Pine Lake - Dead Fish Everywhere

Deb · #1 09-05-2011, 01:39 PM

We've not had a good year here and now, for the last three days, more and more fish are floating on the lake and on to the shore. I've seen walleye, big, healthy looking fish (no marks, no sores), just floating belly up. Lots of them, not just a few here and there. And carpets of dead shrimp, a couple of inches thick, covered the beach line. Some folks say they've seen dead pike and perch, too.

I've heard that F&W will be coming up to test the water (again).

A friend said he can still see fish on his radar, but he hasn't caught one all weekend either.

This doesn't seem natural, I've never seen this before on Pine Lake in the ten or so years we've been here. Pine Lake is a green lake and we're used to algae, but it's been thicker and nastier than usual this year. The water smells like spinach. Maybe too many boats on the water stirring things up. Maybe the algae's depleting the oxygen in the water. Maybe too much development/pollution. Maybe an unreported spill of some sort. Whatever it is, it looks like something really bad is happening.

Overdrawn · #2 09-05-2011, 02:20 PM

WOW keep us posted.

Whiskey · #3 09-05-2011, 03:19 PM

There have been reports of blue Green algae in some ponds/lakes around lloydminster, mabye the same thing could be happening there? Its some really bad stuff

Deb · #4 09-05-2011, 03:35 PM

While on holidays in July, I called Alberta Environment to report what I thought was a pretty intense blue green algae bloom. The person I spoke to said that he'd send a team out for testing, but I never heard back from them.

I wouldn't be surprised if that's what it is, but am horrified that, if it is and that it was known before now, a warning to swimmers hasn't been issued. There are toxins in some varieties in blue green algae that are pretty dangerous.

As I write this, I'm watching folks launch their boats, fill up their tubes with kids and drive between the floating carcasses of walleye.

I really hope this is a harmless chain of events.

Whiskey · #5 09-05-2011, 05:11 PM

I hope so too, from what I hear it is pretty dangerous the toxins produced. the alberta health has warnings out on a few lakes right now, but Pine isnt included yet at least.

albertahealthservices.ca/1926.asp

Chris84 · #6 09-05-2011, 05:41 PM

That's too bad. Hopefully it doesn't completely die off. If it is blue-green algae I sure hope they hurry with issuing a warning soon, that's a popular water sport lake.

What was the water temperature like?

Tezma · #7 09-05-2011, 05:50 PM

Sad Sad day for the lake.

Its gonna take a couple of years for the fishing to pick back up as wells as trophy fish,

Deb · #8 09-05-2011, 06:00 PM

water temperature was 64.8F

boroumand8 · #9 09-05-2011, 06:37 PM

Dead fish everywhere??!! I was fishing there a few weeks ago and caught at least 20 fish (Pike`s and walleye`s) and everything was fine. Which side of the lake did you see all this

Deb · #10 09-05-2011, 07:08 PM

I've heard it's lake-wide, but know for certain that it extends at least as far from Spruce Bay to Scotty's on the southwestern portion of the lake. Today, I saw many fish floating in the bay near Scotty's, under the docks there and washed up onto the beaches there and at Whispering Pines.

The conditions were different even on Friday and Saturday, boroumand ... the fish started floating on Sunday. We fished Saturday night and saw nothing unusual ... didn't catch anything, but like I said before, we've not had a great year on Pine, so nothing tweaked our "spidey-sense."

This is our "home" lake, we fish there year round, so we're pretty worried. Will follow Whiskey's link and check with Alberta Health Services before I drop a line into the lake again.

Edited: Come to think of it, we did see a dead seagull in the water on Saturday evening (on the south east side of the lake, near the B'nai Brith camp) and noticed that the swallows we normally watch on the bay were gone. The only birds we saw on the lake this weekend were seagulls. Maybe coincidental.

