Where's all the Hydrilla and Duckweed on Okeechobee?

[bassburch]

So I just moved down here in December. I've been out 6 or 7 times and fished a couple tournaments already (1st place and 3rd place so far!), but have yet to see much of anything other than reeds and Kissimmee grass between South Bay and Observation Shoal. Its like 98% reeds and kissimmee grass with a tiny bit of eelgrass and hyacinth here or there. Very few pads near the edge.

I was expecting to find some sort of submerged grass mixed in with the reeds or outside the reed line, in that 1.5-2.5 depth range, but its just barren sand, gravel and muck. Whats the deal? Does grass not grow 'off the bank' on Big O? No hydrilla, no coontail, no milfoil, nothing.

Also, what about duckweed? I've seen little bits of it floating around here or there, but no mats of it anywhere (yet).

[gambler1]

It’s called “Aquatic spraying” they have bout killed everything��

[bassburch]

It’s called “Aquatic spraying” they have bout killed everything��

Yea... but they don't spray out in open water do they? There must be areas that didn't get raped with chemicals... even when they spray Minnesota lakes a guy can usually find some sort of grass somewhere. Plus it grows back!

[marlon crowder]

Yea... but they don't spray out in open water do they? There must be areas that didn't get raped with chemicals... even when they spray Minnesota lakes a guy can usually find some sort of grass somewhere. Plus it grows back!

FWC sprays year round. They don't let it grow back, their agenda is eradication.

[k3fishing]

Harny pond is the only place they seem to leave it

[k3fishing]

At some times you can find pepper grass, and fish usually are in that stuff on Okeechobee. But that stuff is like looking for gold these days, I think they spray that too

[gatorsin09]

Not sure if you've heard of hurricane Irma. 150mph winds.....

[kgfishing]

Hurricane Irma tore just about all the hydrilla out of the lake the FWC is doing their part to not let it grow back. There is a real small patch of it growing in harney pond. Its not hard to find. Just look for the 50 boats milling around fishing it.

[cwilt]

It’s called “Aquatic spraying” they have bout killed everything��

Sad, but true.

[bassburch]

Well that all sucks. The solution is worse than the problem.

[bassburch]

Silly question, but Google hasn't helped. What does aquatic peppergrass look like? I've seen it referenced a lot in Florida but can't find any good pics of it. I'm thinking I might know it by another name (like crappie vs spec).

[BassCatBrad]

Silly question, but Google hasn't helped. What does aquatic peppergrass look like? I've seen it referenced a lot in Florida but can't find any good pics of it. I'm thinking I might know it by another name (like crappie vs spec).

Google potamogeton illinoensis. That is our pepper grass.

[bassburch]

Yup. I'd be calling that cabbage lol

[hermanp]

Grass is now muck on bottom