What is the bubbler at the Lake Grapevine dam officially there for? Is it there to attract fish, as some sort of preventative maintenance for the dam, to aerate the lake (far-fetched, but if that was the case, I would expect it on the other end so the aerated water would flow down the lake) or what? And what releases the bubbles? Is it below the lake-bed, or is it piping above the lake-bed that would be a hazard to anchor on. I have a large pontoon boat with no trolling motor, so have considered anchoring, but I have gotten a lure snagged fishing the bottom there. I also noticed this weekend that there is a rope with a bottle tied to it. We used that to anchor. Is that someone's anchor that got caught and they cut it, or did they just tie a rope to a couple of concrete blocks with the sole purpose of leaving it there to tie to?

Great question! I just E-mailed Craig Edmonston at the Corps office based on your posting. I'll reply with his response once he does, so we can finally know the real reason for the "bubbler". I wouldn't dare anchor around it, no telling what is down there.

And their reply:

Thank you for your interest in and continued use of Grapevine Lake. We are always happy to hear from visitors.



In reference to your interest in the aerator, please take a look at the Website www.ci.grapevine.tx.us/Portals/0/Public%20Works/Water_Wastewater/WaterDistributionDamAerator.pdf. It notes that the aerator started operation in 1985 and has been operational since. The aerator works to keep the water supply intake clean of sediment, reduces chemicals that can provide malodor and bad taste in drinking water, and works to reduce overall costs for water treatment.



Though not noted at that Web address, fishing near the bubbles is some of the best on the lake, especially for catfish.



If you have any more questions, please let me know.



Thank you,

Stephen Perrin
Natural Resource Specialist - Park Ranger
Grapevine Lake
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
(817) 865-2607
(817) 865-2601 fax

Cool.

Unrelated, and no one will probably believe this, but my grandparents used to live in Canton, which pulled their water from canton lake. One day the kitchen faucet stopped up. My grandfather took the screen off of the end of the faucet and a dead but intact minnow fell out.

i dont believe it. my dad has worked for a water plant for many years and i have seen where it comes from, what happens to it, and where goes. there is no way a fish or anything like that could make it thru. i guess there could have been a break in the water line where a minnow swam in.

Great info. Thanks

A lot of catfishers will drop a large anchor with a floating rope or a jug tied to it. That way they don't have to use their own anchor each time. Especially if it is in a rocky bottom area where they might get hung up. (several cinder blocks tied together or any big heavy object that will hold a boat from flaoting away in high winds.) I would say you prolly found a very good place to catch fish!!!

That's awesome info! Thanks!

I think there's getting to be quite a pile of stuff down there. I have seen a few folks lose there anchors on it. I have contributed some nice slabs to it, (a very nice TNT last weekend). It would be nice if we could leave a tie line there but the ski nuts will complain and it will go away. I wonder if someone with an SI unit could give it a scan just see what all is down there? I watched Ish Monroe win Mucho Money there one summer with the BassMasters. Bass, Cats, Sandies, Shad and recently been hearing of Smallies being caught in that area.

I've scanned it but the bubbles block most everything. Would be interesting sometime with the bubbles off.

I know I lost 2 anchors down there. One of the cost me a little over hundred bucks!!

I have done it with my 997,it is hard to get a good view of it because of the bubbles,but it does show a ton of fish around it,I will try and get it posted it sometime,the rockcrusher is more fun to sideimiage.

Hey Skeeter,
That would be cool to see the SI of the fish at the bubbles.
Any way you could be so kind as to give the coords on the crusher? I think I've mapped it but not sure.

big mack you have mail.