Algae bloom ?

[Captain Dan]

What effect does the Algae bloom have on crappie fishing, positive or negative?

[beagle man]

positive

[KCMO CRAPPIESLAYER]

in my experience negative BUT i am prolly doing something wrong:o

[Tucker]

Depends on the water body. In a big reservoir or lake probably will have no effect. If a bloom happens in a small lake or pond it can cause fish kills which would be negative.

[quivira kid]

I hate it. I don't know if the algae has a negative effect or not. Maybe the fish can't see my bait from nearly as far when the bloom is on. Maybe it's just the water gets too dang warm for the fish to move much!

[springhillwantabe]

where's chattman when you need him heard him talk about it don't remember all the details though

[Chadku]

The good thing about it is that the fishing gets good after it's gone....the thermocline will set up and a majority of the fish will be above that because of the oxygen levels.

[Crappie Chatt]

Let's ask Craig!!! <*)}}}><

[Craig Johnson]

Let's ask Craig!!! <*)}}}><

Algae blooms may have serious negative impacts to fishing or may improve fishing, it all depends on the type and severity of the bloom.

In severe cases, the algae can reduce dissolved oxygen (DO) levels to the point that fish begin to stress and die. This usually happens just before sunrise. Photosynthesis produces oxygen during the day but when the sun goes down the algae uses oxygen and releases carbon dioxide and dissolved oxygen concentrations drop throughout the nighttime hours. If DO levels drop far enough a fishkill will result. Low DO levels first thing in the morning may kill the morning bite until the DO level rises later in the day. Stressed fish don't like to feed heavily. Blooms normally have larger impacts on smaller waters such as ponds as the fish can't swim away from the bloom if they become stressed. We see many more fishkills in small water bodies due to algae blooms than we see in the reservoirs. If a bloom becomes bad enough in one area of the reservoir the fish simply swim away from the effected area.

Blooms can cause changes to water clarity which will effect locations of the fish as they move shallower or deeper in response to the bloom. Wind can concentrate the bloom in certain areas of the lake impacting the downwind area more and removing the bloom from upwind areas. There is no hard and fast answer to what an algae bloom will do to the fishing as many variables are involved. If the lake is still open, keep fishing! The fish are still there!

[Captain Dan]

Thanks Craig for the info. What % DO is preferred by crappie and at what % DO do the crappie leave an area of the lake?
I'm thinking the DO in the marina cove at Clinton Lake is below the preferred level because the crappie are not there, plus any minnows I have left over die, in a few days, in a submerged bucket, down 8 feet.