HunterDave · #11 09-05-2011, 07:34 PM

We get blue/green algae on allot of lakes around here but I've never heard of it killing off the fish. I've found the occasional dead gull and I've heard of it killing a couple of dogs that swam/drank the water. Last year was especially brutal with the low water levels. By our pier it was like a blue/green carpet on the top of the water. Disgusting but no dead fish.

Every year on Lac Lanonne there are dead whitefish floating at this time of year but it's because of the lack of oxygen in the water. You can watch them come up and gulp at the air. It doesn't seem to effect the walleye much though.

fluxcore · #12 09-05-2011, 07:43 PM

I just got back from pine and noticed all the dead fish as well, only seen small to medium pike and lots of walleye. I did manage to catch a nice one though (alive walleye) and that was it all day. The scary thing is whats UNDER THE WATER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! we were using jigs tipped with minnows and snagged 5 dead walleye today so who knows how many are dead on bottom

Theres a dead duck sitting at the launch before Scotties as well?

fluxcore · #13 09-05-2011, 07:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boroumand8

Dead fish everywhere??!! I was fishing there a few weeks ago and caught at least 20 fish (Pike`s and walleye`s) and everything was fine. Which side of the lake did you see all this

there ALL over the lake

Overdrawn · #14 09-05-2011, 11:32 PM

I wonder if all the ground water there is this year if the old dump that was close by years ago isn't leaching into the lake agian?

BGSH · #15 09-06-2011, 08:58 AM

summer kill most likely, due to algee blooms using up oxygen this last month not much rain and with the heavy rain back in june this was perfect for the weeds to get going now with all this lack of rain and nice warm temps the weeds and algee blooms have takin over, not to worry though, next month is nice and cool, weeds are allready dying in much of the lakes.

Easywean · #16 09-06-2011, 09:21 AM

was there last Tuesday and the south end near the reeds had a bright blue scum on it which I assume is blue-green algae. Growing up in SK I never had seen this before so can't say for certain.

Pine has been brutal for algae this year. Too many cabins dumping sewage and too many boats churning up the water......

best thing would be to put an advisory on it so nobody is on the lake for the rest of the year

hillbillyreefer · #17 09-07-2011, 12:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Easywean

was there last Tuesday and the south end near the reeds had a bright blue scum on it which I assume is blue-green algae. Growing up in SK I never had seen this before so can't say for certain.

Pine has been brutal for algae this year. Too many cabins dumping sewage and too many boats churning up the water......

best thing would be to put an advisory on it so nobody is on the lake for the rest of the year

Cabins dumping sewage? Pretty sure that isn't legal, if you see it document it.

Would boats churning up the lake not add aeration?

greywolffan · #18 09-07-2011, 12:42 AM

Does anyone have pictures of this at Pine Lake?. Hope this doesnt happen to other lakes around the province.

Hornaholic · #19 09-07-2011, 12:49 AM

I was water skiing last week on pine & I drank alot of the lake & im still kick'n!!!!!!!!

Hornaholic · #20 09-07-2011, 12:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by best guide shawn homeniuk

summer kill most likely, due to algee blooms using up oxygen this last month not much rain and with the heavy rain back in june this was perfect for the weeds to get going now with all this lack of rain and nice warm temps the weeds and algee blooms have takin over, not to worry though, next month is nice and cool, weeds are allready dying in much of the lakes.

lived on pine all my life; & shawn hit the nail on the head; lake has always been Green & Blue; lack of O2; soon as water cool's back to norm

bloopbloob · #21 09-07-2011, 01:07 AM

Actually, he missed the nail. Maybe hit his thumb. Living weeds and algal blooms produce oxygen. Algae in the ocean privides huge amounts of oxygen, more than all the trees on earth. It's the decomposition that removes dissolved oxygen from the water. The bloom is not the cause of low oxygen, but the death of the bloom.

