Mussel Die Off_Lake Cumberland?

[FlyLie]

While out on the lake this week, I saw thousands of small, dime sized bits of "white meat" floating on the surface. No shell, just meat. This was new to me. Collected a few and they looked like mussels to me. Stopped by the dam and showed them to a KDFWF employee, who confirmed they were mussels. When asked why they would die off, she said most likely, "lack of oxygen". Interesting......?

As I know nothing about the life cycle of mussels, and not wanted to go off half cocked, thought I would submitt it to the board members for comments. Is this an annual event or unique to this point in time as a result of lake conditions? As Paul Harvey would say "Here's the rest of the story".

Received the following response from KDFWR. (Sounds like it's not a big deal..still, I am concerned about the low oxygen level in the lake.)

EMAIL FROM KDFWR:
This mussel is most likely the Asian clam (see link) and not a freshwater mussel, and this could be confirmed by a photo ID or by the KDFWR staff id.

http://www.inhs.uiuc.edu/cbd/musselm...page174_5.html

They often have dieoffs from low oxygen and sometimes viruses this time of year.

The link above will explain the difference in the freshwater mussel (which needs a fish host) and the asian clam (which reproduces asexually).

Hope this helps.

monte
Monte A. McGregor, Ph.D.
Aquatic Scientist/Malacologist
Kentucky Dept. of Fish & Wildlife Resources
Center for Mollusk Conservation
3761 Georgetown Road, Frankfort, KY 40601
502.573.0330 ext. 221
502.573.0335 fax
502.221.1379 mobile
email: [email protected]

[KMC]

Actually, if the die off only includes Asian Clams and not our native mussels, this is actually a good thing. Though Asian clams are not as insidious as Zebra mussels, they are still an invasive that tends to outcompete our native mussel species for space. This inability to withstand the hot water might be one of the few ways the asian clam does not do better than the natives in our freshwater.

[FlyLie]

Actually, if the die off only includes Asian Clams and not our native mussels, this is actually a good thing. Though Asian clams are not as insidious as Zebra mussels, they are still an invasive that tends to outcompete our native mussel species for space. This inability to withstand the hot water might be one of the few ways the asian clam does not do better than the natives in our freshwater.

I like and agree with your line of thinking, but still think about reduced oxygen levels in the lake. If the mussels (clams) are being killed off due to low Oxygen, the when will it began to affect the fish, i.e. stripers

[HURRICANEBOB]

Terrorism? They smuggle alien clams into our lakes, that mass produce, then die off and scare us all into taking up knitting. The terrorists are making us afraid of our lakes, so we'll be scared to go fishing, and won't buy bass boats, and fishing gear, putting millions of sales people and factory workers on the street, attacking our already weak economy, and creating the ground work for a massivie US only depression. The next phase of the operation will be initiation of a world-wide nightcrawler virus that makes the worms die within 15 minutes of being purchased at Walmart. The final phase, will be the "Suicidal Shiner Syndrome", a psychosomatic conditon taught to adult shiners, and so conveyed to their offspring, that tells them they will only be a success in life if they can swim "through the aerator pump". The first few that try it in a live well are blended up into grape jelly, that insights a mass suicide episode involving all shiners in the live well. I've seen this....it isn't pretty. It's also referred to as "Branch Davidians Bait Psychosis", and can spread to shad, suckers, and gold fish. In extreme cases, game fish, such as Stripers, have been noted to follow the example of the bait fish suicidal frenzie and begin their own massed depression driven death attempts by attacking the propellors of boats in no wakes zones. Expect signs to be posted at Lake Cumberland soon in no wake zones requiring main engines to be turned off and elevated, and the use of trolling motors only until either reach the dock inbound or exiting the zone while outbound.

In anticipation of the public invitation for bid......I'm working on the no wake buys signs in my basement. I don't want the neighbors to see me. They always steal my ideas........

[colonelmeyer]

I was rollin' "full speed" in the old man's sea nymph this spring at KY lake, don't get to excited now, doesn't produce nearly the wake Bob's nitrous pontoons must (it has a 9.9 h.p.), when I was ferociously attacked by an Asian sapper carp. Little butthole hit me right in the shoulder, bounced off and exploded his brain bomb on the corner of the trolling motor battery casing.

[HURRICANEBOB]

I was rollin' "full speed" in the old man's sea nymph this spring at KY lake, don't get to excited now, doesn't produce nearly the wake Bob's nitrous pontoons must (it has a 9.9 h.p.), when I was ferociously attacked by an Asian sapper carp. Little butthole hit me right in the shoulder, bounced off and exploded his brain bomb on the corner of the trolling motor battery casing.

"Kamakasi Carp Syndrome"......see, it's happening already. Next thing ya know we'll have to wear life vests designed as flak jackets! We'll all look like bomber pilots. (The plane...not the boat).

[FlyLie]

In anticipation of the public invitation for bid......I'm working on the no wake buys signs in my basement. I don't want the neighbors to see me. They always steal my ideas........

On NO...Give me a heads up before that stock goes public OTC. Sure want to get a few shares for the wife and grandchildren.

[mhall]

On a serious note fellas I am very converned about the fish this fall. I'm hearing reports of dead ones in various spots on the lake. Nothing overwhelming yet, but man it has hasn't even been hot this year, but we've had entirely too much rain. When they run those sluice gates as much as they have this year it's not a good thing for out striped friends and the walleye.

The lake is much scummier than normal this year to, I have no idea what that's all about. Heck it looked like that mudpie Taylorsville in a couple of spots this year, Yuk.

[FlyLie]

Pro V , any new input from your disscusions with other fisherman on the lake?

[FlyLie]

Was also hoping some of the local fishing guides with experience on the lake would have some input on the subject. But not sure they are members of the board?

[PRO V LE]

Boone, I'll report back when I hear something.

[peter]

Was also hoping some of the local fishing guides with experience on the lake would have some input on the subject. But not sure they are members of the board?

I spoke with a guide fishing near me two weeks ago and I asked him if he thought the stripers were skinny/thin and he said yes. Said he thought the fish were stressed due to the warmer water which at a pretty deep depth was significantly warmer than last year. He said he had seen a bunch of floating fish.

...but then we could talk about if fish float or sink when they die. I know after you hook and release one this time of year they obviously float.

In past years I would catch drum from tine to time. This year I have not nor have I heard of anybody catching one. Don't know if that is the case or what it might mean because seems like they can live anywhere as observed in the Ohio river which gets 84 degrees from top to bottom in the summer.