Zebra Mussels Confirmed in Pelican Lake

[Dave S]

I received word today the MN DNR confirmed that Pelican Lake has Zebra Mussels. Very unfortunate that another lake has fallen victim to an invasive species.

[S.D. Ice Angular]

Yeah They just seem to keep adding up

[#fishhunt#]

Which Pelican?

[GRAND DAD]

Thats really to bad, its seem there is just no stoping this stuff people are just not taking the time to clean there boats.

[fisherdog19]

That's too bad, I guess the water will clear up now.

[Dave S]

Which Pelican?

Southwest of Detroit Lakes.

[DEADhead]

unfortunately the news is true. (Big) Pelican in OTC was just confirmed to have zebra mussels by the regional invasive species specialist out of Fergus.

It's a shame. The whole watershed is at risk now....

[SM1]

Is there anything that can be done to control or get rid of the zebra mussels if they are at an "early" stage of infestation in pelican?

Is there anything that can be done to protect the watershed at this point?

[DHanson]

Not really. Check your boats, drain all water before you leave.

[DEADhead]

once they are discovered, it's pretty much a lost cause, especially since they were likely in the waterbody long before discovery. I've heard form a reliable source that they found what they believe to be three year classes of zebra mussels in Pelican.

Like was mentioned, drain your livewells and wash your boat down thoroughly before each use. Here are a couple of good sources RE: invasives:

Center for Aquatic Nuisance Species

ANS Task Force

Stop Aquatic Hitchhikers

I realize that there is a fair amount of complacency with invasives, especially if none are found in your backyard. Well they are here now in the area: flowering rush and zebra mussels. Hopefully this will renew vigilance and compliance in minimizing the spread of invasives by water recreationaists.

[Dave S]

The Zebra Mussel larvae are microscopic and next to impossible to see with the naked eye. Any wet or moist areas on your boat can carry them and transplant into other lakes.

DEADhead is correct that by the time we actually find them, it's too late. They've been there long before discovery.

[BrianLucky13]

What exactly do these mussels do??? Seems to me the fishing has been great on Pelican and I really dont want it to change. Is this gonna effect the fishery or is gonna be like milfoil and not do anything but look bad???

[JeffB]

From what I have read they don't so much hurt fishing, but cling too things like motors, boats, docks, basically almost anything under water including weeds. They are shap and can cut the feet of swimmers or your hand when pulling in things like anchors. I hope they don't spread to all the area lakes.

[DHanson]

Brian, I am no expert in this field, but I have read into it a little bit. Like what Peter mentioned, zebra mussels can make the water more clear. With Pelican already being pretty clear, it's scary to imagine it being more clear. With the water being more clear, you can expect the weeds to grow deeper with more sunlight reaching deeper depths than normal. Also, I got a chance to talk to a young man who was working for the DNR this summer at various landings about these invasive species. He told me Zebra mussels heavily feed on things like plankton and junk like that. The same food source that sunfish, crappies, perch, and most of all baitfish feed on. So, ultimately this competition for food can and probably will effect some fish. We all know baitfish are important in keeping a healthy fishery.

[Dave S]

DHanson,

did you talk to this person on Big Pelican? Tall kid? Just curious.

[DHanson]

I was on Lake Alexander. Nice kid, forget his name at the moment.

[fshhntr365]

So now Pelican has fallen victim to evasives! Not good. That will follow right down the chain of lakes the river flows through not good either. I fished Cotton last weekend and was wondering what the gelitonash globs on my fire line were. Didn't look like spiny water flea, these were clear globs of goo, with out a defined tail. They were an aquatic organism of some sort, they could swim. Anyone know what this is, or should I bring a sample to the DNR.

[gomer04]

Is there anything that can be done to control or get rid of the zebra mussels if they are at an "early" stage of infestation in pelican?

Is there anything that can be done to protect the watershed at this point?

