Just saw on the news tonight that Buffalo Springs Lake is getting hit again with an algae bloom. I haven't been out there since last spring, anybody have a recent report? From what I saw on the news, it doesn't look to be as bad as the one three years ago. I was at Mackenzie Park the other day and saw a lot of dead shad and bluegill. I caught a lot of bass though, and I sure hope there's not a bloom going on there too. Didn't see any dead bass, cats, or carp, just shad and bluegill. It seems like every spring there is a fish die off that I assume isn't connected to golden algae, so maybe it's not GA in this case at Mackenzie too ... though I know last year around this time there was a big golden algae kill at Dunbar Historical lake, and it stayed confined mainly to just there. And I hope that is the case with what's going on now, that it doesn't effect all the Canyon Lakes ... especially since I've just discovered them and am looking forward to trying them all this spring!

Didn't see the news a 6 tonight. But I was afraid of something like this. The bloom is always in the lake and lck of rain fall or fresh water seems like it activates it. I was on the lake at Buffalo a couple of years ago when the bloom started and saw 10lb bass and carp 30 to 40 pounds floating up. Not a good sign for the local parks.

I was just out to Buffalo Springs last week and saw dozens of carp around the boat ramp, along with some some shad. At first, I thought it must be the huge flocks of goose and ducks killing the fish, and just a strange coincidence, bird cr@p all over the place, but when I looked as I cruised the lake (just running my boat for a while) I realized it was a bad deal. I missed the newscast talking about the algea, but from what I saw, it makes sense. Also, I would like to know what you catch the fish on at Mackenzie. I have tried topwater poppers, worms, and fly fishing wooly buggers, but come up short (save a couple of small carp). I would love some tips on catching bass at these local ponds. I am President of a fishing club at Tech, and would love to take some of the new fishermen to a place where I can at least teach them how to catch some fish. I haven't found much productive water outside of Alan Henry so far. Thanks for the help, and I join in the hopes against the algae.

Contact me personally at zachary.n.renfro@ttu.edu

If you had your boat in Buffalo I'd be sure you clean it very well before putting it on another lake. I don't know that there is any conclusive proof that it's transported that way but not worth taking any chances IMO.

TPW recommends that you wash your boat and triler and run bleach thru your livewell before going to another lake.

David

I will most certainly clean the boat throughout before taking it to other lakes. I didn't know about full cleaning, but will bleach, etc. before taking elsewhere.

Thanks,
Zach

Your right SDF,i went for a few minuets Sun morning.Dead and dying fish everywhere.More Gulls than I have ever seen.Doesnt look good.TPWD had a report last week I didnt see untill today


Golden Alga Bloom Status Reports

Please note: Evidence of a fish kill due to golden alga may be difficult to track and discover. Large numbers of small fish may be killed, and predators such as birds and raccoons can eat the large dead fish before they are observed or counted. Additionally, the dead fish sink below the surface very quickly; this also interferes with complete counts. For this reason, an area that had large numbers of dead fish one day may show nothing the next day, while other areas that are without dead fish may have large numbers of fish die soon after. These rapid changes necessitate quick notification of kills. Accurate numbers are only as good as the evidence available on the scene. The public is asked to please report all dead or dying fish and wildlife as soon as possible to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Call one of the 24-Hour Communications Centers (512-389-4848 (Austin) or 281-842-8100 (Houston)), one of the Kills and Spills Team biologists, or your local Game Warden.

February 22, 2006: Brazos River Basin

Brazos River Basin: Inland Fisheries staff in Canyon, Texas investigated a fish kill at Buffalo Springs Lake outside of Lubbock. Types of fish killed included shad, largemouth bass, and strippers. Hundreds of gulls were feeding at the lake. Water samples were collected; golden alga is suspected. More information will be posted as it becomes available

Has anyone followed up to see if the fish kill is still going on? I'm planning on visiting Lubbock the first of April and wanted to fish Buffalo Springs from the bank. Hope it was only a minor kill. TPWD doesn't have a follow up to their earlier report.

Thanks for any information.

Had two employees out there today that said there was dead fish everywhere.

Thanks jared. Looks like I'll have to skip the fishing part of my trip and just visit with my grandsons.

Today I checked out the Canyon Lakes near 19th, lots of dead fish floating. Mostly dead cats and shad, some carp and bluegill. Saw a dead bass that looked like it must have been close to five lbs, and another nearby that might have been around three. I sure wish I had discovered the bass fishing there last spring intstead of this one. Lots of live carp in there though, in one little drainage inlet area I saw what must have been thousands of them in the channel (spawning maybe?). So many that it looked like the water was churning with them. Mostly little dark colored ones, with even some big goldfish in there too ... I've never seen so many fish in one place before! Amongst all of those I saw one little catfish, the only sign I saw of a live gamefish. Also fished Mackenzie Park today, but no bites. At the same time I saw no new dead fish, but saw a lot of shad in the water flopping around like crazy ... hopefully not dying from the GA. So it looks like that maybe north of 19th street things in that waterway aren't as bad.

Sad to hear. We used to spend our college days down under the trees there to the east of Ave Q on the Canyon lakes. You could flip a little jig out with a fly rod and catch 200 perch a day. Good times.

Had some success with bass along the reeds out of a Bass Buster. Used to be a secret honey hole.

Today I went to the canyon lake north of Mackenzie State Park, Camanchero Lake I believe it's called. Saw no signs of a fish kill, and the water didn't have the nasty appearance that the one north of 19th street did; the water looked fairly clear, at least as clear as it ever gets round here. I also didn't see any dead fish in the spillway. I didn't get any bites or see any signs of fish either, but it was in the afternoon, maybe they just weren't biting (I was only there for an hour). Also at Mackenzie I didn't see any newly dead fish. So I think it may be quite possible that the golden algae outbreak isn't affecting the Canyon Lakes north of 19th street.

Any more information on Buffalo Springs? Things don't sound good there.