Summit Lake Blue-green algae

[Rocketvet]

Thurston County has a blue-green algae alert still up for Summit Lake. Does anyone know how that affects the fish that were just planted in addition to the residents? Is the lake no good for the year? Not that many places to target Kokanee near Olympia. Ward is tiny and hit or miss. Not a lot of great reports for American Lake either.

[JoshH]

Wow, usually don't see algae problems this early in the year. Something funky must be going on with the lake. Typically, the algae doesn't cause issues for the fish, it just makes it that the lake is unsafe to fish because you really don't want to touch the water or the fish and accidently rub your eyes, get some in your mouth etc. Being it's already been closed, I would bet it will not be deemed safe until late fall, but then again, this is real early in my understanding for that kind of problem on a lake. I've fished many lakes that were closed due to theis very issue shortly after they have been re-opened. Fish were healthy.

[Rocketvet]

Thanks for the reply. Staying away for now. Kinda miss that lake though. Normally a clean spot though they do have a copepod problem too.

[Larry3215]

They just announced Tapps has the same issue.

[Hunter757]

You would think they want the boats on the water just to stir up the water. From what I read the UV light kills this algae, if the water never gets moved around how can the UV light kill the algae. They should get the old farm tractor out and back the agitator in and let it run all day and night steering up the lake water like the farmers did on there manure pods, I can remember that tractor running for days on end just mixing it all up. Better then just doing nothing but letting nature takes it course. I do miss fishing that lake but living on it has to be even worse with all the great weather were having not to be allowed to play. I know the use it for drinking as well even more reason to get the tractor with the agitator going!!

[Sideburns]

you could really be on to something there. From what ive read about blue green algae, leaving a few boats docked and running in gear in select areas could really do some damage to this species of algae! Damn good idea imo.

[Toni]

In Pierce county they just warn you. Fish will be fine if washed in clean water.
At Summit though people also drink the water out of the lake. I don't know if that is why they closed it or if they do that to all lakes in Thurston county with Blue-green Algae.

[Hunter757]

So does anyone live at this lake? Looking to see if the launch gate is open? This week's test are all clear so that is 2 weeks no findings and the lake should be open. Thanks.

[Hunter757]

Lake if officially open. Let the fishing begin...............