Late Spring fish die off

[George Hogoboom]

Has anyone heard of a late spring fish die off.A lake I fish here in mid Michigan had dead Bluegills and a few Rockbass along the shore.I was told it was due to unclear water and no sunlight reaching the weeds to produce oxygen. I have seen winter fish kills but never in the spring.I counted about 150 dead fish in about 50 yards of shoreline.

[10.5" RES Sharon]

How big is this lake? Does sound like an oxygen problem. Does anyone manage the lake? This is very sad news, did it happen again this spring?

[George Hogoboom]

Thank you for reply. It is a shallow lake with a lot of weed cover.The deepest spot is about 7 foot and that area is small,maybe 15 ft. across.It did not happen this year,luckly.There is farming fields around one side.I thought it might have been runoff from that but I think the lack of oxygen was the problem.

[Bruce Condello]

Stained water can kill rooted vegetation, thus creating an oxygen sag. Stained water comes in two forms. Inorganics, like clay particulate from runoff--and organics, like single celled algae caused by nutrient rich watershed, can create light deficits. Either way, you have the potential to see rooted vegetation die during late spring periods.

[10.5" RES Sharon]

My pond has no vegetation at all growing, just clay floating. Does that mean my pond is not fertile? Never clears much, but enough so the fish can see to eat, as they do. There is not much I can do about the clay if I'm not willing to move, lol. I tried lime, didn't seem to help. We put an gas aeration system at the pond early summer to prevent what happened to George's pond. After waiting and waiting for the fish to grow, I don't think I could stand that.

[Bruce Condello]

If you have suspended clay, it will inhibit plant growth, so it would make it harder to tell if your water is fertile. In Nebraska, the fertility is embedded in the soils. EVERYTHING is fertile!