Alex K · #22 09-07-2011, 01:18 PM

This is never a good thing huge fish kills. Boat disturbance does not add to algae as one stated airation is put on small lakes like Beaver to control green/blue algae. Boats create airation to a degree so I have a hard time believing that theory. Cabins have been there for years as well so doubt that. It has more to do with the weather we have had and another contributing factor can be outlying farm activity on streams and run offs from farmers fields that contribute as well. Unless you know what the neighbour farmers are doing in these areas its hard to say for sure. But if additional fertilizer has been used that does have a huge effect on algae growth. Hillers reservoir had an entire population of stocked trout killed by an excessive amount of fertilizer washing into the lake causing a massive algae bloom. So until they figure this out for sure we are all just guessing. Lets hope the algae dies off before its too late. Maybe a heavy hard wind might slow it down get the oxygen going in there.

My thoughts

Alex Kreis

pickrel pat · #23 09-07-2011, 02:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alex K

This is never a good thing huge fish kills. Boat disturbance does not add to algae as one stated airation is put on small lakes like Beaver to control green/blue algae. Boats create airation to a degree so I have a hard time believing that theory. Cabins have been there for years as well so doubt that. It has more to do with the weather we have had and another contributing factor can be outlying farm activity on streams and run offs from farmers fields that contribute as well. Unless you know what the neighbour farmers are doing in these areas its hard to say for sure. But if additional fertilizer has been used that does have a huge effect on algae growth. Hillers reservoir had an entire population of stocked trout killed by an excessive amount of fertilizer washing into the lake causing a massive algae bloom. So until they figure this out for sure we are all just guessing. Lets hope the algae dies off before its too late. Maybe a heavy hard wind might slow it down get the oxygen going in there.

My thoughts

Alex Kreis

this post has the most logic to it. good post.

dodger · #24 09-07-2011, 03:42 PM

My favorite Southern Res has double the weeds and twice as tall, It's been a bad year. The soars on the Pike are large and deep. I have not seen any floaters but still possible.

The weeds are dying off now so hopefully this process starts and ends quickly at Pine and other lakes.

Dodger.

ORV · #25 09-08-2011, 01:13 PM

just in. my buddy who lives up there said fish & wildlife
are at pine lake today scooping up some of the dead fish.
they rec,vd a lot of calls from concerned people
so are there to check it out which is great i.m.o

orv.

Deb · #26 09-08-2011, 05:54 PM

finally made the advisory site, dangit.

http://www.albertahealthservices.ca/5680.asp

fluxcore · #27 09-08-2011, 10:46 PM

its funny ive always insisted on 10+ lbers in there.......my current profile pic is from pine. I even took nicemustang out there and we had a solid 120 walleye day before we stopped counting, most were in the 3 to 6lb rage and we were sure the 10lb would show up. My buddy who currently owns a cabin on pine has counted lots of walleye that would shatter the 10lb range and there gone!!!! unfortunatly the big walleye go first and with the slow growth rate it could reasonabley 8-10 years for the fish to get that big again

BGSH · #28 09-08-2011, 11:22 PM

whats the percentage of dead fish on that lake so far, anyone know??

BGSH · #29 09-08-2011, 11:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bloopbloob

Actually, he missed the nail. Maybe hit his thumb. Living weeds and algal blooms produce oxygen. Algae in the ocean privides huge amounts of oxygen, more than all the trees on earth. It's the decomposition that removes dissolved oxygen from the water. The bloom is not the cause of low oxygen, but the death of the bloom.

my thumb hurts now, thx alot

yea the dying of weeds is what is most likely contributing to the dead fish, hopefully its a small percentage of fish that is dead and not a whole lake, that would be devistateing for this lake

fluxcore · #30 09-08-2011, 11:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by best guide shawn homeniuk

my thumb hurts now, thx alot

yea the dying of weeds is what is most likely contributing to the dead fish, hopefully its a small percentage of fish that is dead and not a whole lake, that would be devistateing for this lake

the smaller walleye have a better chance, the bigger ones not so good. Were in for a hot weekend and from what I experenced last weeekend allot of big walleye are gone. Sucks big time, a positive could be more pearch in the next year or two, not one pearch showed up dead...........so far