ALL LAKE KISSIMMEE FISHERMEN!!!

[SLABMASTER1]

Well fellow fishermen, I post this with a heavy heart. I have fished Lake Kissimmee for a number of years and have watched in horror the UNCONTROLLED SPRAYING of vegetation. For some reason the FWC seems bent on destroying all the vegetation on this beautiful fishery. I have personally witnessed this horrible act and have been personally sprayed by the goons in the air boats. I have set in a couple different areas and watched them spray areas where there was absolutely no invasive vegetation. I am going to post a link below that will take you to the website of the Osceola County Property Appraiser. I implore you to visit this site and zoom in on Lake Kissimmee. Click on the Base Map tab..Use the slide on the left hand side of the Base Map and set it on 2011. Now zoom in on Grassy Island. Next, move the slide up, eventually getting to 2019. While on 2011 note the vegetation not only on Grassy, but also on Lemon Point, and Philadelphia Point. Now move the slide up to 2019 and you will see the total devastation that the FWC and their sprayers have wreaked. There are also 2 videos on this site in the Southeast forum that all should watch. I have already e-mailed the Governor's office and would encourage you to do the same before we loose this wonderful piece of nature. Sorry for the long post but please, please let's take some action.

Thanks.

https://ira.property-appraiser.org/gis/

[Mike L]

I've been fighting this for years on The Lake. 

I hope you have better results. 

 

 

 

Mike

[SC53]

Yep, as Mike said, there’s a lot of people that have been fighting this for years. I posted some disturbing videos here of the spraying awhile back.  It’s going on everywhere in Florida.  I have no idea how to stop it but I wish you luck.

 

 

[TnRiver46]

It happens here too, a real bummer. They only spray the residential areas and I live near the industrial river front so I have access to grass in the river channel. But down lake in all the coves with nice houses they get rid of it 

[SLABMASTER1]

Thanks for your replies. I am approaching 80 years of age, so I don't have to much longer to fish. There are however, generations yet to come. I think it is imperative on us to try with every ounce of our being to get this nonsense stopped. I have learned through the years that it is sometime best to start at the top and this is one of those times. If enough of us call or email the governor's office we just might get some attention.

 

I would encourage you all to watch the vid's that SC53 posted. They will make you sick to your stomach.

 

Let's 'GET ER DONE'

[Fishing_FF]

Hello @SLABMASTER1 and welcome.

 

I have had no response to my e-mails to the Governor and other officials at the state. I started sending them after watching @SC53's video. The channel the provided the video has updates, many just as sickening as the first video. 

 

I am friends with a couple FWC guys, and funny thing is some of them believe the how the grass is being managed is wrong. However, since they are in a different division of FWC than the vegetation management group that is responsible for monitoring the grasses and subcontracting sprayers, they have as much luck getting their voices heard as the citizens have. 

[crypt]

it has been this way for as long as I can remember. nothing seems to work.some people with a little bit of power think that they have all the "right" answers. maybe the new Governor will listen to reason...........

[froghair3]

For years I watched the fishing go down hill in lake Istokpoga as the weeds disappeared.  Now that I moved to kissimmee looks like I get to watch it again.

[geo g]

It sure is a shame.  There are people making lots of money for every gallon of product used.  They don't care what they use it on as long as they use it.  Spraying should require an biologist to be be present to control the yahoos with these chemicals.  There has to be checks and balances or we are all screwed!  How many lakes need to be ruined!

[Captain Phil]

I have been fighting the weed wars for as long as I can remember.  It's a futile fight.  Florida lakes are managed for a wide variety of interests.  Home owners don't want to look out the back of their million dollar home and see miles of weeds choking the lake.   Boaters want to boat, not pull hydrilla off their props all day. No one wants to see the lakes topped out.  What is required is systematic management of aquatic plants, not a zero tolerance policy.  Fisheries managers tell me our lakes are the healthiest with about 30%  weed cover.  To maintain this level, the State needs a dedicated budget for this purpose.  There is not the political will to make this a reality, so they attack the problem after it becomes a crisis.  This will never change.

 

As bass fisherman, what can we do?  You can write all the letters you want.  Walk up and down with placards, create videos and shout on the street corner.  You might as well campaign against death and taxes.

 

Aquatic weed control in Florida is here to stay.  You don't have to like it.  If you are going to fish Florida lakes, you have to learn to deal with it.