Sprague Lake results

[Gisteppo]

Has anyone read the results of the Rotenone treatment of Sprague?

Interesting finding that the numbers of Perch, Crappie, Bass, and Walleye were correct, but the surprise finding is the INSANE number of Carp! Vast numbers of the big smelly buggers were found in the lake, along with more Tench than originally thought.

This might explain why people had relatively good fishing before the treatment, but the walleye (sight feeders during the day) were tough to catch. Seems that the Carp and Tench were causing severe turbidity in the water, reducing water quality, dissolved oxygen levels, decreased sunlight, etc etc.

I thought it to be interesting. Article is in the most recent issue of Fishing and Hunting I believe.

E

[Hal]

Where are you getting the info that the Walleye numbers are correct, everything I have read leans opposite of that. Does This article says they documented the 30K Walleye (after the original 60K mathmatical error ).

[Gisteppo]

According to the article I read they say that the numbers were what they expected. Keeping in mind this is probably a state level release, they may have slipped words in such as "numbers similar to revised results" etc. CYA information, so its probably based on the altered numbers.

E

[YellowBear]

I would take the info from Fishing and Hunting news with a grain of salt.
The reports that I got from the WDFW was that the Walleyes were all out in the middle of the lake and sank. This seems a bit convenient as the Walleyes floated to the banks at Cow lk.
It would be hard to make a accurate count when you can't see the fish.
After the treatment, I found the Carp, they were everywhere. I also found 100s of 1000s of small Crappie. Some Perch a few Largemouth and Catfish.
I never found a single Walleye.

[zen leecher aka Bill W]

They should have just said they wanted to poison the lake because of carp.

[Gisteppo]

I figure whats done is done. The research however indicated a turbidity problem because of the big slimy buggers.

Id like to hold a little carp fishing event or two behind our place on Long Lake if anyone is interested. We have a murky mess part of the year, and the less of them there are, the clearer the water will be.

Who wants to come? Bows are ALLOWED! Fly and bait fishing is legal as well.

E

[Anglinarcher]

I figure whats done is done. The research however indicated a turbidity problem because of the big slimy buggers.

Id like to hold a little carp fishing event or two behind our place on Long Lake if anyone is interested. We have a murky mess part of the year, and the less of them there are, the clearer the water will be.

Who wants to come? Bows are ALLOWED! Fly and bait fishing is legal as well.

E

I agree with the turbidity problem, and I hope that removing the carp will help. My experience is that it helps when the turbidity problem is indeed mud, but what I usually saw was a massive plankton bloom. We will see.

As for carp, kill them all, every last one. I swear, when I get to heaven, IF THE FEDERAL FISH AND WILDLIFE DUDE THAT BROUGHT CARP INTO THE COUNTRY IS ALLOWED TO BE THERE, than I am going straight over to him and punch his lights out.:bom:

Sounds like I need to find time to kill a few Long Lake carp, along with my normal Newman Lake and Rock Lake hunting practice. You did notice my name didn't you?

[Gisteppo]

Have you seen the carp boil in the spring? I know its common, but there are days when I have taken a photo and counted more than 50 fish on the surface in 30 acres. If you figure even a very conservative estimate at 10% of all fish on the surface at a time, thats quite a few carp in a small area. They also have some easy traits to make them huntable at night near our place. In a quiet boat, they don't move. I have hit them with my kayak paddle before......

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[Deadeye]

I figure whats done is done. The research however indicated a turbidity problem because of the big slimy buggers.

Id like to hold a little carp fishing event or two behind our place on Long Lake if anyone is interested. We have a murky mess part of the year, and the less of them there are, the clearer the water will be.

Who wants to come? Bows are ALLOWED! Fly and bait fishing is legal as well.

E

You can count me in. I would even help you put it on. I have put on quite a few tournaments in my day. When does the ice leave Long Lake Gisteppo? I may try to contact you by phone if that is alright in the up and coming months about that lake.

[Deadeye]

If this affends anyone I am sorry. But Sprague Lake had a big problem. I bowfished Sprague Lake heavily during spring last year and during the fall (would have done more but I am not in this area all year). I would have really liked to talk with Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and taken them out on the lake to show them what they are up against. I took (and this is no exaggeration cause I have photo proof of it all) 900 carp and around 25 tench out of Sprague Lake in only 6 nights of bowfishing. I only saw probably 20 walleyes in those 6 nights....all the rest carp. And that is not even counting all the carp that I could not get shots at, missed, or saw swimming away from me. That lake is easily 90% rough fish. If you could only see what I see at night out there in the spring....or any of your lakes that have carp in them...you would be amazed. I wish there was someway I could work with the state in removing these fish. But that is difficult to do. Anyway here is just after one night of bowfishing by myself on what used to be the carp infested Sprague Lake, that is 187 carp in the boat. And no this picture isn't after the killoff. These were free roaming fish. And anyone that has fished this lake can tell that is the resort in the background in the first picture.

Is that article available online too?

[Jake Dogfish]

They should have just said they wanted to poison the lake because of carp.

Exactly!!! :thumright

[Fisherman_max]

looks like your quite the shot! i have seen the carp in the pond at wild waves boil up so much you could almost walk across the water with all the fish.

[Gisteppo]

Deadeye, come out for the boil at Long, I bet you see similar numbers in small pockets.

The article isn't published online, but is available statewide on the newsstand.

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[zen leecher aka Bill W]

Deadeye, congrats on being a "Carpterminator".

[YellowBear]

Gisteppo, If you do get something going I would sure like to join in.
I have fished the pad fields on long in the fall and there were thousands of them buggers.

[Gisteppo]

I might start a new thread to see who is interested. There are two different ideas I have....

E

[hewesfisher]

If this affends anyone I am sorry. But Sprague Lake had a big problem.

No offense taken here, Deadeye, I had just about quit going to Sprague since the fishing was so erratic.

I'm curious about your setup, do you run that big fan off the generator? Do you use it for for propulsion?

[Marc Martyn]

Wow! Now my question is: What do you do with 900 dead carp?:-s

[Anglinarcher]

Wow! Now my question is: What do you do with 900 dead carp?:-s

I usually pull the gills, slit the air bladder, let them drop back to the bottom as crayfish food.

[Gisteppo]

Hmm, sinking them is just as much of a water quality detriment as having them alive.

Could you take them to a dog food producer? Or at least put them in your garden or give them to someone via craigslist?

E