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Re: Spraying Grass at Fork today [Re: BassBucknBeer] #12829062 07/15/18 03:59 PM
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Contact this TPWD biologist. He oversees Lake Fork. He will know what is going on and/or he can put you in contact with John Fendeisen.

Kevin Storey
District Supervisor
2122 Old Henderson Hwy.
Tyler, Texas 75702
(903) 593-5077
kevin.storey@tpwd.texas.gov
http://www.facebook.com/InlandFisheriesTylerNorthDistrict

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Re: Spraying Grass at Fork today [Re: BassBucknBeer] #12829400 07/15/18 11:07 PM
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Im not sure why or where they are spraying, the hydrilla I found in the early spring was completely gone when I went to fish it at night a few weeks ago. These were large areas in 6 feet of water. Gone except for shoreline growth that is a foot deep.

Did I miss a flood? That what TPWD usually claims when hydrilla is killed.

Re: Spraying Grass at Fork today [Re: Gamblinman] #12829428 07/15/18 11:44 PM
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Originally Posted By: Gamblinman
Originally Posted By: Razorback
Originally Posted By: RedEar12
Somebody sprayed something in 99 because it killed grass out to 20 over the Whole lake. Then they started floating.


Exactly. Isn't it quite the coincidence that LMB virus hit at the same time all the grass died.


Lake Fork has never recovered from it either. Those that fished Fork before the spraying began know what I mean. I realize all lakes lose some of their productivity as they age, but this was a significant and major change from which it never recovered.

I've watched them spray and they aren't selective.


they have killed the fishing at every lake they have ever sprayed....Eufaula,chickamauga,guntersville,conroe,harris chain,santee-cooper and others I can't recall.......hydrilla provides cover for the fish population in our aging reservoirs and enables fish to thrive on what would otherwise be barren mud flats....
why can't our fishery biologists see the benefit of hydrilla?....none of us have any problem with them spraying around boat docks but to spray randomly and dump grass carp in the lake is no different that letting someone cut all the trees down in a national forest...we would never allow that to be done because of the devastating effect on wildlife...so what's the difference....I'm pretty sure it's chemical companies lobbying influence/campaign contributions....

Re: Spraying Grass at Fork today [Re: BassBucknBeer] #12830003 07/16/18 02:47 PM
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This is a pretty interesting video about Big O in FL about the grass spraying and problems down there.

https://youtu.be/_vWPVUjzBaI


The day after catching a lot of fish is still a good day.



Re: Spraying Grass at Fork today [Re: BassBucknBeer] #12830049 07/16/18 03:23 PM
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Here is a currently approved (by TPWD)list of treatments for aquatic invasives in Texas. All waterbodies, target species, dates, acreage and means (chemical, biological, mechanical).

I can't speak to the past, but very limited hydrilla is being targeted today. The chemicals they're spraying on Fork right now should not kill any hydrilla. Also, LMBV is present in over 20 Texas lakes and several hatcheries. But it has only caused fish kills in 5 of those lakes. I can't find this data for 1998-2002 when the LMBV reared it's ugly head. However, I believe drought and low dissolved oxygen levels had a lot more to do with the loss of hydrilla in 1998-1999 than did spraying. Those were two of the hottest years in Texas modern history. The winters were also brutal. I may be wrong. I'm getting older and memory ain't what it used to be. I'll take targeted spraying over grass carp any day.

https://tpwd.texas.gov/landwater/water/environconcerns/nuisance_plants/treat_proposals.phtml


"Things turn out best for those who make the best of the way things turn out" - Zachary Troy Schrah - a young man with vision far beyond his years.
Re: Spraying Grass at Fork today [Re: fouzman] #12830132 07/16/18 04:49 PM
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Rog Offline
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Originally Posted By: fouzman
Here is a currently approved (by TPWD)list of treatments for aquatic invasives in Texas. All waterbodies, target species, dates, acreage and means (chemical, biological, mechanical).

