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Most common reasons for grass to disappear from a lake? #12739442 05/02/18 12:53 PM
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Is this just normal? Unless a lake is really clear, as a lake ages it will lose the grass?

Months of high, muddy water

Human intervention—spraying etc

Grass carp and cormorants?

I’ve seen several lakes lose their grass gradually and a few it happened almost over night for almost no obvious reason


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Re: Most common reasons for grass to disappear from a lake? [Re: CCTX] #12739449 05/02/18 12:59 PM
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Jarrett Latta Offline
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Grass carp, spraying, high muddy water or extreme current

Re: Most common reasons for grass to disappear from a lake? [Re: CCTX] #12739490 05/02/18 01:31 PM
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I can only speak for Lake Amistad on what happens to the grass when it just seems to disappear without man interventions.
- Deep clear lakes produces the deepest and tallest grass.
- The lakes are clear because the abundance of grass does a great job working as a filter to keep them clear. The more grass they grow the clearer the water.
- Heavy rains and flooding brings in muddy water. This dirt and silt collects on the Hydrilla causing it to get heavier and heavier. Cloudy weather for long periods of time with heavy winds will cause the grass to fall.
- Tall grass during the winter months will also collapse from the weight and lack of warmth from the sun. A mild winter will help the grass to survive in protected areas. This grass does not die out and will send stringers to the surface next spring to begin the growth cycle again. By August it will be back to it's old self and in good shape again as long as the water level remains consistent.
- Falling water continuing over a period of two or three years can also take it's toll on deep water grass; although if the winters months are favorable the grass will continue to grow out to the next contours toward deeper water and still provide good cover. When Amistad was 50 ft. Low in 2003 the grass was 30 ft. Tall. The the lake began to rise in 10 ft. stages 3 times at the end of that year. One of those rises was a massive flood that took out part of Del Rio. Even at that it took two more years for it to totally disappear and the fish left returning to deep water ledges.
- The worst thing that can happen to grass like Lake Amistad had is: Falling water, harsh winters, Heavy rains bring in silt, water begins to rise, grass totally disappears, takes years to recover, and then starts the cycle all over again. This is what has taken place on Amistad. It is coming back and just getting good. Now the lake is falling by the day; so this cycle will try it's best to take it's tole on the grass. We will see if it continues to grow out toward deeper water and survive this winter. Slow rains and a slow rise will really help a lake to produce the new growth giving the grass a new start in both direction, shallow and deep.
- Once the Florida Strain of Bass returns to deep water ledges it takes a few years of excellent deep grass to pull them back into strategic areas. Amistad is just now beginning to realize this migration back to the grass. How long will this last depends on the cycle of letting out the water, weather conditions and falling grass.


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Re: Most common reasons for grass to disappear from a lake? [Re: CCTX] #12739502 05/02/18 01:37 PM
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Light penetration, due to stained water from run offs. High wind and wave action can take its toll on an area too. Comorants don't eat grass, its the coot that eat it. Even then they only eat it down a few feet.

Re: Most common reasons for grass to disappear from a lake? [Re: CCTX] #12739546 05/02/18 02:04 PM
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the skipper Offline
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Cold muddy water will kill it almost as good as spraying will

Re: Most common reasons for grass to disappear from a lake? [Re: CCTX] #12739558 05/02/18 02:11 PM
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Most of the lakes, around West/North Texas, were severely low during the 4-5 year drought, aquatic vegetation needs water to live.

Re: Most common reasons for grass to disappear from a lake? [Re: CCTX] #12739560 05/02/18 02:12 PM
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Either high muddy water or extremely low water.


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Re: Most common reasons for grass to disappear from a lake? [Re: CCTX] #12739567 05/02/18 02:14 PM
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Cedar Creek used to have lots of Hydrilla, So did Bob Sandlin and even Tawakoni back about 15 years ago.

Have not seen it come back

Re: Most common reasons for grass to disappear from a lake? [Re: CCTX] #12739577 05/02/18 02:21 PM
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Mowed it too short

Last edited by i-Fish; 05/02/18 02:21 PM.

If you can't find em wind em.
Re: Most common reasons for grass to disappear from a lake? [Re: CCTX] #12739639 05/02/18 03:01 PM
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forkduc Offline
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Pissy homeowners!

Re: Most common reasons for grass to disappear from a lake? [Re: fouzman] #12739656 05/02/18 03:09 PM
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Chris G Offline
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Originally Posted By: fouzman
Either high muddy water or extremely low water.


The insane decision to leave the gates open full time on Monticello is making this happen right now but it's not high water...just muddy. I've been watching the hydrilla "erode" over the past 6-8 weeks because of the gate decision. Basically the only way Smith or Blundell creeks will ever clear up would be for there to be a drought because every time it rains good, the bottom of the lake is sucked out so it keeps those creeks muddy and it's killing the grass.


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Re: Most common reasons for grass to disappear from a lake? [Re: CCTX] #12739668 05/02/18 03:18 PM
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I wish I knew, but I think all of the factors mentioned contribute. Many of our lakes had grass for years, but man intervened and it seems to be disappearing. I have never seen as much grass in a lake the way Roberts use to be.. now you can barely find a few strings of it.

Re: Most common reasons for grass to disappear from a lake? [Re: CCTX] #12739750 05/02/18 03:54 PM
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Good topic , I found a patch of grass on the Lake here one time , I guess if you look hard enough you can find it . StillHouse sure was up and down for a while on grass .

Re: Most common reasons for grass to disappear from a lake? [Re: CCTX] #12739778 05/02/18 04:13 PM
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in my area of the country the best way to make grass disappear and ruin the fishing is for 100 or less lakeside home owners to start crying to their congressman about grass around their docks and interfering with their jetski/wake boat/pontoon boat riding....
they will spray the grass and dump thousands of grass carp in the lake...end result is 100 people plus the chemical companies are happy and 30,000 fishermen are pizzed.....

Re: Most common reasons for grass to disappear from a lake? [Re: RedRanger] #12739982 05/02/18 05:54 PM
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My uncle had a lake front on Cedar Creek in the late 80's and the Hydrilla was so thick around the dock it seemed you could damn near drown getting tangled up in it.

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