John Hay

Was at john hay 05/17/2011 and there was dead blue gill, crappie and red ear every where. The ones that you could see swimming around looked sick. they had patches of scales missing and would not dart away like normal. Does anyone know whatisgoing on.:confused:

I saw dead fish at the launch ramp when we got there also, The place was packed. I have to imagine with how much fishing is done on that lake your going to see alot of that where people throw out their fish if they dont like the catch regardless of how they might of kept them until that point.

Thanks for the reply clark but they was all over the lake not just at the ramp but all over. They were not small ones ether we was see'n quality keepers dead on the bottom,floating,and susspended. The ones still swimming or susspended looked sick as hell. Never seen anything like it before.

[QUOTE=RangerBassMan;453728]Thanks for the reply clark but they was all over the lake not just at the ramp but all over. They were not small ones ether we was see'n quality keepers dead on the bottom,floating,and susspended. The ones still swimming or susspended looked sick as hell. Never seen anything like it before.[/QUOTE]
saw exactly that today. there are still live fish also like that with half their body rotted off almost and some of their mouth barely swimming. lake is about normal otherwise. no where to park and everybody and their grandmas there fishing everywhere.

I was at the lake Friday all day and most everyone was not catching any fish at all over very few. I caught ten all day and at about noon the Sheriff was on the lake looking around, said he had reports of dead fish and to check it out. He went around the whole lake but don't know who he reported what he found to. I also saw some messed up fish just swimming around. We caught 3-4 small bass and they seemed ok.

Spoke to a buddy of mine from Salem. He says the City of Salem treated the lake with an aggressive aquatic plant killer that is supposed to be used when the fish are congregated in deep water.... Still this is the water source for Salem, so I can't believe they would use something toxic.

[QUOTE=voyles;454193]Spoke to a buddy of mine from Salem. He says the City of Salem treated the lake with an aggressive aquatic plant killer that is supposed to be used when the fish are congregated in deep water.... Still this is the water source for Salem, so I can't believe they would use something toxic.[/QUOTE]
well it doesnt look like it worked onthe weeds...they look fine and are already matting the top in some places...lol

I realize this is the water source for the city, but maybe we should all ask the city what they are doing. At this time of year the fish are not deep, and as long as I've been fishing this lake the grass/weeds have always been bad. I just hope they haven't harmed the fishing on this lake for all of us fisherman who enjoy fishing John Hay.

I have a uncle that works for the DNR, I know that the lake is city and has nothing to do with the DNR but I will talk to him about testing one or more of the fish. Maybe we can get to the bottom of this cause I've never seen anything like it before. If anyone has any more info it would be great and I would not be eating any of the since we have no clue of what is going on. Thanks guys.

Thanks and I hope we can find out what damage has been done. Anyone fishing the lake please keep us posted as to what you are finding at the lake. I'll be heading to Hardy or other small lakes until I know for sure it is safe to fish John Hays again.

I live in Salem and talk with the City and they have not treaded the lake and then i talked with a COs at the lake on Saturday and they told me that it is a fungus that gets on the fish and it dont happen much and it take the right things for it to happen and it did. Of the fish dead it was 93% Bluegill and Redear.. They told me that fishing was safe..

Anyone fishe the lake over the holiday weekend, and if so how was the fishing. Did you observe any difference in the way the fish acted in the shallows? Trying to decide to fish the lake again or not.