FISH KILL ON THE JAMES

[magicwormman]

I fished yesterday from 6 A.M. to noon from pt 13 to Cape Fair Marina. I fished from 10 ft to 40 ft with a number of lures, spoon, dropshot, big worm, deep crankbait, ect. I never had a bite. I'm not a great angler, by anyone's standard; but rarely do I get blanked. I did see well over 50 dead fish floating and all appeared to be suckers. The fish had been dead for a while, so the actual kill may have occurred much further upstream. I did contact Shane Bush, as I noticed in his article; that nobody had reported any type of kill in the James. Hopefully this rain and much cooler temperatures will help solve this problem. I hope and pray that we are not looking at another 1999 fish kill.

[Sprint21fter]

I don't think we are having another one, seems to be affecting baitfish and other game fish instead of bass.  There are a few bass floating but that is typical for this time of year.  

[Champ188]

This is not the LMB virus. The biologist has already identified it as an oxygen problem caused by a fragmented thermocline. Just remains to be seen how serious it gets. Hopefully we'll have an early fall and get things headed back in the right direction.

[Flysmallie]

Hopefully we'll have an early fall and get things headed back in the right direction.

I think it started today. And there is fresh new water headed down the James today. The city went through our neighborhood a couple of weeks ago and oiled and sanded all the streets and never came back and cleaned it up like they said they would so that's coming with it too. Enjoy.

[brian_w_watson]

I think it started today. And there is fresh new water headed down the James today. The city went through our neighborhood a couple of weeks ago and oiled and sanded all the streets and never came back and cleaned it up like they said they would so that's coming with it too. Enjoy.

and here i be heading down in about 30 days.  Shall i bring some sponges for shoreline cleanup?  

[magicwormman]

I have a friend fishing between point 10 and 12 the last week and he has seen several walleye, whitebass, and a few crappies dead. Some of the whites and one walleye was still alive, but barely. Come on cool weather.

[Rodmaker]

On the James this morning. From point 11 down stream to the small island at the bend, dozens and dozens of Fish are floating. Most were walleye, one about 24". All were keepers. Lots of K's and LM. One LM about 4#s. All other bass floaters were keeps. 2 paddle fish, one I estimated at 30#s. Lot of white bass floaters. Some carp & suckers but mostly sport fish. Been like this since last Wednesday when I got down here. Worst today than any other. Whatever it is, it's not over. I've done "okay" fishing this trip, but I sure wish I could have caught what I see floating! 

[fishinwrench]

All this from depleted oxygen during a high water event. 

Those biologists are just wicked smart, ain't they ?

[5bites]

To quote the biologists that apparently know nothing even though historically this has happened before....

 

"The thermocline is setting up rather shallow this year in the upper end of the lake, perhaps more than usual which could explain why this is happening this year and not others. The thermocline set up shallow during the last high water events we had in 2008 and 2011 as well."

 

 

Three times in recent history we get the same result after the same situation. I'm no boat mechanic but I'm gonna say the ol boy may be onto something with this thermocline deal. 

[fishinwrench]

From a creationist point of view I don't see how that theory can even make it into your brain.    For starters Bass have been around longer than impoundments and their thermoclines.  And if y'all are seeing carp and everything else turning up dead.......Well whatever, it ain't worth arguing about cuz I truly don't know, but IMO neither do they.