Originally Posted by
JimL
Mike, glad to hear I am not alone in my fears about the Jersey Flowage. I had another post about a drop off in muskies and large pike a few months back. About 4 or 5 years ago I caught and released two 36 inch northerns in one week and now it is getting harder and harder to find them even up to 25". My biggest was 38 inches.The biggest musky we ever got was 45 inches. We even had one night where we boated 3 muskies in about 30 minutes. What is weird the decline in big fish seems to correlate with the explosion of the bullhead population. The last 3-4 years we noticed the huge numbers (1,000s) of bullheads just schooled in the surface near the damn at Nokomis.
I forgot to mention that we also caught 6-10 dogfish/bowfin that were 10-15lbs. this year. I mean massive fish that were over 30+ inches. I caught 2 or 3 a day this year. We NEVER caught that many in the past. I would hate to see the lake over run by them and bullheads.
I sure hope the last few years are just an anomaly and there are still big pike and musky to be had. The smallies are doing well, we have gotten them up to 21 inches the past couple trips.
In regards to the weeds. I know it is not eurasian milfoil, but it sure as heck is something that is choking the lake. More so than the normal weediness that is the flowage.
If you head to the far north shore north of the island there used to be a huge cabbage patch, (immediately west of the reed lines and pads where people always panfish) but the area from just north of the island to the north shore of the lake is choked with this grass like weed, so much so it slowed the trolling motor down. There is also a bunch of it from the narrow passage along the island west towards the launch ramp. If you look you will find it. If anyone has any idea on what this is let me know.