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Why you don't use Goldfish for bait!!! (PICS)

27K views 27 replies 22 participants last post by  Hogmaster 
#1 ·
Passed by Mann Lake this past week and noticed dozens of ravens on the edge. We realized what was going on before we reached the lake. Pretty strange sight. It's frustrating to know that it likely took only one numbskull to screw this fishery up for us. I hope these pictures will help this from happening again.












It was the same story around the entire lakebed. There had to be a million of them! Although we did not circle the entire lake, we could not find any of the lahontan's among the huge (12"+) goldies. The volunteers must have done a great job at removing them first.

What do you think happens to all the wildlife feeding on these fish? Does the rotenone break down quickly enough to not have too much of an effect?

Hopefully this fishery will be up and running again in a couple years and we can learn from an idiot's mistake.
 
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#16 ·
Actually the rate at which rotenone breaks down is more temperature dependent - the higher the water temperature the faster it breaks down. Anywhere from 5-7 days for 80-85 degree water to maybe six weeks (or longer) when applied under the ice.

Regarding the petroleum carrier; if they used powered rotenone there would be no petroleum carrier and there is a new liquid rotenone formulation that does not use a petroleum carrier.

Rotenone toxicity is extremely low for mammals and birds, should not be a problem for avian or mammalian scavengers.

The lake can most likely be stocked again in 2-3 weeks post treatment. Fish growth should be good to excellent the next year or so.

ClearCreek
 
#9 ·
Rotenone only affects the gills of a fish and yes, it dissipates quickly. No danger to other wildlife...

(We've removed several references to the repeat of the photos, which was done by a new member still learning the ropes. No need to be overly critical. Did anyone send him a friendly PM suggesting how to do it correctly?)

Mod squad
 
#22 ·
I challenge your authority on this subject. Here is a fact that you must not be aware of.
"Rotenone is slightly toxic to wildfowl. The LD50 values for rotenone in mallards and pheasants is (greater than) 2,000 mg/kg and 1,680 mg/kg respectively. Some of the signs of intoxication in birds include muscle incoordination, feathers fluffed or held tightly to the body, wings drooped and the neck pulled in. Remission of signs of intoxication take about a week. It appears that birds are more sensitive to ground derris root than to pure rotenone (6).":D
 
#10 ·
Native people have been using rotenone for eons to stun and capture fish. It doesn't effect people or other animals once it has been used.

From wiki:

Rotenone is an odorless chemical that is used as a broad-spectrum insecticide, piscicide, and pesticide. It occurs naturally in the roots and stems of several plants such as the jicama vine plant

Rotenone is used in solution as a pesticide and insecticide, or in emulsified liquid form as a piscicide.[3]

People catch fish by extracting rotenone from plants and releasing it into water. Poisoned fish come to the surface and are easily caught. This method was first practiced by various indigenous tribes[4] who smashed the roots. Fish caught this way can be eaten because rotenone is very poorly absorbed by the gastrointestinal tract of humans, whereas it is lethal to fish because it readily enters the blood stream of the fish through the gills.

Small-scale sampling with rotenone is used by fish researchers studying the biodiversity of marine fishes to collect cryptic, or hidden, fishes, which represent an important component of shoreline fish communities. Rotenone is the most effective tool available because only small quantities are necessary. It has only minor and transient environmental side-effects.[5]

Rotenone is an excellent organic pesticide dust for the garden. It kills potato beetles, cucumber beetles, flea beetles, cabbage worms, raspberry bugs, and asparagus bugs to name a few. Rotenone bio-degrades naturally in a few days so there is no harmful residue. A light dusting on the leaves of plants will control insects for several days. It is not harmful to humans when used properly.
The story that I was told by the ODFW was that it was a couple of brothers in Burns that got the bright idea. They ruined Chickahominay first and they are in a bunch of the other lakes/reservoirs in the area. By the time ODFW realized it, the old sporting goods store in Burns was selling live goldfish.

The biggest problem will be that the lake is going to be nitrogen saturated for a while until all of that biomass breaks down. That should be a bit faster in that high alkaline lake, but the process will be slowed down by the coming winter. Hopefully it can be planted in the spring.

Now they have about a dozen more lakes that need the trash taken out.

Nice job ODFW!
TF
 
#13 ·
Someone apparently used live goldfish for bait in Mann Lake some years back and they, well, you know the rest...Very few Lahontans remained. From the air, pilots described the lake as green with a golden rim, like a halo.

The department recently treated it with rotenone, killing every fish (they hope) so they can replant it...
 
#17 ·
Mann Lake used to be awesome. Big fish every cast. I fished it yearly from about 98 to 2002. Around 2002 is when I remember seeing all the goldfish jumping around.

Hopefully it will be a good fishery again some day. No only if we could get rid of the wind there.
 
#21 ·
Duckenfuss, thanks for sharing those post-treatment pics with us.

I'm sure a lot of desert rats, and even those occasional desert rats are looking forward to again visiting Mann and fighting some big fish, and even bigger wind!
 
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