SM1, there is another way to stop this from spreading around. The other way to get rid of these zebra mussels is that the DNR would have to stock the lake with several millions of dollars of sheephead in the lake just to get rid of them. But like everyone else is saying throughout this forum, the best way to stop it is to make everyone inspect all their watercraft equipment. I am a watercraft inspector in the Pelican Lake area and throughout this internship I have learned a lot of things about these invasive species and what not. Another thing to consider is that its just not us watercraft users that are transporting it from lake to lake, its also all the waterfowl that land in lakes that are infested and transport it to ones that are not infested. If you guys want anymore information about invasive species, let me know and I can help ya out.

[gomer04]

fshhntr are you sure these things could swim? Ive seen this stuff on the back of boats and personal watercraft through the internship and I brought it up to the Invasive species specialist in fergus and he told me that its called rock snot. its small, clear globs of goo like you mention but if you want more information let me know.

[Dave S]

the rock snot as Gomer stated is a form of algae. If it's a swimmer then it could be a type of water lice that can sometimes be found on fish. Check out the cat forum. There was a post about it there.

[Dave S]

I dug back 10 pages in the cat forum to find the thread started by dtro.

CLICK HERE to read up on the findings.

[BrianLucky13]

Thanks guys!!! Doesn't look like its gonna be a major problem.

[RK]

Hiya -

This is real sad news. Zebra mussels are not something you want in a watershed. Yeah, they clear up the water - that's why you can see down 20 feet in places on Erie now. They do so by basically sterilizing it - removing all the organic matter that the food chain starts from. They are incredibly prolific filter feeders, and basically fill the bottom of the food chain up with something nothing else eats. They're murder on line (guys on Erie use wire to build Carolina Rigs for smallmouth bass fishing because the Zebes are so sharp) clog up water intakes for lawn sprinklers, cover dock posts and boat lifts, and can completely cover rock reefs and gravel beds.

Sadly, I have very little faith in anglers' willingness to be inconvenienced enough to do what it takes to stop them from spreading to other lakes in the area. People that are to slobish and lazy to pick up their own garbage aren't likely to take the effort to bleach their bilge and livewell every trip out...

Man, this is a bummer. Inevitable I suppose. But a bummer.

RK

[Dave S]

As Gomer posted earlier, it's not just the boaters that are the ones spreading this. Waterfowl can also carry larvae from the mussels. It doesn't take much moisture to keep them alive for even a couple days.

[BrianLucky13]

I changed my mind after RK. Looks like its gonna be a big problem!!

[fisherdog19]

Sadly, it's just a matter of time before it spreads down stream to Lizzie, Crystal, Lida and whatever watersheds that are connected to them downstream. I would find it hard to believe that they can naturally travel upstream but I'm sure they'll show up in DL, Sallie, Buck, Mill, and Melissa soon

[Jim Panfish Uran]

I would have to agree, we as a culture do nothing until it's too late. Sadly, it will be the same with any invasive species. As much as the DNR spends on educating us, it still isn't enough.

[Musky_Madness]

Sadly, it's just a matter of time before it spreads down stream to Lizzie, Crystal, Lida and whatever watersheds that are connected to them downstream. I would find it hard to believe that they can naturally travel upstream but I'm sure they'll show up in DL, Sallie, Buck, Mill, and Melissa soon

If they haven't started there already

[scsavre]

Man this makes me mad. I was just saying to people that it sure was helping having the dnr guys at the ramps. Which i am sure it does.

So where did they come from? I saw la Homme due (bad spelling)area had them.

I have a cabin on pelican and in the last few years i have been noticing a lot of changes going on out there. Not nearly as many sunnies by our docks, and very few big ones, smaller bass, more smallies less largmouth, less decent sized perch etc etc. It has been getting more clear every year it seems.

that has been going on for awhile though.

Ugh, i am gonna read up on thses stupid things. I know on mn bound or the news, cant remember which, they said these things were horrible for the lake.

Likely another litte gift the darn IPOS brought on there boats for us from the east.

[alwaysonthemove]

I quess I am not fully understanding Zebra mussels. Didn't they help lake erie? The walleye population there is booming. Before Zebra musseles it was a cespool.

So what bad do they do besides grow and clog pipes, that is about all I hear on there devastation.

Just a thought