'Angel-Hair' Algae

[Avalonjohn44]

Some ponds in my area are already getting clogged with this really fine, stringy algae that my brother and I have always just called Angel Hair Algae.  In some areas you can't cast anything without dragging a pound of the gloppy crud out.  Is there any trick to avoid this stuff, or to make a lure come through it somehow?

[Mak]

the main section of my lake that i fish get it real bad when everyone is fertilizing their lawns this time of year.  and the only thing that i can use to get around it is a texas rigged plastic, and i still have to clena it off every few cast.  and i cant even use cranks without the lip and hooks getting covered with the stuff.  if i were you, id just try to fish in a clearer part of the lake where there isnt any.

or wait til it all goes away.

and do you have small welcomemat-like patches of the algae floating around?

[roadwarrior]

I have an infestation of the same magnitude. My local pond is a mess! However, I overcame it today fishing a frog for the first time. The strike was a ball, but there was very little "action" and landing the fish was a struggle. If I go tomorrow mornng, I'm fishing a Slug-Go and heavy gear.

I found fishing the slop challenging and not much fun even when I cauught some bass. I know some guys like it, but I'm not one of them.

[Guest avid]

I think I know the kind of stuff your talking about.  It's kind of a mushy ball of green gooey glop that you cant' TM through.  It will foul any lure including the most weedless of worms.

My lake is getting more of it, as the drought continues and the water levels keep dropping.

I just keep an eye out for it and try to avoid it at all costs.

[Rebbasser]

We always call it snot moss.  Weightless, weedless soft plastics are about all that can be fished effectively, and even then you are picking it off every other cast.

[George Welcome]

Tough stuff to work in -

Common name: Filamentous algae

The green hairy slime: Spirogyra

[GatorBK]

I have it where I fish as well but the giant grass carp keep it mowed.

[LCpointerKILLA]

I just got home from fishing the ponds at the golfcourse I live near, and I was putting up with the green mush, like always. I was fishing with a senko, and you can take the algae off your bait without ruining your retreive. When I know there is some algae on there, I point the rod tip down and snap it with a little more force than you would if you were setting the hook. Give it a try man.

GolfCoursePondMan

[Panamoka_Bassin]

I just got home from fishing the ponds at the golfcourse I live near, and I was putting up with the green mush, like always. I was fishing with a senko, and you can take the algae off your bait without ruining your retreive. When I know there is some algae on there, I point the rod tip down and snap it with a little more force than you would if you were setting the hook. Give it a try man.

GolfCoursePondMan

I've got the same problem in my pond, and GCPMan has it right.  If that doesn't do it, when I get the bait close to me, I'll "swim" it around in the water at my feet to get the snot off.  Believe it or not, I also caught a fish doing that.  I had a big clump of the stuff on a tube worm, and as I'm cleaning it off, a bass screamed in from about 3 feet away and inhaled the thing.  I saw the algae mving, and then my pole loaded up, and I said to myself, "Well, what the heck am I casting 30 away feet for?"  Of course I haven't duplicated this since, though I try...

[Guest avid]

The green hairy slime: Spirogyra

Green hairy slime.   That describes it perfectly.

So does snot moss, but I'm much to refined to use such crude language.  :

Do bass use it for cover?  

[Crabcakes]

The presence of that sort of algae means that their is eutrophication in the lake. Eutrophication is an increase in nutrient levels and bilogical productivity. At some levels it is normal but the cases you guys are discussing indicate fertilizers are polluting the lake. They increase in nitrogen and phosphorous and allow the "algae" to grow. The stringy stuff is not always actually algae sometimes its a bacteria referred to as "blue green algae" therefore its an animal not a plant.

While an increase in nutrient levels and biological productivity sounds good for fish it is not. As the blue green algae die decomposers move in and actually  deplete dissolved oxygen. They block sunlight from penetrating the water harming the animals that live their and keeping the light from the naural weeds and algae that need it. Thus the presence of eutrophication can lead to fish kills, and a decline in the lake. This is more common in small ponds but can happen in big lakes. (search for lake washington) It may be useful as cover to some degree but overall its not a positive thing for your lake as it represents an imbalance.

Red tide is an example of saltwater euthrophication.

I'm no scientist so this stuff may not be 100% correct but it represents my best undertsanding of the matter. Hopefully it helps

[Triton21]

Copper Sulfate desolved in water and sprayed on this $*!% will kill it. I use it in my private pond.

Kelley

[Guest avid]

MDangler14 makes sense.

My home lake is ringed with homes. fertilizers and insecticides are used.  The drought has lowered lake levels dramatically. The nutrient runoff is therefore not being diluted to the extent it was before.  That combined with the sunlight reaching the bottom in areas formerly too deep to penetrate is no doubt having an effect.  If I didn't have a canoe I wouldn't be able to launch a boat.  The end of the concrete ramp is already dry and receding daily.

The drought areas out West grab most of the national attention, but let me tell you guys, this is serious stuff.  Portions of Lake Okeechobee has boat docks and launch ramps that are a good 30 feet from the water line.  Many of the bass related business' around the lake are going under.  

The big O is the most famous lake in Florida, but the drought is affecting everything. The central and Southern regions are being hit especially hard.  

The "rainy season" is practically here.  Let's hope it comes early and gives us some much needed relief.

I know and apologize for straying way off topic, but the hurricanes of '04 washed out much of the vegetation is some of the famed bass waters like stick marsh.  This has changed the fishing dynamic.  There is an expectation that the lowered water levels and increased sun penetration will regenerate the hydrilla etc. and return some of the legendary lakes to their former glory.

Odd how mother nature works eh?

[hi_steel_basser]

There are several places around here that have a black version of this junk. I have found weightless plastics are the only effective way to fish it from the boat. From the bank it is a waste of time.

[the old fishing pond]

If the floating algae mats cover large areas of a fishing pond avoid them since the shaded water beneath them may be low in oxygen. The larger fish may be found under the smaller mats however. ... this is true during calm weather. In windy conditions, the algae can move in quickly so the front edge of those big algae mats can actually be very good.

[GatorBK]

Your right MD 14 , I fish in a lake here that has houses right on the water and they spray fertilizer and bug spray on their lawns.