winterkill on schoolgrove

[heat checker]

Only saw 1 walleye and 1 crappy when I checked SG today. Got a bad feeling the walleyes were dead before the water started running and made oxygen for the carp to "hoard to", but I geuss time will tell. Heard anything about test netting to see if anything is left?

[broken_line]

not the main lake but one of the back sloughs had dead minnows in it. i have a funny feeling that the netting out all those carp might have saved a few gamefish that swam back to the areas that 90% of the carp were removed from just a thought. because the tiles on the south side of the lake have no fish in them and the one has a good 3 foot drop over rocks bring highly oxegnated water into the lake and the 26" outlet in the north east bay is running full, there have been no fish sucked aginst the screen. YET anyone have any good ice out guesses? i say 3 to 4 more warm days and it will bust up on most lakes.

[hamrej23]

I drove by SG also yesterday- saw one eye and about 15 crappies, otherwise just carp and channels.

I have a bad feeling that the gamefish died a while ago and went to the bottom.

After seeing all those carp and rough fish I don't know that this can hurt the lake down the road.

[broken_line]

anyone have any idea on what they will do with the lake this spring? re stock it? or kill the whole thing off?

[mikemertins]

hi Im one of the commercial fishermen who seined on school grove this winter. I figured I would make everyone feel better about this winter kill by telling you there was not many game fish in this lake beside some catfish, crappie, and very few small walleyes. We took over 100,000 pounds of rough fish out of the lake and only put a dent in them we where hoping to come in this fall and take the rest out but the hard winter took care of them instead.

[LOTWSvirgin]

Where you the guy who seined Loon by Jackson too??

[mikemertins]

No that was a different crew from the same area I live.

[hockey_19pro]

I'm from Marshall and I heard that the sportsman's club had an aerator out there...but it didn't work when they put it in. IF this really was the case, a big part of the blame would go to the sportsman's club. HOWEVER, from what I could see of SG and the fishing I've done there growing up, this was probably a good thing for the lake. Give the lake a chance to start over and stock it with walleye and crappie, throw some NOP and maybe a couple muskie in a few years down the road if the bullhead problem comes back (a lot of bullheads before die off). Natural disturbances like these are normal for lakes and usually benefit them in the long run...don't get your undies in a bunch just yet, lets see what comes out of this first.

[RayG]

Anyone here of other lakes in the Marshall area that had significant winterkills? Some of the O2 levels looked pretty low in february.

[Rick]

Typically bullheads will be the longer lived species during low O2 winterkill levels.

[MN Shutterbug]

Typically bullheads will be the longer lived species during low O2 winterkill levels.

Go figure.

[Eric Wettschreck]

Typically bullheads will be the longer lived species during low O2 winterkill levels.

At first glance this may be bad, but long term this isn't as bad as many may think.

Think bait.

Winterkills have been happening in these shallow lakes for long before we've all been here. Yeah, it's a drag to see floating sportfish but let mother nature work her magic here and we'll see what happens come May.

[broken_line]

could do this every day in july with about any lure they could fit in their mouth. minnows, rapalas, spinners, road runners and flys.

good day in early febuary.

all these are since ice out last spring. we have probably caught and released 100 crappie this summer along with 80 catfish.

[broken_line]

[muc33]

Remember the sportsmans club also has to pay to run O2 systems in that lake, and buy the system. Have you ever priced one of those out? Many clubs struggle to keep the funds to simply operate. Don't be too harsh on them. Memberships are key. Join a club like this today and make a difference. If you don't like what they are doing, become more involved in the club and expand your voice.