Do Zebra Mussells Affect Bass Fishing?

[redboat]

We recently learned that zebra mussels have been found in a second Texas lake, Ray Roberts. We've been told by TPW that zebra mussels are invasive pests that will ruin fishing on any lake they get into by gradually killing the microscopic plankton that forms the first link of the food chain. Shad and other baitfish then die out followed by larger fish until there's nothing left but the mussels - or so the story goes.

I saw a map that showed the zebra mussels were spreading from east to west and north to south. So this is more of a question for you northeast guys: If you have zebra mussels in your lake, how have they affected the fishing? Do they really kill everything as we've been told?

Not that the fishing in NC Texas is all that great but I'd hate to see it go to zero.

[J Francho]

They haven't ruined fishing here. I'd say they made it better.

[clayton86]

They haven't ruined fishing here. I'd say they made it better.

x2

look at all them small mouth Dwight catches in erie and erie is LOADED with zebra mussells and gobys 2 invasive species that are said to ruin fishing but yet erie is probably one of the best spots in the world for smallmouth and gets better with each passing year from the reports iv been seeing and hearing as I live 45minutes from erie

[redboat]

Here's what TPW has been saying: http://texasinvasives.org/action/report_detail.php?alert_id=2

The slogan is, "Hello zebra mussels, goodbye Texas lakes"

[Lund Explorer]

While I'd agree that this really isn't going to destroy the fishing in Ray Roberts, it is going to change how and possibly where you fish. You Texans are going to go through what we in the Great Lake region went through once zebra mussels were discovered here. If you control the spread of them as poorly as our states did, then it won't be long before you just learn to live with them. I'm providing a list of some of the things you are going to discover.

1. You're going to learn how to fish in ultra-clear water. Don't be surprised to have visability down to 25' - 30'.

2. With that clear water, weed growth will go deeper and could possibly get heavier.

3. You'll discover how fast braided line will part (not break, but shred) when it runs into a bed of these critters.

4. Flourocarbon line is going to become more popular, and fortunately, it stands up to abrasion much better than braid.

5. You'll learn to wade or swim wearing shoes, that or you'll find out how tender the bottom of your feet are.

6. The Bass Fishing? In my experience on a lot of inland lakes, the heavier weed growth has had a negative impact on smallies while giving better cover for largemouth. That might not be that big a deal for you, but then again I'm not sure what will happen to your spotted bass populations.

Anyhow, you'll have a few years to see whther these invasives will spread, or how fast they end up in almost every water body. TPW is correct in their propaganda about how these things move from lake to lake. We were told that mussel larva could survive in the carpeting on your trailer bunks for up to a week. Your biggest threat is going to be the guys that hop from lake to lake every weekend. Those that fish Ray Roberts on Saturday but another lake on Sunday will be the ones that could cause most of the damage. Unfortunately, this issue doesn't even get talked about here anymore. It's too late to stop them here, and we learned to adapt.

Final Note - Whoever came up with that slogan must have written those old 1960's slogans for driver's ed! Blood on the Asphalt didn't work then, and I doubt Goodbye Texas Lakes will either. Facts always work better than scary fables.

[WRB]

California is under zebra / quagga mussel hysteria due to the mussels being established into the Colorado river (lake Mead) and now the entire lower river. SoCal recieves water from the Colorado river. California doesn't have a unified quarantine plan, so each lake developes their own and the lakes do not honor each others quarantine "clean & dry practices". The result directly affects being able to fish multiple lakes or bass tournaments with 1 boat.

I have no idea if the mussels will affect the over bass populations; it has affectted my ability to fish form them!

Good luck Texans!

Tom

[scrutch]

My local lake has them and the water is now gin clear, the weeds grow deeper, and the smallmouth population is going off the charts! Bigger and more fish! I know there is a new state record fish in this lake after talking to the fisheries biologist who recently did a fish population study.

Time will tell what the real results will be.

[Scorcher214]

Lake st Clair is full of them...and I'd say it's one of the greatest lakes in the united states for fishing.

[clayton86]

I don't remember what my one lake was like before the mussels but its gin clear unless we just got a big rain. The weed lines are crazy it seems to be thicker and thicker every year. I caught my PB largemouth out of there and alot of good sized smallmouth as well its a frogging heaven in that lake some spots though have lilly pads and thick "grass" all the way to the bottom in 30 FOW iv just bumped up my worm weights or frog over the top and hold on tight aand crank hard once bit.

[HeavyDluxe]

I would make a note here that may be relevant... I am not a biologist, but I would be willing to wager that the potential impact of zebra mussels on lakes in the south might end up being different than on lakes here in the north.

For example, tomorrow I am leaving for a lake here in VT in which the critters are very well established. As a new fisherman and non-boater, I can't really comment n the impact on the fishery per se. But what I do know is that this lake freezes over solidly every winter here. That would have a significant impact on vegetation and other microbial life in the lake that would not be the same in a place like Texas.

How the different climate will impact the interaction of the mussels with the native ecosystem is above my pay grade to speculate... But it seems wise to caution making too many parallels between how northern lakes have fared and what that means for you down there.

[NBR]

I think it is too soon to tell. My biggest concern is the long term affect on plankton so necessary for fish (bass) forage.

[Dwight Hottle]

One thing to remember is that the increased water visibility caused by the zebs has helped all site predators flourish. Zebra mussels filter the water & cleaner water is the result. Like others have mentioned the increased water visibility allows better sun penetration & subsequently better weed growth at deeper water levels. In the great lakes system the muskie, bass & pike populations have all had healthy population increases & expanded ranges. The great lakes system is constantly evolving because of the introduction of exotics. First came the zebra mussels. Then came the gobies which eat the zebs. Now we have a new food source for the bass, walleye, steelhead, brown trout, lake trout, sheephead & so many other species. Every fish swimming likes the gobies as a food source. Now no one really knows what the final effect on lake ecology will be. Time will tell but most of us will not be here to see the end result.

[Sam]

3. You'll discover how fast braided line will part (not break, but shred) when it runs into a bed of these critters.

4. Flourocarbon line is going to become more popular, and fortunately, it stands up to abrasion much better than braid.

Yep.

X2!!!

[ww2farmer]

I have yet to see one invasive species harm any fishing here in WNY. It has done just the opposite. Thats not to say that someday something won't, but the stuff we have now, like gobys, zebes, milfoil, alewives, etc... have done nothing but help. The zebra mussells eat and filter the same stuff here as they would in any lake, yet our forage base is stronger than ever. We heard the same things, how all this stuff would ruin the fishing.

[redboat]

Texoma was the first Texas lake to get zebra mussels. That was three years ago; they are solid up there now, have been for a year. Apparently they like the warmer water. The LMB population died off in Texoma a few years back, its mostly stripers now.

Ray Roberts drains into Lewisville; what's in one is already in the other so I assume they are there also. Based on the number of ski boats on RR and Lweisville on any given weekend and the resistance the ski boat crowd has to washing their boats (lucky of they throw the beer cans out) I'd say the Roberts zebra mussels will probably probogate to the other area lakes in about ten to fifteen minutes.

I fished RR Saturday. May be my imagination but the water seemed clearer than I remember it - I could see my TM prop turning, like there was nothing there. I didn;t catch anything but that isn't unusual for RR in the summer. It has very little grass, mostly rocks.

Thanks for the info, guys. I always wear sandals and have been using flouro for a while now, so maybe the z-mussels won't affect me much.