What is the name of the stuff that's growing out from the bank so thick in the very back of coves like Chaney?

Photos or description? If it's the real thick stuff about 12-18" tall with yellow flowers, it's probably creeping water primrose. Our lake is full of it on the shallow end. Makes a well defined edge that's pretty good for fishing.

That could be it, but I don't remember any flowers. It's about 1-2' tall, extremely thick, and has very few holes in it. I couldn't tell how thick it is under the surface, but I lost a hawg last Wednesday that went into it and got off after hitting my frog just off the weedline.

Flowers are just starting to get thick. We call it "yellow top" locally. Grows in water 4' deep or less.

http://cdn2.arkive.org/media/99/992FBD0A...er-primrose.jpg

Thanks, guys.

Lake Fork Arbor Appreciation Club, a local hobbyist amateur group of men and women botanist, have been dabbling with introducing a beautiful plant called Giant Salvinia in various areas of the lake. Should really add some lush greenery and improve the fishery with growth of the mats spreading. A frog thrower's dream. Only three weeks of growth, but it is thriving I hear....

I do hope you're kidding. We don't need another imported exotic plant screwing up Lake Fork and other Texas lakes.

THREAT:

Giant salvinia is an aquatic plant native to southeastern Brazil, which grows in freshwater. It was probably introduced into the U.S. for use in fish aquariums and/or landscaping. This plant is a federally listed noxious weed. Giant salvinia reproduces vegetatively, in this country. As plants mature, the stems fragment, with each fragment producing more growth. In this way, giant salvinia reproduces rapidly, capable of doubling its numbers in 2 to 10 days. New plants can grow from very small plant fragments. Giant salvinia grows in still and slow-moving water and and withstand dewatering, as dormant buds. Giant salvinia does not appear to survive the formation of ice on the water, although it can tolerate freezing air temperatures. The
thick mats formed by giant salvinia can grow up to 3 feet deep and become very large (one has been measured to be 96 square miles in area). These mats can displace native vegetation, prevent sunlight from entering the water, cause oxygen depletion of the water body (affecting the
survival of fish and invertebrate species), clog water intakes and diminish recreational use of the water.

DESCRIPTION:

Giant salvinia is a floating, rootless aquatic fern. It has horizontal stems that float just below the surface of the water. At each node on the stem, the plant produces a pair of floating leaves. These leaves are green, oval to ovate in shape, and � to 1 inch in diameter. A highly divided, brown leaf is also produced and these dangle below the stem, sometimes being mistaken for roots. The upper surfaces of the floating leaves are covered in rows of white, bristly hairs. These hairs split into four tiny strands that rejoin at the tips, giving the hairs an eggbeater-like appearance (4 species of salvinia share this characteristic and all are on the federal
noxious weed list; only giant salvinia has been found in the U.S., so far). When young the green leaves float flat on the water. As the plants age, the leaves fold and compress into upright chains.

MANAGEMENT OPTIONS:

Like all aquatic weeds, control is difficult and eradication may be unrealistic. To prevent the spread of any aquatic plants, trailers, boats and fishing gear should be carefully inspected to avoid transporting plant materials between water bodies. Small infestations can be manually or mechanically removed, but care must be taken to prevent plant fragments from escaping and further spreading the plant. The use of herbicides may be effective on small areas but may not control large infestations. Work is currently underway to test a biological control agent.

If those "botanists" are actually doing this, they should plan on some jail time. TP&W will most likely prosecute. Please tell me you're simply yanking my chain.

I just cant believe it....unintended consequences....here we go. Got to stop stuff like this....

too late someone done did it for sure I see it up dam aera

Obviously the botanists post was a chain yanker...

if its giant salvinia , you could get a very large fine and run the risk of having equipment confiscated if you are caught spreading it around. It is a VERY invasive (think kudzu in Ala. Miss) water plant that takes no prisoners. On Toledo Bend it is showing up in spots. Tx P&W and La P&W will come spray where it is reported. The problem is that when they spray the salvinia, they spray everything. Kind of like broadcast spraying round up to control a dandelion.
Its very heavy and thick. I have not caught a fish out of it yet. Dunno why

At least they're not bringing in grass carp.....yet, anyway.

You had me going for a while there. I'm sure glad you were doing that!

One of the big reasons for the lack of hydrilla on Fork is because of spraying to kill out the giant salvinia that invaded the lake several years ago. There were floating "pods" of it larger than a car out there.

they sprayed the hyacinth not salvinia.....