100,000 crappies apparently suffocated in lake

[Guest]

Associated Press

July 1, 2005 CRAPPIES0702

WASECA, Minn. -— The fish kill that left tens of thousands of black crappies dead in Clear Lake in southern Minnesota appears to be over.

Pathology tests show the crappies suffocated, but the DNR hasn't determined what caused them to suffocate.

Columnaris bacteria, a common bacteria found in shallow lakes in the summer, was detected in the fish, but scientists say that appears to be a secondary ailment. Columnaris is usually only blamed for the deaths of a few hundred fish.

DNR fisheries supervisor Todd Kolander says between 50,000 and 100,000 fish, or maybe more, died in Clear Lake. Officials estimate Clear Lake could have one million black crappies.

Pathology labs will run more tests to find a more specific cause for the die-off.

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Information from: The Mankato Free Press

[Dan Thiem]

I saw some other report stating that their gill tissues were deteriated.(sp?)

[HARPOON-OR-BUST]

WHICH CLEAR LAKE? WHAT COUNTY?

[fishtrap3]

Clear Lake in Waseca County.

[CrappieJohn]

This has happened in Lake Zumbro a couple times in the last 15 years or so. If memeory serves me well enough, I think the kill off is size specific....at least it was in the Zumbro. They usually recover nicely.

[1lkstage]

ARE THEY ALL CRAPPIES?? CHECK OUT THIS LINK.

http://www.keyc.com/article/view/77540/

[mitch]

There are a ton of small crappies in clear lake. Most of them dont get over 9 in. This might help thin them out and give them a chance to grow bigger.

[hawkeye43]

Oh,It did more than thinned them out. alot of them sank by the looks of it today. Some skiers didnt even about the kill. We watched a guy land a 6.5# bass, toke pic. and put it back, nice

[danfall]

I'm guessing they ran out of oxygen somehow. Perhaps a drastic change in O2 occurred?