I can't speak to the past, but very limited hydrilla is being targeted today. The chemicals they're spraying on Fork right now should not kill any hydrilla. Also, LMBV is present in over 20 Texas lakes and several hatcheries. But it has only caused fish kills in 5 of those lakes. I can't find this data for 1998-2002 when the LMBV reared it's ugly head. However, I believe drought and low dissolved oxygen levels had a lot more to do with the loss of hydrilla in 1998-1999 than did spraying. Those were two of the hottest years in Texas modern history. The winters were also brutal. I may be wrong. I'm getting older and memory ain't what it used to be. I'll take targeted spraying over grass carp any day.

https://tpwd.texas.gov/landwater/water/environconcerns/nuisance_plants/treat_proposals.phtml


Grass died in April/May the year of the fish kill on Fork was there every week....started seeing it die in birch in late March by June it was mostly gone or looked really bad on the dale ridge and around little caney. Reports back then of grass being sprayed but never confirmed. But lots of rumors and talk of spraying at night. Back then the grass grew out to 20 fow at the mouth of little caney. So a 5 foot drop in water level shouldnt have killed all of it due to drought. However I can see spraying the mass amounts in the shallows and it dying causing the dissolved oxygen to lower and having secondary results. Perhaps just a normal cycle of nature and the perfect storm/timing at the end of the spawn. Dont forget the massive push to rid the state of hydrilla back then.....just sayin. They say what they spray on the hyacinth doesnt kill other submergent except we see otherwise in the real world on the water after they spray.

Re: Spraying Grass at Fork today [Re: BassBucknBeer] #12830145 07/16/18 04:59 PM
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fouzman Offline
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I was there then, too. Just can't recall but I believe the winter of 1998-1999 was brutally cold in NE Texas. Grass started dying off after that. And August of 1999 was one of the hottest on record. Fish didn't start dying off until summer, right? Never did see any of the spraying at the time, but that doesn't mean it didn't happen on a large scale.


"Things turn out best for those who make the best of the way things turn out" - Zachary Troy Schrah - a young man with vision far beyond his years.
Re: Spraying Grass at Fork today [Re: BassBucknBeer] #12830157 07/16/18 05:13 PM
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Lakes in other southern/southeastern states were also affected by the LMBV. It was a widespread issue, and not all affected lakes were spraying. Coincidnce or imperfect memory fuels a cycle of confirmation bias.

I wasnt there, but I have read articles from a few states about it, it seemed to follow the weather patterns Fouz identifies.


David Burton
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Re: Spraying Grass at Fork today [Re: BassBucknBeer] #12830164 07/16/18 05:20 PM
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Was up in Birch yesterday and it didn't look good. What little hydrilla was there was dead. I was pulling globs of it up with my lure. A lot of the banks vegetation were wilted and turning brown(see picture). I haven't been back there since last year but it was loaded with healthy hydrilla.



Re: Spraying Grass at Fork today [Re: fouzman] #12830232 07/16/18 06:17 PM
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Originally Posted By: fouzman
I was there then, too. Just can't recall but I believe the winter of 1998-1999 was brutally cold in NE Texas. Grass started dying off after that. And August of 1999 was one of the hottest on record. Fish didn't start dying off until summer, right? Never did see any of the spraying at the time, but that doesn't mean it didn't happen on a large scale.


The kill started in June. It may have been a cold winter but winters before that one were colder. Like freeze the north end of Ray Hubbard solid cold and giant ice balls on trees at Fork cold. The grass was growing and beautiful just like always until mid March that year. Then it turned black and started dying. By mid May it was covered black algae and you couldnt find green grass anywhere or fish in typical areas. Fishing was tough for most and reports were early post spawn go offshore for suspended fish. I recall seeing lots of floaters, more than normal, in late April and early May but initially wrote it off to the crowds, live bait guys, or other. Fishing was tough that spring as I recall. Evethough it is fishing great now it still is nothing like the years just before that year. Miss those griant schools of giant fall bass tearing up the back of the creeks and big mustang......still dont get the need to spray the areas shown in the pics on this thread.....

Re: Spraying Grass at Fork today [Re: David Burton] #12830269 07/16/18 06:41 PM
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Originally Posted By: David Burton
Lakes in other southern/southeastern states were also affected by the LMBV. It was a widespread issue, and not all affected lakes were spraying. Coincidnce or imperfect memory fuels a cycle of confirmation bias.

I wasnt there, but I have read articles from a few states about it, it seemed to follow the weather patterns Fouz identifies.


