That's funny, The TPWD says the Zebra's have the potential be worse for our fisheries than Giant salvinia or Golden algae. If you have ever seen a lake that has been affected by Golden algae it should scare the heck out of you.

That's not good. What are the surface temps. right now.

The temp at the time was 89degrees. The lake is hovering around 84 last night in the dark. I found this ZM on the big point on the left leaving highport outside the breakwaters. I killed it. I also called the local fisheries department to make sure it was a ZM. Right now in Texoma ZM should be the only clam or mussel style in the lake that will sit on its back side without falling over and should be the only one that attaches itself to objects with the back of it shell.

Wanted to add those suckers really stick to whatever they attach to. They do not just pull off easy. You have to get a good grip to pull one of or atleast this one did not come of easy.

Hate to be the bearer of bad news but the larvae are probably in every lake in Texas by now. I know here in this area there are numerous guys that fish these two lakes and then go to Fork, Ray Roberts, Cedar Creek, etc. Haven't heard of anyone taking precautions. One of the things I've learned from living in Michigan is they're spread primarily from their larvae being in the water of pumps, live-wells, impellers of jet-skis, engine blocks; not the adults that occasionally stick to the hulls, that's rare. And the few posts I've chimned in on, most just laugh at ya for taking this so serious. Sad thing is they won't laugh in five years when they see what these things do after getting a hold in a lake. One of the main guys on the forum that sets up many of the tourney's in this area jokes about this subject constantly. Sad.

FWIW, my buddy has a boat slip in Catfish Bay at Texoma. Last year we were catching bluegill and sunfish as fast as we could bait a hook as well as an occasional catfish and crappie in the vacant boat slips. We've been up there twice in the last month and haven't caught a fish there and have talked to several people who dock their boats there and they aren't catching any fish either.

I've only seen a few dead fish(mostly catfish) floating in the lake. There does still seem to be an abundance of gar in the marina area as I constantly see them surfacing.

Would/could the zebra mussels have had this quick and significant of an impact on the fishing in this part of Texoma?

Grapevinekid,

No, for a lake the size of Texoma it will take about three to five years for the mussels to cover the bottom and everything connected to the bottom, and then another three to five years to impact the fishery.

This is a ploy to generate revenue in some way...i can smell it. Watch, they will have some sort of zebra muscle water fishin permit you'll hafta buy to launch a boat. Get caught on the water without it...$$$fine$$$ Get caught on uninfested water with it...$$$$fine$$$ My soloution...let lavon get way below pool, water temp will rise and kill em all. Nope..the publicity is for a reason, and that reason is to make $$.

It is inevitable with today's modern transportation system and with the global shipping economy that all species will either become homogeneous, adapt, or lose out through the domination of others.

Nothing much we can do to stop it. Slow it down maybe, assist species in decline maybe, but we cannot stop it.

Dang - another non native species invades our non native lakes !

any updates?

I'm from missouri and they have just been found in our lake on Pomme De Terre, will soon be in Truman Lake as Pomme river drains into Truman.

Hopefully, the Dallas sewer department can finally do something helpful and put a stop to zebra mussels entering downstream of Dallas with their unlawful discharges. It's even hard for gar, turtles and carp to live in that section of the Trinity.

The gates are open on Lavon so water is going downstream into Hubbard. I guess Hubbard gets a warning now.

The gates are open on Lavon so water is going downstream into Hubbard. The gates are open on Hubbard too so water is going downstream. I guess Hubbard gets a warning now...and next.

The Science Channel had a story about zebra mussels in Lake Michigan. Said the whitefish used grow to maturity in less than a year, now take 3-4 years to reach maturity. The ZM's have almost eliminitated the microscopic shrimp that whitefish feed on. Commercial whitefish licenses went from 3500 down to 20 as a result of the reduced catch. The US now spends half billion dollars a year to combat ZM infestations.

Here is an example of what they can do in just under a year. It aint pretty.
http://californiafishingforums.com/download/file.php?id=108

http://californiafishingforums.com/download/file.php?id=107

9 Gates open from Lavon today at 12 inches each. Can you say welcome Zebra Mussels!

can we eat the zebra mussels?

any updates?

Here in PA we have Zebra's in every lake and river. They will clear up the water, they will fray your line and probably will cost commercial water authorities a little money. But they have not ruined any fisheries. In fact from a fishermans point of view Zebra's may improve the fishing. The scientist here have been claiming doom for 15 years now and our lakes may be different but are not worse off. Remember acid rain?

Well....I remember acid.

How do Zebra Mussels taste?

I think very similar to Bald Eagle. Maybe a little more chewy, but still with that almost creamy taste that eagle meat has.