Zebra Mussels Discovered in Lake Ashtabula

[thriller1]

As long as everyone is speculating on how this happened maybe devils lake and stump lake had them already and all the water the have been pumping into the river brought them in. But on another note has anyone else noticed the weeds have changed in the lake the last couple of years?

This. I see weeds in places on Ashtabula where ive NEVER seen them in the 20 plus years ive fished it. Its barely the middle of June and its already impossible to pull cranks in 7 foot of water or less

 

[dean nelson]

How do the damn water bugs ( I think they're called oarsman) end up in my kids' kiddy pool?

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I guess they are called water boatman.

Watch out for those guys they have an extremely painful sting!

 

[NDSportsman]

This. I see weeds in places on Ashtabula where ive NEVER seen them in the 20 plus years ive fished it. Its barely the middle of June and its already impossible to pull cranks in 7 foot of water or less

I think some of that has to do with the COE drawing the lake down so damn low every winter since 2009.

 

[dean nelson]

Hell, the national fish hatchery could be the culprit. Trading eggs and fry for stocking. Sounds like things have been in Ash for more than a year. That water has been used for rearing and stocking. Right under their nose. Interesting.....

You have to believe that unless they use well water they are very likely to have moved some to new waters around the state. Boy are they going to look bad if they did!

 

[Dirty]

You have to believe that unless they use well water they are very likely to have moved some to new waters around the state. Boy are they going to look bad if they did!

Looking at past stocking reports, they have moved a lot of fish from this location to other lakes over the years. I can't imagine they are using a different water supply other than from the lake and river they just called infected with ANS, and I think it's pretty obvious that lake has been infected for awhile. I don't know the processes or precautions they take when stocking fish so maybe they safeguards put in place that I don't realize. Otherwise, I can only assume they've been stocking some zebra mussels inadvertently with those walleyes!

 

[NDSportsman]

Hell, the national fish hatchery could be the culprit. Trading eggs and fry for stocking. Sounds like things have been in Ash for more than a year. That water has been used for rearing and stocking. Right under their nose. Interesting.....

This could very well be it. The hatchery used to use the Sheyenne river near Valley City, which has had zebra mussels for at least 10 years or more. I would have hoped they have been using some other water source by now but who knows. That would be ironic if it's the GNF that's actually transferred these things up stream of the damn and who knows where else!

 

[Dirty]

The Valley City Hatchery page mentions:

Current Fish Production
Fish species being produced at the Hatchery include; Lake Sturgeon, Bluegill, Black Crappie, Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, and pure Muskellunge (commonly known as Muskie )

The Baldhill rearing unit lies directly below Baldhill Dam 12 miles northwest of Valley City, North Dakota on County Road 17. The unit was acquired through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and provided the Service with a unique opportunity to increase fish production. The water source for Baldhill is Lake Ashtabula.
The Baldhill Unit consists of 20 earthen ponds totaling 15.2 surface acres of extensive fish culture as well as an intensive fish production building designed for egg incubation, early life stage rearing of native and endangered fish and freshwater mussel propagation. Valley City National Fish Hatchery (NFH) along with the Baldhill Dam Rearing Unit plays an important role in providing quality fishing opportunities throughout the Great Plains Region and in restoring Lake Sturgeon and Freshwater Mussel populations within the Hudson Bay Drainage.

In the Fisheries program, we are working to ensure that our staff doesn't move any aquatic invasive species (AIS) to new waters when fulfilling the mission of the Service. By inspecting our fish hatcheries and their microscopic young, we eliminate the chance of spreading AIS when stocking fish in our waters. This is a crucial step in prevention as these non-native species spread quickly by “hitchhiking” to new areas through mud on boots, vegetation caught on vehicles, or water left in boats. The invasion of AIS can cost our communities millions of dollars in restoration as they can occupy habitat our native species use, consume food our native species require; and even consume the native species themselves.

 

[dean nelson]

It all comes down to where they draw their water from unless they have one insanely good filtration unit on that place! For this very reason allot of hatcheries in other states are starting to use well water.

 

[NDSportsman]

It all comes down to where they draw their water from unless they have one insanely good filtration unit on that place! For this very reason allot of hatcheries in other states are starting to use well water.

GNF is saying they will only stock the walleye raised at the hatchery back into Ashtabula this year. That tells me they have been using the same water. That also tells me they have been spreading this shit for years! Unbelievable.

 

[dean nelson]

GNF is saying they will only stock the walleye raised at the hatchery back into Ashtabula this year. That tells me they have been using the same water. That also tells me they have been spreading this shit for years! Unbelievable.

Definitely looks that way....or at the very least their confidence in their filtration system is not remotely 100%. Be interesting to see if zebra mussels all sudden pop-up and a number of lakes around Ashtabula how quickly The Game and Fish tries to point the finger at boaters to get the attention off of them.

 

[Rut2much]

I wouldn't let them babysit my rockpiles.

 

[shorthairsrus]

Dean it commies like u that we don't have Zander stocked

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Relax and enjoy ride

 

[deleted member]

this has comedic irony written all over it.

 

[Kurtr]

lake erie has zebra muscles and sawing up 8 pounders is just another day. Think of all the cheeks to eat

 

[martinslanding]

lake erie has zebra muscles and sawing up 8 pounders is just another day. Think of all the cheeks to eat

Erie=Ashtabula .... seems legit

 

[Dirty]

Definitely looks that way....or at the very least their confidence in their filtration system is not remotely 100%. Be interesting to see if zebra mussels all sudden pop-up and a number of lakes around Ashtabula how quickly The Game and Fish tries to point the finger at boaters to get the attention off of them.

They should be able to quickly throw the list together of all fisheries that received fish from this hatchery over the past few years and start the search for mussels. I read another article where the adults found were estimated to be 18 months old so they are thinking they've been in Ashtabula at least 2 years, and the lake is fairly well infested, per that same article.

I don't think this is what they had in mind with their mussel restoration program...

 

[Kurtr]

Erie=Ashtabula .... seems legit

pretty much the same just smaller waves right

 

[Bed Wetter]

however... gin clear water also means no supper for the striped marauders

most water bodies eventually find a happy medium I hope

Think what it will do for spear fishing snorkellers!

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Damnit, this is just the excuse GnF was waiting for to declare a ban on fishing over bait.

 

[dean nelson]

Dean it commies like u that we don't have Zander stocked

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Relax and enjoy ride

Yeah me thinks that might had a little bit more to do with South Dakota Montana Minnesota and the Canadian province that shall remain nameless threatening to sue us! But you can always go to spiritwood and try to catch one the only lake in America you can do so.