Large, overnight Crappie die-off. Reasons?
Hi guys,
I've been gone for quite a while because life got in the way of fishing. But I'm re-visiting because I need your advice, ideas and help.
Two days ago our lake experienced a very large die-off of crappie. At first we thought it was all fish, but as we began pulling them out of the water we realized they were just crappie (none of the other major species -- largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, perch -- in the lake died, just the crappie). The dead crappie were all 9"+, no little ones. I estimate we "harvested" about 250 fish. They all looked basically healthy; no apparent fungus or such (not that I'd know what to look for anyway).
A few particulars about the lake: 100 acres, 9ft average depth, in northern Illinois. Last summer we had an aglae explosion due to the drought. Winter was brutal with thick ice and snow cover on the lake for far longer than usual. This summer's been beautiful but the water was pea soup with algae by mid-July. Fishing for all species as been slower than usual this summer.
I only mention the algae because it's really the only change to lake in the last 7-10 years. No new sources of run-off that we know about or other possible causes we can think of.
I'd really appreciate any thoughts or leads you guys have on the possible cause.
Thanks,
Bob
"I care not for a man's religion unless his dog and cat are the better for it." -- Abraham Lincoln