Suicide Bullhead

[merkman]

Went and checked my houses today and found a bullhead froze in about 3 inches of ice in my hole.

Not sure what happened there he musta came up in the hole then couldn't get back out or sumtin.

Just looked like he stopped swimming and froze in place.

Weird!

[MJ1657]

That is strange.

[fishuhalik]

Probably died and floated up into your hole. Pretty weird

[merkman]

He wasn't even belly up.

[MJ1657]

Maybe it wanted to be a decoy for you merk.

[waterbound]

After ice out I've seen bullheads swim to the surface and stick their head out and just sit there like they were dead, but they'd swim if you poked them. Maybe a similar thing?

[Huey]

Must have been chased up there by a huge pike.

[Gordie]

bullys will swim right under the ice alot of times and I think that when they come to a hole such as a spear hole they swim up in it and find out there really isnt that much O2 so they suck air until they die or freeze in.

[merkman]

bullys will swim right under the ice alot of times and I think that when they come to a hole such as a spear hole they swim up in it and find out there really isnt that much O2 so they suck air until they die or freeze in.

Do you think this lake could be winter killing?

I hope not.

-Merk

[Gordie]

I hope not merk. The only way to find that out would be to ask the DNR to see if they have been checking it or any other lakes.

I would think if it were freezeing out there would be more than one bully and or other fish in the hole.

[Gissert]

In a freeze-out situation, bullys are usually some of the last to croak.

[Gissert]

In a freeze-out situation, bullys are usually some of the last to croak.

[pikestabber]

True...Bullies are on the high end of the "tough guy" scale in terms of surviving in low oxygen environments--as are pike and rock bass.

I had the misfortune of spearing a shallow lake avidly and watching it nearly die out during a particularly harsh winter. The most prevalent of the dying fish were the high 02 guys--primarily whitefish.