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| SportsThursday, December 22, 2005 12:42 PM CST |
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Fish in smaller ponds may face a deadly winter
Scott Richardson srichardson@pantagraph.com The Department of Natural Resources has received many reports of fish kills at ponds in Illinois due to this year's drought, but game fish in the state's larger lakes and reservoirs have not been harmed, DNR officials said. "A lot of ponds didn't do so well," said Steve Pallo, management program section head in the DNR division of fisheries. "I guess it's Mother Nature's way of thinning out (fish numbers)." Pallo warned the worst may be yet to come. Fish populations could be threatened by low water levels in winter. A hard freeze combined with heavy snowfalls could kill even more fish, he said. Pallo added pond owners where fish kills occurred can seek help from DNR to restock. Ponds, which historically produce some of the state's best fishing for largemouth bass, crappies, bluegills and catfish, are generally shallow and range in size from one to several acres. Most began the year at full levels after a relatively wet winter. But as Illinois suffered through one of the driest springs and summers on record, water levels dropped, sometimes as much as 2 to 4 feet, Pallo said. Effects were compounded when temperatures soared during the hot months, he added. The one-two punch of less water and higher temperatures reduced oxygen levels in some ponds to levels too low to support life, Pallo said. Fish kills were reported statewide. DNR fisheries biologist Mike Garthaus said ponds in East-Central Illinois, his area of responsibility, were impacted. In some cases, the fish kills were total. In that event, the silver lining is that owners can buy enough fish to restock from DNR for $25 plus $1 per acre. They include small bass, catfish, bluegill and redear sunfish. To qualify for that program, DNR requires the fish kill to be complete. If it was not, then surviving larger fish would gobble the new arrivals, Pallo said. In the case of partial fish kills, surviving fish may be enough to replenish the pond over time, he said. Pallos said DNR biologists also will help pond owners get in touch with private fish suppliers and work with them to develop a restocking plan at a reasonable cost. With the arrival of winter, concern remains high that low water levels could lead to more fish kills. That's especially true if thick ice and snow cut light to aquatic weeds. As weeds die and decompose, they sap oxygen from the water. "I could see a lot of fish kills," Pallo said. Two strategies might help, he said. One is to install a small aerator similar, but smaller, to ones used by duck hunters to keep water open for waterfowl. An electric compressor of one-quarter to one-half horsepower run 24 hours a day would help. In addition, if heavy snow does fall, scooping snow from the edges of the pound on ice over shallow water where plants grow could help keep them alive and producing oxygen, he said. As for larger lakes and reservoirs, lower water levels from a lack of rain may prove to be a blessing for some bodies of water, Pallo said. As water draws down, soft earth where weeds can take root and grow is exposed. Once water levels rise to normal, the vegetation is flooded and provides hiding places for young fish to avoid being eaten by larger ones, Pallo said. That increases the number of bass, sunfish and catfish that survive their first tenuous year of life. However, if the picture could change for fish, even for large bodies of water, over time, he said. "If there's dry weather next year, the drought could take a toll," Pallo said. Scott Richardson is Pantagraph outdoor editor. Phone (309) 820-3227 or e-mail srichardsonyayaypantagraph.com. Get area high school sports scores and statistics at Varsity Sports. E-mail this story | Print this story | Search archives | RSS Show comments |  Hide comments | Hide comments on all stories |
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