What is needed for Hydrilla to grow

[GeneinTX]

I fish a lake in Texas that has no vegatation. It is a deep canyon lake but has some flats. A nearby lake that is much shallower but still rocky has tons of hydrilla in it. Does anyone have a reason why there wouldn't be any hydrilla in the larger lake. I am positve that birds fly from one to the other and many people fish both lakes.

Does hydrilla need a large bed or is it capable of growing in small pockets?

How deep does the water need to be for it to start growing?

What are the negative impacts on the lake?

Why wouldn't the State or Corps of Engineers try to establish some form of vegatation to enhance the resource?

Any thoughts? Has anyone been witness to vegatation being added to an existing lake by the DNR's?

[LordRiper]

Amonia, Nitrite, Nitrate, Fosfate and Silicate and a lot of light....

"i think" the only reason for Hydrulla is not present in a Lake is because it don't be introduced (for any reason, nature o human), Hydrilla grows in any situation, in any place

[Muddpuppy]

I believe that Hydrilla is considered an invasive species and not a native plant, so I dought if they will intentionally introduce it to any new lake. It is causeing alot of problems this year on numerous lakes due to the growth rate from lower water levels and warmer winters in this part of Texas.

Texas is getting tougher on the transfer of non native plants and fish and implementing new laws partaining to them like this one, if you are thinking of introduceing some, it wouldn't hurt to do some checking first.

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild/wild/species/exotic/

General Fishing Rules for Fresh and Salt Waters

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NEW LAW: On leaving any public or private body of water in this state, a person shall immediately remove and lawfully dispose of any harmful or potentially harmful aquatic plant that is clinging or attached to the person's vessel, watercraft, trailer, motor vehicle, or other device used to transport or launch a vessel or watercraft. Fine $25-$500. For a list of harmful and potentially harmful plants, visit our online directory or call TPWD at (800) 792-1112 (menu 4) or (512) 389-4444.

[flechero]

Gene,

I feel your pain... and fish the same water.  ...lol  We've considered trying to introduce it in some coves but after some more research, we (being nothing more than fisherman) concluded that the waters of the Leon river which feed Belton, have too much of something.. lime or some other natural vegetation preventer.  ...lol

I know for a fact that many boat trailers with hydrilla hanging off them have backed in, as I have seen and done it myself... always secretly hoping it would fall off in Belton and take!  ...lol

I've been told by a few people that have lived here a long time that there were some isolated pockets of hydrilla on the north end of the lake, above the 36 bridge in the past and that every couple of years it will pop up for a season and then disappear again.

What a fun lake it could be with even a little grass or hydrilla!!

So I don't have a confirmed answer but my gut says something in the Leon's water is a natural herbicide.

[Guest ouachitabassangler]

Hydrilla is an invasive exotic plant neither the COE nor any other agency would introduce. We spend millions a year eradicating or controlling it. It's probably introduced mostly by boat trailers taken out of infected lakes. It doesn't like cold water, requires fairly clear water for sunlight, and some mud to root in. You don't need hydrilla coming in to shade out what little native vegetation there is.

There are many state and federal initiatives re-introducing native plants that are better adapted to lakes and rivers in America. Find out about any plans in your area and volunteer to help prepare habitat and plant cuttings when a project arises. Lakes are often drawn down to enable fishng clubs and government biologists to establish vegetation.

Jim

[gatrboy53]

my home lakes here in n. fl. are sampson and rowell ,they are connected by a 1/2 mi. canal.rowell is a 100+ ac. shallow cypruss lined lake that this yr. is completely topped out in hydrilla.sampson is a 1,000 ac. lake w/ some 15' water ringed by maidencane grass but NO hydrilla,go figure.in past yrs. i have found some small patches of hydrilla in sampson but not this yr.

[flechero]

You don't need hydrilla coming in to shade out what little native vegetation there is

99.99% of the time I would agree 100%  But I have fished this lake a lot (my home lake) for the past 3 years and I have yet to find a single blade of grass or ANY native vegatation.  Only on a good and lucky day can you even get a teeny bit of the algae that grows on submerged timber to stick to a t or c-rig.  ...lol  

Hydrilla is an invasive exotic plant

Yes, and you have no idea how badly every fisherman within 50 miles WISHES we could be invaded!!  What we fish in is a 12,000 acre bathtub with some timber and a few old car bodies.  ...lol

I certainly understand your position and respect it... however, Belton is an extremely rare case.

[GeneinTX]

As Flechero stated, our lake has NO aquatic vegatation at all, not a lily pad.... nothing. The water is  clear but nothing grows except algae. I only use hydrilla as an example but any vegatation would be great. We hardly have any timber LOL (but it is a good lake anyway!)

Our lake is also very deep, I am sure that 90% of the lake is more than 40 feet deep, so matting across it would not be a problem.

Flechero, it would make sense that something keeps anything from growing. That is why I proposed this idea. You know as well as I do how many people fish Stillhouse and Belton and could bring it over as well as the distance for birds to traveland carry it. It never made sense that nothing grows.

As for taking on the task of transplanting the vegatation, I would seek permission first. I am sure that the state or COE would be reluctant.

[GeneinTX]

LOL... YEAH what we said!

[George Welcome]

25 feet is pretty much the limit for hydrilla stem growth. It is an extemely invasive species that can turn a lake into a non-navigable, (golf course looking) mess.

It grows rapidly in shallow, heavily nutrient enriched, clear water. It definitely needs to get sunlight to its seed for it to take off, but once it does there is no stopping it without considerable expense.

[Guest ouachitabassangler]

I personally know a large number of anglers who innoculated lakes, ponds, and streams with hydrilla as soon as they discovered it years ago. Lake Ouachita was practically devoid of grass or any other vegetation for a long time, so they took it upon themselves to bring it in by the pickup load. One club probably accounts for most of it. Without exception all regret that. Now fisheries all over N. America are facing billions of dollars in control costs, many fisheries unfishable now. Here we have gone from running a large harvesting machine, to herbicide applications at $450 an acre (repeated for 3 treatments per year), to introducing Pakistani flies. It took a winter drought keeping the pool 10 feet low to open up the shoreline. Only what grew down to 25 feet at normal pool survived to begin natural restocking.

A relatively few of us have come to appreciate hydrilla, finding ways to fish it, but a large percentage of anglers avoid any lake having it, or turn to deep structure fishing.

Jim

[GeneinTX]

I fished Lake Fork in the early 90's and the hydrilla was thick there. It made for great fishing though.

Any thoughts from anyone on what may be good to plant, yet not so invasive?

I am guilty of looking at this from a fishing only standpoint. Although a plant that could swallow up a jet ski would be nice!!

[Guest ouachitabassangler]

Find out what native plants are right for your area and try obtaining some of that. You don't want to be found planting an exotic and might need a permit to plant anythnig at all.  

Well, it's happening again, just like last year. Lake pool is dropping and already folding topped out hydrilla over into an extra thick mat. I like a normal mat, the crown of plant stems, usually a few inches thick. I found some hydrilla already one foot thick. Bad. Each inch the water drops not only adds another inch of mat. Eventually it gets so thick the bottom of the mat begins to die off.

Jim

[ifish4u]

I fished Lake Fork in the early 90's and the hydrilla was thick there. It made for great fishing though.

Yes, you find the grass...and you will find the Fish ;D

www.emoryguide.com