Are we all aware of what’s going on in Florida??

[DaveBrabec]

They have been doing that for years here at Clearlake and the Delta. I contacted Ca fish and Wildlife about it at least 10 years ago. Their answer was it doesnt effect enough of the lake at once to make a difference.Why the need to spray in late fall make no sense here because all the weeds die off in winter anyways.Most of all the water companies around the lake draw water off the lake and really makes me wonder what we are showering ourselves with. The outflow of Clearlake goes right into the rice fields in the valley and also wonder how much at risk chemicals also go into the rice fields. Think about that with your next bowl of rice!!

[bschwoep]

They have been doing that for years here at Clearlake and the Delta. I contacted Ca fish and Wildlife about it at least 10 years ago. Their answer was it doesnt effect enough of the lake at once to make a difference.Why the need to spray in late fall make no sense here because all the weeds die off in winter anyways.Most of all the water companies around the lake draw water off the lake and really makes me wonder what we are showering ourselves with. The outflow of Clearlake goes right into the rice fields in the valley and also wonder how much at risk chemicals also go into the rice fields. Think about that with your next bowl of rice!!

There was just an article about baby food with rice testing positive for a lot of harmful chemicals. The rice soaks up a lot of contaminants.

[NitroZ7]

If they are spraying it into any lake then it will eventually find its way into the aquifer which can spread the chemicals into drinking water all over the state. This should be a concern for all residents even if they do not fish.

[Jfish]

Corporate farms and golf courses over fertilize and create runoff which is "non source point" pollution which causes explosive weed growth in lakes and ponds. Then lakefront property owners complain and the weeds are sprayed.

I agree, but I think the millions of homeowners also factor into the equation with their regular "Lawn Care" treatments. Years ago, many mulched and used a weedeater, now the chemical companies have sold us on a solution for everything.

[IndianaBassMan]

Is it definitely roundup? I didn’t think roundup was approved for use in water. Would definitely be illegal to the best of my knowledge.

It is absolutely not Round Up like you use on your property

[jfunston]

People have 0 consciousness about the wildlife unless it messes up their recreational space/ terrible and the DNR has displayed all they care about is what the wealthy want

[AKRISONER]

.It’s not about keeping the waters navigable anymore

How in the hell is this even an argument that can be made?

Boat traffic keeps waters navigable much like a back trail through the bush. Come fish the home lake of the Johnston Brother's its shallow and absolutely full of grass, wild rice (planted illegally by some members of curve lake reserve) and milfoil. She gets a bit choked up come late summer, but anywhere in the main navigation channel even in the super shallow choked out sections is still passable. The fact that this practice is even considered in 2019 is absolutely friggin mindblowing to me.

Spraying a "safe" agent orange in your freshwater...mind frigging blowing

[Frogchunker]

How in the hell is this even an argument that can be made?

Boat traffic keeps waters navigable much like a back trail through the bush. Come fish the home lake of the Johnston Brother's its shallow and absolutely full of grass, wild rice (planted illegally by some members of curve lake reserve) and milfoil. She gets a bit choked up come late summer, but anywhere in the main navigation channel even in the super shallow choked out sections is still passable. The fact that this practice is even considered in 2019 is absolutely friggin mindblowing to me.

Spraying a "safe" agent orange in your freshwater...mind frigging blowing

Yes,back in the 80’s that how it was..whole lake would be covered in grass..except for boat trails,fishing was great

[DrewFlu33]

They do the same damn thing here in Minnesota. You'll be out on an amazing bite during the week on clear water with beautiful vegetation and active fish, then come back Saturday to be greeted by the bright orange signs at the landing. You know it's going to be a fun day then. Put the boat in the water and you're greeted with suddenly brown-stained water, and the smell...it's a mixture of rotting fish (because lots of fish die when they poison the lakes, who would've guessed that?) and decomposing vegetation. The brown stain to the water remains until ice up, and several weeks after spraying the areas that have been sprayed have their floating black pieces of vegetation replaced by a thick layer of black muck caked on the bottom of the lake that smells like Satan's *******. The bass fishing is garbage for a week or so after they spray, and the fish have sores and otherwise remain comparatively unhealthy for the remainder of the season on lakes that are sprayed vs those that are not.

But hey, at least the homeowners don't have weeds touching their tootsies when they go for a swim? Suppose no one ever told them about how much more harmful chemicals can be when absorbed through the skin versus being eaten...no digestive process to break them down first.

It makes me sick to see it around here, and I'm confident it's worse in Florida.

Whoever said that someone is making money is right! The companies that get contracted to do the spraying must make a mint off of it as they're everywhere and new ones pop up every year as the list of lakes getting sprayed grows longer and longer. "We only spray in isolated areas!" Guess the water doesn't move throughout the lake, does it? That wind that was blowing when you were poisoning the lake has no effect on where the poison goes whatsoever...

[BackLash625]

We have the same issues here in Indiana. All the farm run-off makes us 50th in U.S. water quality. Farming trumps fishing here so we deal with it by traveling to other states to fish.

[Ranger-85]

tax $$$$$$$$$$$$ in action

[wildturkey]

Happened in the late 80s on Tva lakes. They said no problem.

[kry29]

Well, I sent BASS an email, will probably send the Florida reps an email too. Not something I ever do, ever, but we all should take note of this. If theres money to be made it wont be long till its happening on the waters you fish and nobody will try to stop this except us.

[Casslaw]

It’s really bad. The fish kill in Okeechobee a couple months ago was disgusting to see. I’m sure the video will pop up. We are the stewards of our waters and have to do more.

[LewStulePH.D.]

Bonus Question:

What is the one thing the human body needs?

Hint #1: Your body below the neck is about 70% above the neck 80% what is it?

Hint #2: Your boat floats on it.

Hint #3: The thing You cast to is:

[NoCAL]

I am on board with hating sprays and the kinds of photos shown in the OP. However, I also can see the point of cleaning out the weeds. Here in CA we have invasive water hyacinth that literally chokes off the marinas so people can't get their boats out of the slips. I had one time in the Delta, where everything was fine when I launched at low tide but at high tide the weeds had come back in to the ramp and I could not get my boat straight on the trailer because of the weeds. Do a Google search on Stockton Port Weeds and then select images. I don't offer a solution because I don't know one. But introduced hyacinth must be controlled in the Delta. Mechanical doesn't really work. Every little piece left in the water can potentially start a new plant. Maybe we should bring manatees out here.

NoCAL

[BigFishSteve]

Couldn't they spray the veg with gasoline? It will kill the plant and any left over will evaporate from the surface of the water? Or they could set it on fire just for fun.

[LewStulePH.D.]

Couldn't they spray the veg with gasoline? It will kill the plant and any left over will evaporate from the surface of the water? Or they could set it on fire just for fun.

This isn't Cleveland Sir...

[grandbassslayer]

Couldn't they spray the veg with gasoline? It will kill the plant and any left over will evaporate from the surface of the water? Or they could set it on fire just for fun.

Did you and Gaston Mike meet the DEQ for lunch yet??

[jigman51]

That is out of control.