winter Kill

lunkerslayer

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On years like this NDGF should let people fish any body of water in ND regardless if its not open to fishing. Does drilling holes in a body of water benefit the lake as a whole ecosystem?
 


NDSportsman

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What lakes aren't open to fishing? The only ones I know of are either refuges that are closed during certain time periods or areas prone to unsafe conditions such as bridges or spring/current locations.
 

johnr

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Our local pond winter killed a few years back, it has started to come around with a few nice fish being taken. However we have a juge surplus of snow, and I would think we are heading towards another kill off, unless we get a week of sun and heat to clear it up some
 

WormWiggler

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Get your blade out there juanr, seriously, does pushing the snow have any effect? or is it pissing in the wind. On Patterson push it all up on the south / southeast side..
 

johnr

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It would help, but the wind would be placing it all back in short order.

Drilling a bunch of holes, and putting a giant bubbler/oxygenator in a few holes would be neat
 


3Roosters

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The wife and I are headed to the Dominion Republic next week. I will have to do some scientific studies on the effects of winter kill with the fish down there.#$%^&> Perhaps I will have to do some reading on the subject whilst sipping on a beverage under a cabana.:cool:
 

KDM

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The wife and I are headed to the Dominion Republic next week. I will have to do some scientific studies on the effects of winter kill with the fish down there.#$%^&> Perhaps I will have to do some reading on the subject whilst sipping on a beverage under a cabana.:cool:

OK, you officially SUCK!!!!!
 

dean nelson

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It would help, but the wind would be placing it all back in short order.

Drilling a bunch of holes, and putting a giant bubbler/oxygenator in a few holes would be neat
Surprisingly large scale bubblers are not all that expensive. Was pricing them out the other day since I'm pretty sure our lake is going to get hit. Looks pretty easy to make one as well with a few feet of soaker hose and an air compressor. Big problem with them is they destroy the ice above they so have to keep people clear.
 

Davey Crockett

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Surprisingly large scale bubblers are not all that expensive. Was pricing them out the other day since I'm pretty sure our lake is going to get hit. Looks pretty easy to make one as well with a few feet of soaker hose and an air compressor. Big problem with them is they destroy the ice above they so have to keep people clear.


There is a heck of a liability factor and too many stupid people that can't read and comprehend, Threw together a simple contraption that was a belt drive diaphragm pump with a electric motor that ran 4 circuits with big air stones. Up here the snowmobilers would see my contraption on the ice and drive right up to it . I'd run the power line on top of the ice and last year I ran it someone drove over the cord and cut it with the carbides and threw the breaker and froze the lines and stones in . This is way back in the boondocks , I can't imagine how bad it would be in town.

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I'll say one thing , If we get a major winterkill it will be worth your drive to check out a few lakes when the ice goes off. It's a humbling site, We have had a good run for many years , You will crap your pants at how many big fish there are in our lakes. Plus from what I see I think it's mostly the bigger fish that don't make it on a partial kill.
 
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Captain Ahab

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Game and Fish used to use aerators on certain lakes years ago. They quit when an older couple got disoriented in a snow storm and drove into the aeration area and both drowned.
 


Ericb

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Game and Fish used to use aerators on certain lakes years ago. They quit when an older couple got disoriented in a snow storm and drove into the aeration area and both drowned.

I remember this happening on Brush lake.
 

dean nelson

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There is a heck of a liability factor and too many stupid people that can't read and comprehend, Threw together a simple contraption that was a belt drive diaphragm pump with a electric motor that ran 4 circuits with big air stones. Up here the snowmobilers would see my contraption on the ice and drive right up to it . I'd run the power line on top of the ice and last year I ran it someone drove over the cord and cut it with the carbides and threw the breaker and froze the lines and stones in . This is way back in the boondocks , I can't imagine how bad it would be in town.

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I'll say one thing , If we get a major winterkill it will be worth your drive to check out a few lakes when the ice goes off. It's a humbling site, We have had a good run for many years , You will crap your pants at how many big fish there are in our lakes. Plus from what I see I think it's mostly the bigger fish that don't make it on a partial kill.

Yeah that's the problem. Would work best out deep but due to people would have to put it up close to shore probably under a dock and then fence off a 30 yard area. Most winters winterkill isn't a big threat on there due to the fact it normally has a doz or more hockey/skating rinks on there but this year it's down to one I think. With the large amount of weed growth overall low level and the huge amount of stunted bluegills it's a perfect setup for a winterkill.

Deffently may be worth a ride out into the potholes this spring to see if dead fish show up in bodies of water that were not know fish ponds. Fare few may only be parshall kills so will be worth keeping in the back of your minds a couple years down the road. Also always good to see what fish lakes are overflowing into other lakes downstream or being overflowed into that the fish may swim upstream into new lakes.
 

LBrandt

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Yots are going to get glossy come spring eating all that winter kill.
 

krhuntin

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They do this on long lake in Bottineau county. The lake has an association and one of the permanent residents does the upkeep. They put signs on every access and snow fence and spray paint every other week around the questionable/ open area so it is very visible. To my knowledge they have yet to have an issue with it.
 

MathewsZman

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In southern SD at Lake Andes National Refuge .
IMG_0229.jpg
IMG_0230.jpg
 
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dean nelson

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Bet that's going to smell awsome come spring. To bad it a refuge because I bet a guy could have a good time shooting coyotes off of those piles.
 

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