MDC approves fish salvage during June at Schell Lake

[Phil Lilley]

Schell Lake will be drained for wetland renovation project at Schell-Osage Conservation Area in Vernon County Schell City, Mo. – The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) has approved a fish salvage plan as Schell Lake is drained during June 2018 at the Schell-Osage Conservation Area in Vernon County. MDC is preparing to drain the lake as an early step in the renovation of the wetland management pools and water control structures. This project will improve the wetlands for waterfowl habitat, improve the fishery at Schell Lake, and reduce long-term flood damages. Schell Lake will begin to be drained June 1 and is expected to be emptied by July 1. Most of the fish in the lake are expected to be released into the nearby Osage River. But some fish may be stranded in pools of standing water. To minimize wasted fish, an emergency fish salvage order will be in place from June 15 through June 30. The emergency fish salvage order will allow anglers to use both regular and alternative methods to harvest fish. Examples of alternative methods include seining, dip net, gigs, and bowfishing. However, during this time, anglers must still abide by other statewide regulations including daily and possession creel limits and any fish removed from Schell Lake during this emergency salvage may not be possessed on any other waterbody of the state or banks thereof. Starting June 1, all boating will be prohibited on Schell Lake for safety reasons. Fishing of any kind will be prohibited at the lake starting July 1 until lake renovation and fish population stockings are completed. All or portions of the wetlands, including waterfowl hunting areas, will be closed once construction begins, until completion of the project. Schell Lake will be closed to fishing three to five years. The construction project is expected to take up to two years. Then it will take two or three more years for fish to be stocked and grow into a population strong enough for a sustainable fishery. The upland areas, Atkinson Lake, and ponds at Schell-Osage will remain open to normal birding, hiking, hunting, and fishing activities during the project. MDC for several years has studied long-term challenges for wetland management at Schell-Osage. The planned construction will reduce costly flood damage and improve marshes and Schell Lake for wildlife and outdoor recreation for decades to come. MDC in 2004 kicked off a Golden Anniversary Wetlands Initiative to make improvements on the state’s five oldest wetland management areas. Schell-Osage is the last wetland on the list to receive renovations. Outdoor enthusiasts can follow plans and work progress via a web page that will be periodically updated by MDC staff. Also, those interested in the project can sign up for updates via email by visiting https://short.mdc.mo.gov/Zqu.

Photos: MDC has approved a fish salvage order for June at Schell Lake at the Schell-Osage Conservation Area northeast of Nevada, Mo. The lake is being draining for a renovation project to improve wetlands, fishing in the lake, and to reduce damage to water control structures when flooding occurs.                                    Missouri Department of Conservation photos

[BilletHead]

Not too far from BilletHeadVille,

      May have to go up and watch.   Many moons ago they used to let folks do this in the drained duck area. There would be ditches and pools full of carp and other rough fish or native and non native if you want to call it that. Those fish would die off during the summer so it would open up for a weekend of seining. I would watch that. Men, women and children would be in that muck herding fish and pulling seines.  The muddy water would stink as they stirred it up, so thick it would look like you could walk across it. Fish jumping, people hollering. it was actually pretty comical. This may be an epic event to witness,

    BilletHead

[tjm]

Too far away for me, I think, just to watch.

[jdmidwest]

Mo carp could fill a truck there.

[BilletHead]

              Renovation update ,

   It's a stinkin mess boys! I was up there a couple weeks ago when they first turned the tap to start draining. After seeing the news last Evening I decided to revisit . What I seen excited me big time !  Dead carp everywhere, yippeeeeee. Worst thing was the smell but the vultures were happy. To my glee I was happy but our resident carpoligist may be crying the blues. Some real big ones in here gentlemen. Felt sorry for the native buffalo and gar . You see they belong here,

    I made a mistake though. Forgot to make sure the AC was on recirculate so when going downwind I got a wiff of death but as I trucked on by that smell was gone. Sorry for the crappy photos. Did you want me to roll down the window? Barfola!  I will attach an article from an online news service so you can read more. Pay attention to what will not be stocked and how the MDC calls the fish invasive.  I have off and on fished this lake for years but the carp took over, got worse and worse until all we had was a mud lake with mud clouds created by the non native invasive carp. So there may be hope for future good fishing until some bucket biologist thinks he or she knows better and dumps in some carp,

    PS I like to poke the bear cub from time to time to tell the truth so the people realize that truth preventing the changing of hearts and minds . Note in jest people,

       http://batescountynewswire.blogspot.com/2018/06/fish-kill-at-schell-lake-involves.html

 

     BilletHead

[BilletHead]

               Forgot to add at first I thought there had maybe been a bow fishing tourney and there had been in illegal dump of the harvest,

  BilletHead

[MoCarp]

yeah some people got salty all the fish wasted, don't know what they thought was going to happen

[Flysmallie]

Yummy

[BilletHead]

    Sushi , ceviche,

         Hey not a waste IMO. The Vultures were very happy. They are a native species and are mother natures clean up crew. They were like pigs in slop doing what they do best. Gosh I hope that none of them get sick.

   Yes another note. I walked the bank some on the up wind side of the mess by the campground. You could see foot prints. Bare feet and booted feet. At one place there was a gathering of foot prints around a hole in the mud bigger than a wash tub maybe three foot deep or more. Lots of hand prints in that mud and a couple 2X4s in the mess. I am betting there was someone stuck and there had to be a rescue. Lots of people trails into the puddles left in the middle that was not draining. Someone had to be pretty desperate to salvage the dead and dying fish. Maybe someone was trying to rescue carp out there? Who knows. Right now that is a mystery. Got to take Mrs. BilletHead this weekend before they close it down. The carp flotilla should be just right,

    BilletHead 

[Flysmallie]

8 minutes ago, BilletHead said:

Got to take Mrs. BilletHead this weekend before they close it down. The carp flotilla should be just right,

    BilletHead 

Maybe bring a picnic basket and make a day of it.

 

Might try focusing on your next pics too.