I read those articles too. They dont align with Fork kill. Kill started in June. It was a drier year that year but no where close to recent times, lake was almost full at the time of the kill, and it wasnt in the 100s for temps yet. Curiously the year of the kill on Rayburn, the year before fork, the grass also died and then the fish kill occurred. Cant speak about other lakes. It is a known fact that during that period a major push was being made to rid the state of invasive grass such as hydrilla. Jerry Dean wrote abote it in Honey Hole and was pushing for nonchemical methods such as that big mechanical harvester he had on one of his shows. I will always believe a little more than coincidence or bad memory........although mine seems to be fading a bit. smile

Re: Spraying Grass at Fork today [Re: BassBucknBeer] #12830283 07/16/18 06:53 PM
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Rog, has anyone ever documented spraying at Fork during that time? I can't find TPWD records that far back. Maybe Mr. Allen from the Lake Fork Sportsman's Association will know. I do know the grass died and then the bass died. Still wondering what killed the grass. A large-scale die off of vegetation can certainly lead to lower dissolved oxygen levels. Especially in the hotter months of summer. That's why chemical treatments are typically confined to smaller areas and spread out across a lake.


"Things turn out best for those who make the best of the way things turn out" - Zachary Troy Schrah - a young man with vision far beyond his years.
Re: Spraying Grass at Fork today [Re: BassBucknBeer] #12830307 07/16/18 07:01 PM
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The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department in conjunction with the Sabine River Authority have begun herbicide treatments of water hyacinth on Lake Fork through a private contractor. This is a different contractor than last year and we have a high level of confidence in their abilities. TPWD conducted a survey on June 12, 2018 and estimated the water hyacinth coverage to be approximately 150 acres for the entire reservoir, with much of the water hyacinth near the shorelines and mixed with other, shoreline-emergent vegetation. A vegetation treatment proposal was submitted immediately following the survey and contracted herbicide treatments began last week. These treatments will be conducted every other week until the end of August.

Water hyacinth is highly susceptible to 2,4-D; thus the primary reason for using this herbicide at Lake Fork. Additionally, 2,4-D has little to no effect on hydrilla, due to active ingredient and application method (a foliar spray above the waters surface). There is going to be some collateral damage to non-target vegetation (American lotus for example) that is mixed with the water hyacinth but will be minimized to the treatment areas. The plan is to eliminate as much of the water hyacinth as possible with the first treatment, then follow-up with routine treatments every two weeks. These follow-up treatments should always treat less plants than the previous treatment. We have had good success following this type of plan on water hyacinth at other lakes (Lake Corpus Christi, Choke Canyon Reservoir, Sheldon Reservoir).

Water hyacinth, like giant salvinia, can cover entire coves, shading out all submersed vegetation, creating low oxygen areas, and prohibiting angler access. Many of you may remember how thick the water hyacinth was last year in the upper ends of Birch and Running creeks. The negative effects of these large water hyacinth mats far outweigh the any impacts to non-target, emergent plants from the herbicide treatments. Our goal is to gain control of the water hyacinth, eventually minimizing the amount of herbicide used in the future to maintain control.

TPWD surveyed the White Oak Creek section of Lake Fork and did not find any giant salvinia both inside and outside of the boom. However, there was quite a bit of other vegetation in those areas, making spotting individual giant salvinia plants difficult. We will continue to monitor the giant salvinia situation. I realize the boom is an inconvenience, but it is necessary for containment until we know for sure the giant salvinia has been eradicated, again. Unfortunately, we will not know for sure until the other vegetation goes dormant in the late fall/early winter. It was this same time of year that the giant salvinia was discovered in Chaney Branch and White Oak Creek. We are purchasing some smaller boom material that should be easier to cross over.

While we regret any inconvenience the boom or herbicide treatments may create, we believe it necessary to address a potentially severe problem for boaters and anglers. Please understand we are working to rapidly gain control of both giant salvinia and water hyacinth while we have the opportunity. If you have any further questions, please contact me via email (John.Findeisen@tpwd.texas.gov) or phone (409-698-9121 ext 235). Please note I will be away from the office this week and next but will check email as internet connections allow.

John Findeisen
Aquatic Invasive Species Biologist
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
Inland Fisheries Aquatic Habitat Enhancement
900 CR 218
Brookeland, TX 75931
Phone: 409.698.9121 ext 235 (AHE Brookeland)
John.Findeisen@tpwd.texas.gov


John Findeisen
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
Inland Fisheries Division - Aquatic Habitat Enhancement
900 CR 218
Brookeland, TX 75931
409.698.9121 ext. 235
Re: Spraying Grass at Fork today [Re: BassBucknBeer] #12830313 07/16/18 07:05 PM
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Thank you, sir.


"Things turn out best for those who make the best of the way things turn out" - Zachary Troy Schrah - a young man with vision far beyond his years.
Re: Spraying Grass at Fork today [Re: BassBucknBeer] #12830382 07/16/18 08:13 PM
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thanks for letting us know what is going on.


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