Can you identify this grass?

[burleytog]

My home lake is usually pretty barren of vegetation due to an overpopulation of grass carp (water supply lake, guess they want no weeds).  But today I found more grass than I've ever seen in three years of fishing the place.  Tons and tons of this stuff.

I'm no biologist and I didn't stay in a Holiday Inn Express last night.  Unless it's bermuda, bent or fescue, I'm lost when it comes to grass.  

And yes, I do know how to use Google...

[Pitchinkid]

lol not the kind of grass im familar with.

[Muddy]

Hey BL we have this site saved, it gives pics of a lot of invasive weeds. If you never have seen it before it may be here. Has pics and a lot of plants

http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wq/plants/weeds/

[Paul Roberts]

Looks like Chara. It's a macro-algae. Also called skunk grass (smells skunky) or sand grass (gritty texture). Often the deepest "vegetation" in a lake. Can carpet the bottom. Might reach as much as 3 feet high in places. Crayfish love it. Often tough to fish through later in the season, and hooked bass can burrow into it. Despite the clear waters that tend to support it's growth I end up going up to 10# when I'd rather be fishing 6#.

[J Francho]

Cabomba?

[burleytog]

The stuff doesn't have any odor.

Found most of it today in places that were dry last year.  8-12 FOW.

[RoLo]

I don't know what weed that is, but if it produces little yellow flowers,

it may be "bladderwort" (which is actually a carnivore).

    As Paul suggested, it may also be chara (muskgrass).

Is it growing on top or on bottom?

Roger

[burleytog]

Looks like Chara.

http://www.ppws.vt.edu/scott/weed_id/chara.htm

Looks similar, but different.   :-?

I wish I could have gotten a better photo.  I drug a big clump of it into the boat and decided to take a photo.  Left the camera out of the case after snapping a photo and the lens got fogged up.

[Big Mike in Fl]

umm, its hard to tell by the pic, but it maybe hydrilla...it may not be, I usually jsut see it matted up, but it sorta looks like it could be.

[RoLo]

If you're collecting it off the bottom, it's probably "Muskgrass" (Chara) or "Stonewort" (Nitella),

which are high forms of algae. If it's growing near the surface, it's probably bladderwort, a carnivorous plant.

Roger

[burleytog]

umm, its hard to tell by the pic, but it maybe hydrilla...it may not be, I usually jsut see it matted up, but it sorta looks like it could be.

Definitely not hydrilla.  I was thinking milfoil, but chara seems to be the likeliest answer.

[skunked_again]

dont laugh but does it smell......................skunky?

we have a ton of that here and my fingers alway smell like that stuff for a day or two from picking it off my crank baits.

[Paul Roberts]

Looks like Chara.

http://www.ppws.vt.edu/scott/weed_id/chara.htm

Looks similar, but different. :-?

I wish I could have gotten a better photo. I drug a big clump of it into the boat and decided to take a photo. Left the camera out of the case after snapping a photo and the lens got fogged up.

One sure way to tell: The next clump you pull up give it a sniff. And rub between your fingers: Chara is gritty. You'll know right away.

[RoLo]

Then of course there's "southern naiad" (Najas guadalupensis)

http://www.wildflower.org/image_archive/320x240/JAM6151/6151_IMG04027.JPG

Roger

[bigfish88]

umm, its hard to tell by the pic, but it maybe hydrilla...it may not be, I usually jsut see it matted up, but it sorta looks like it could be.

Definitely not hydrilla. I was thinking milfoil, but chara seems to be the likeliest answer.

true, def not hydrilla..

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_aP2GN0yCuO8/SXCp1lFMEyI/AAAAAAAABzw/OJdDzcqP5S8/s400/hydrilla01.jpg

[Paul Roberts]

The stuff doesn't have any odor.

Chara can be really strong or very weak in odor. You may have to crush it some.

[RoLo]

Chara and Nitella are very easily confused, even among "professionals"

Muskgrass(chara)       Stonewort (nitella)

Straight Filaments       Y-Forked Filaments

Crushed branchlets emit garlic-like odor       Usually lacks a distinct odor

Feels gritty due to calcium carbonate       Usually feels smooth to the touch

Roger

[Paul Roberts]

I think Roger's got it: Nitella. I don't have that here -just Chara -unless I've overlooked it.

[Randall]

We fish that stuff where there are grass carp. Evidently grass carp will not touch it. I have had guys call it chara when we pulled some up so thats what I assumed it may be but never took the time to identify it. We just call it the stinky stuff.  ;D

[etommy28]

we have the same stuff in lake kingsley on camp blanding in florida, but it grows as deep as 20'.... or at least it looks the same.

[Bassin_Fin@tic]

Pretty much looks like milfoil to me except the stalks aren't as viney...

[Catt]

Absolutely not Hydrilla or Milfoil

It appears to be Chara, muskgrass or skunkweed

Chara is a gray-green branched multicellular algae that is often confused with submerged flowering plants. However, Chara has no flower, will not extend above the water surface, and often has a "grainy" or "crunchy" texture. Chara has cylindrical, whorled branches with 6 to 16 branchlets around each node.

[fishfordollars]

Looks like Chara to me. I looked it up on another site and the picture is pretty close.

[Big Mike in Fl]

umm, its hard to tell by the pic, but it maybe hydrilla...it may not be, I usually jsut see it matted up, but it sorta looks like it could be.

Definitely not hydrilla. I was thinking milfoil, but chara seems to be the likeliest answer.

true, def not hydrilla..

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_aP2GN0yCuO8/SXCp1lFMEyI/AAAAAAAABzw/OJdDzcqP5S8/s400/hydrilla01.jpg

you're right, I stand corrected, and I sohuld know hydrilla because we have  a ton of it down here on the lakes I fish, but I think we also have some of that stuff, and it gets mixed in and I get it confused. eh, oh well...I just call it all grass and don't worry about it

[CJ]

Looks like swag to me...definitely not skunkweed! : ;D