RoseXB03
Active Member
Not sure about Rally time but July and August its very easy to find!! Saw on Facebook a fella caught one lil over 8 yesterday!!
Watts Bar Grass
- Thread starter RoseXB03
- Start date
Allyfishing
Well-Known Member
Is it growing only in certain areas of watts bar or pretty much in the coves?
RoseXB03
Active Member
Holler before then, I will keep ya posted
RoseXB03
Active Member
Mostly coves and inlets, not where main areas of flow are. 3 years ago there was just a little by my ramp, last August it covered nearly the whole inlet. Its growing in coverage rapidly...
Allyfishing
Well-Known Member
I'm coming on down Thursday before Fathers day and stopping at the factory to have a few things done then heading to Terrace. Friday I'm putting in and I'm gonna search those areas for weeds. I may even drop the boat in on Thursday depending what time I get there and go for a sunset cruise (weed hunting). Of course that's right after I drop off the beer at Skewby's!!
RoseXB03
Active Member
Luckily I managed to be off Thursday before to Thursday after, looking forward to it!
Oh yeah don't forget about dropping your grass kill donation, we really appreciate that!!! LOL
Allyfishing
Well-Known Member
bite me!!
I'll make a donation in Craig's name. Maybe we can erect a sign in his honor.
Allyfishing
Well-Known Member
Don't you dare!!! I will not have my good name slandered like that....all the fishermen around watts bar will put a bounty on my head!!! Ben....helllppp!!!!
Craig, I will see if I can find the grass ahead of time. Then you can teach me how to fish the grass. I should be available just about anytime if you need help with anything this year.
Dave Hensley
Well-Known Member
The grass emerges (mats)in late July and August when it peaks. The clearer the water the deeper it grows. It acts as it's own filter and clears the water around it and spreads fast. It is matted up around Kingston park. It will be impossible to get to my dock if I don't do something....which I will. Unless TVA makes it a priority and does mass treatment it is here to stay. Water turbidity and depth keep it out of the main channels. It likes Sugar Valley and Sand Island for obvious reasons.
Allyfishing
Well-Known Member
Sweet!!!
Allyfishing
Well-Known Member
Is there any around in June when we are there that are just not matted but more of what are called submergent? Grass lines that are deep that are not up on the surface yet. How deep to they grow?
Craig, it's been a very mild winter, so it may be so thick in places you wouldn't want to drive through it. As Dave said, the park boat ramps are useless right now.
On the high end, the milfoil - which is not a native plant and brings ecological issues with it - grows to about 8'. One of the biggest side effects of the milfoil is it chokes out the native plants, which some fish & small organisms rely on for food.
http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wq/plants/weeds/milfoil.html
On the high end, the milfoil - which is not a native plant and brings ecological issues with it - grows to about 8'. One of the biggest side effects of the milfoil is it chokes out the native plants, which some fish & small organisms rely on for food.
http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wq/plants/weeds/milfoil.html
Dave Hensley
Well-Known Member
If TVA does get involved, as they did in the early 1990's, it will all be gone. Selective control would be the best solution for all concerned BUT as the weeds take over the clarity of the water allows them to grow deeper. The business opportunity is in a mechanical harvesting system and then sell the spoils as it can be used for compost/fertilizer as it is high in nitrogen and phosphorous. Initial investment is high and as soon as someone decided to make it work TVA would spray.http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wq/plants/management/aqua026.html
Allyfishing
Well-Known Member
I agree, milfoil is not a native plant and does grow rapidly if left unchecked. Any kind of weed growth in a large system like Watts Bar is far more advantageous than none at all. No weed growth or should I say, total destruction of weed growth by global spraying, is far more destructive. Weeds in a place like Wats Bar will create a highly sustainable ecosystem like no other. It will prevent siltation, low oxygen, erosion and a low game fish population.
Weed growth will improve the water quality and provide a food chain whereby all fish populations will thrive. Of course then you will have to deal with a very popular fishery like the surrounding fisheries have experienced.
The Harris chain of lakes underwent a radical weed eradication back in the 80's and it literally killed the fishery and the surrounding economy for many decades. It has just recently made a recovery to where it is today.
Do not allow mass spraying!!
Weed growth will improve the water quality and provide a food chain whereby all fish populations will thrive. Of course then you will have to deal with a very popular fishery like the surrounding fisheries have experienced.
The Harris chain of lakes underwent a radical weed eradication back in the 80's and it literally killed the fishery and the surrounding economy for many decades. It has just recently made a recovery to where it is today.
Do not allow mass spraying!!
Allyfishing
Well-Known Member
The great lakes were saved by zebra mussels which cleaned up and filtered the water and in turn allowed weed growth. You've all heard about the fantastic fishery in the great lakes now.
There's a few lakes in Canada that I've fished since the 80's and have become what looked like a frothy dead sea from over nutrients and weed growth was eliminated. Zebra mussels got into the system (it's part of the Rideau Canal), filtered the water and the weeds made a dramatic rebound and the fishing is getting much much better. More and bigger fish.
Those are examples of where an exotic, zebra mussels, saved a system. You don't need zebra mussels in Watts BAr but you do need weed growth to keep the water clean AND a viable and sustainable fishery.
There's a few lakes in Canada that I've fished since the 80's and have become what looked like a frothy dead sea from over nutrients and weed growth was eliminated. Zebra mussels got into the system (it's part of the Rideau Canal), filtered the water and the weeds made a dramatic rebound and the fishing is getting much much better. More and bigger fish.
Those are examples of where an exotic, zebra mussels, saved a system. You don't need zebra mussels in Watts BAr but you do need weed growth to keep the water clean AND a viable and sustainable fishery.
The thing is, we're not hurting for fish. Introduction of foreign fish have dropped the numbers of some of the native fish, but population of the native species has been pretty flat for quite a while. The milfoil grows 5" a day during the peak season. It would be a full time job to keep it under control. TVA isn't going to pay for that.
Dave Hensley
Well-Known Member
Spray and Pray!!!!
That works in a lot situations.