Weed Control vs. Weed Murder

[djkimmel]

I've been on 2 lakes recently that have had almost all the weeds killed out of them turning both in what I would just call mudholes. One was Woodland Lake and the other was Lobdell Lake.

I haven't been on Woodland in a long, long time but I don't remember it being a mudhole. Lobdell was a healthy, weedy, good bass lake definitely not a mudhole but this last time out it was a mudhole plain and simple.

Part of the problem is there is no required recovery plan for after all the 'bad' weeds are killed. Part of the problem the poisons they are using now seem to kill just about everything including good, 'native' weeds now. I also imagine part of the problem is the weed killer companies are doing a great job of maximizing sales by telling the lake associations they have a 'problem.'

So what is the solution? We can't allow this to go on converting lakes into Starry Stonewort factories and mudholes. Michigan B.A.S.S. Nation and I passed a weed control resolution through MUCC State Convention this year to give them a policy to do SOMETHING about this weed killing. That's a start.

Next, we need to improve on our organization as anglers to be a loud voice for change that is actually heard by someone other than each other on social networks. There are already two bass federations so I see very little sense in starting something new if we can just get all or most of you to join one or both of the existing federations. As a federation we are already being heard and making a difference BUT we could use a louder 'voice.' That means you! Make a difference. Be a part of the solution.

Some general info: the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality that was split off the MDNR years ago is the body that oversees weed killing. The MDNR has very little say. Most riparians can now kill the weeds on their 'part' of the lake without any kind of permit at all as they 'own' the bottom lands to their slice. The bigger treatments by lake associations still require a permit but it is way too easy to get one and no one monitors treatments for the extent and thoroughness of the job.

As I said above, there is no one required to help bring the lake back when the claimed problem is exotic weeds. No one is in charge of or required to help the native plants come back. That's just supposed to happen on it's own. As we can see, that's not happening in many cases if not most cases. We need to see if we can require weed treatments INCLUDE rehabilitation work and costs too. Afterall, the stuff in the lakes belongs to ALL of us!

What do you think? Will you join up and be part of the louder voice? Please, before all we have it a state full of mudholes and starry stonewort factories.

[21XDC]

Weed harvesting is what needs to happen... Every time humans mess with mother natures plan, The planet gets nocked down another notch.

[Roy Randolph]

This is an uphill battle

I spent a decade fighting this issue and trying to educate riparians and I can tell you unequivocally
until the purchase and disbursement of the chemicals are limited to licensed and regulated companies you will never have a chance to solve this problem.

Hydrilla is the #1 weed lake riparians want to get rid of due to how fast it grows and how thick it gets on the surface.

Now since it is considered an invasive species the DEQ tends to consider spraying the lakes to eradicate hydrilla a non-issue

The problem with using harvesters is that it only takes a small cutting of Hydrilla to grow into a large patch of weeds so you end up spreading the weeds to the rest of the lake.

And by spraying the lake this kills all the weeds and Hydrilla will be the first weed to grow back pushing out any native weeds.

I worked with the Village of Wolverine on their attempts to control Wolverine Lake and they went as far as to spend a lot of money on beetles that would eat Hydrilla and this failed. Fortunately they understood the issue and only sprayed small amounts of killer in small locations and doubled their harvesters and work load.

If you leave this to riparians they would turn lakes into chlorine filled pools!

I hate to say it but weed killer is a necessity but in small amounts in controlled locations this in conjunction with weed harvesters are about your only choice.

If you can get a law passed to regulate the purchase and distribution of these chemicals you have a chance but unfortunately this would only be a start

You need to educate/regulate riparians on what weeds to harvest and what weeds to spray and the amount of fertilizer they should use on their lawns.

The biggest joke of all is riparians spray their lawns with fertilizer that runs off into the lake helping the weeds grow then they spray killer in the water and use it to water their lawns killing their lawns and they don't understand why so they do it all over again and again and again........

[dartag]

i live in a area surrounded by lakes.  i see the weed spray boats about a week after ice off.  Lake associations are sold a weed service about the same as you would hire a lawn service.  Not sure how much science goes into what they spray.  The sad thing is a lot of the lakes are Mud lakes that would die if there was no weed control.   look at Kent Lake.  When we first start fishing there in April there is very little weed growth.  By the OCBM tournament on Memorial Day most of the lake is chocked solid with weeds.  They spray and harvest most of the summer.  Without it the lake would be a solid mass of weeds.  Wolverine is overrun with Stone Wart.  They installed bubblers on the Penny Lake arm but had a floating GOO there most of the summer. 

They have a spray tank that they ask you to spray your boat before you launch.  it says what chemical is in the bottle.  I " Borrow " a gallon a couple times a year and spray my boat and flush my livewells every time I come home. 

There are tournament guys that fish  many days a week on different lakes.  without proper care you would be adding to the spread of weeds.



Hopefully some scientific solution can be reached to control the weeds and make the homeowners happy. 

[DennisB.]

I think chamung was sprayed recently as well.

[djkimmel]

I'm sure Chemung was sprayed. About the only thing left was the filamentous algae that seems like a weed but doesn't provide the same quality habitat for fish and the smaller creatures they eat. That stuff just gets thicker as the other weeds are killed out.

There's no way we can't have some weed control in some lakes but moderation is what we should be looking and working for.

[TimH]

Over the past few years i have noticed n significant increase in the frequency that weed kills are being done on various lakes and it is making me furious.  I'm sure all of us have not only seen the effects it has had on the weeds, but the amount of other unintended kills that go along with it...fish, frogs, turtles, birds, etc.  I really want to try and help out however I can to fight this issue until some very strict controls are put into place to make sure this doesn't continue.  Let me know what I can do Dan and I will be all over this issue. 

[djkimmel]

Great! I like to hear that. I will ask for an update from MUCC on what their plans post-resolution are for the topic. Just to get things rolling!

[bob o]

add tipsico and white lakes to the list

[djkimmel]

Yes - those get hammered too.

[Skulley]

Count me in.  Let me know what I can do to get involved.  This is an issue that has bothered me for a very long time. 

BD              

[DennisB.]

What do we do? We had a petition and I don't think it got enough traction.

[DennisB.]

Is there a way to get the state to force a percentage to be mechanically harvested?

I also fished Michigan center a few days before and after a treatment and the difference was staggering. I know they used to mechanically do some out there and it actually concentrated fish on the weed lines a few days after it was done.

[djkimmel]

I don't know the actual answer(s) yet but we talked briefly about the situation yesterday after the Michigan Sportsmen's Caucus Advisory Council meeting. A new MDEQ Director just got appointed and hasn't been approved yet. We want to wait until she gets approved (if?) and seats her new leadership appointments before we start taking some action. There would be some chaos at this point if we started anything.