# Maumee River Algae



## spikeg79 (Jun 11, 2012)

What is up with all the Algae in the river lately? Twice in the past 3 weeks I've gone fishing(or tried to) at Side cut the algae was thick from shore to about 20+ feet out in some sections, even the fish were getting stuck in it. In all the years I've been fishing the Maumee I don't recall the algae being this bad this early in the season  .


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## dreamstalker (Sep 8, 2011)

2 good reasons..

Thank the farmers for one. The Manure runoff has not been diluted down with rain. This makes algae run wild. I expect the algae problem to show it's ugly head this year like none before.
Then there is the Lack of rain and above average heat. Both combined with the Farm runoff sets the stage for stagnation and algae.
Many ponds lakes and rivers are stressed this year with the same problems due to the lack of rain. Fish that are normally abundant in upstream areas of rivers are being found to be downstream seeking deeper waters. Ponds are chock full of algae. 
I have seen other years in the past like this. It is the backside of the 3 year cycle. The only redeeming factor is the smaller life forms (crayfish..hatch..frogs..etc) will do well. The following 2 years will fatten the fish with more abundant food. At the last year of the cycle (like last year) Fishing may peak.


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## Bucket Mouth (Aug 13, 2007)

Fished the river yesterday. THere was some mossy stuff on the rocks, but no algae where I was at. Fish in the current and you won't have to worry about it.


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## FISHIN216 (Mar 18, 2009)

My pond is a foot low and looks like crap.....we need rain

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## mlayers (Aug 22, 2011)

if you have a pond and it is low put a water hose to it and run water in it to raise the water level to where you want it. I have done this for years on a 1/4 acre pond


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## DeathFromAbove (Oct 21, 2008)

Just checked out the USGS website for the flow gauge on the Waterville bridge. If I'm reading it right, this is the lowest flow in 78 years at 208 cfs. The depth is around 1.7 ft. Ive never seen it like that. Even in July-August its normally 2 feet and 400 cfs at its low point. No wonder there's algae. Really has to concentrate the fish in what small pools are left. Please use discrestion with what you keep out of there, as we could wipe out some already dwindling fish populations under these conditions.
Its also possible they could head for some deeper wintering holes already due to lack of water.
I love the low clear water for fishing, but this is getting bad, with no sign of rain for the next 5 days at least.


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## KaGee (Sep 8, 2006)

NW Ohio is 3" short of rain YTD... some spots a little more.


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## spikeg79 (Jun 11, 2012)

From the way it looks @ USGS Flow gauge section that the river usually doesn't flow this low until mid-late Autumn around October-November. Hopefully soon we get a soaking rain for a day at least to bring the river back to normal levels. 
I would fish @ Seigert lake till the river gets higher but fishing there sucks since a bunch of people showed up and caught most of the big fish :B & didn't release them the past few seasons, all that's left is little bullhead and carp. Used to be some rod breaking monsters there, one even bent one of my hooks.


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## Jmsteele187 (Dec 22, 2011)

spikeg79 said:


> From the way it looks @ USGS Flow gauge section that the river usually doesn't flow this low until mid-late Autumn around October-November. Hopefully soon we get a soaking rain for a day at least to bring the river back to normal levels.
> I would fish @ Seigert lake till the river gets higher but fishing there sucks since a bunch of people showed up and caught most of the big fish :B & didn't release them the past few seasons, all that's left is little bullhead and carp. Used to be some rod breaking monsters there, one even bent one of my hooks.


In the last four years of fishing there, I've never even gotten a nibble.


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## BFG (Mar 29, 2006)

> NW Ohio is 3" short of rain YTD... some spots a little more.


One stalled cold front caused by a hurricane spinning off the East Coast will get us right back on track. Remember all of those bastages that hit us every 3-4 days last fall starting in August? Oh..and it rained 24 out of 30 days in April. May was awful, June was dry..the rest was wet. 

You guys forget last year already? Over 60" of rain in NW Ohio...setting a record...and that followed the snowiest December/January on record too. We had 8" in 7 days in September. 

Funny how everyone blames the algae on run-off when it rains too much, and now we blame the algae on when it doesn't rain enough? 

I just came across the Maumee at lunch at the 280 bridge. The river is green. Gonna be a long summer on the western end. Fishing sucks for a reason from June through February on the western end.


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## olderfer (Feb 2, 2009)

BFG said:


> One stalled cold front caused by a hurricane spinning off the East Coast will get us right back on track. Remember all of those bastages that hit us every 3-4 days last fall starting in August? Oh..and it rained 24 out of 30 days in April. May was awful, June was dry..the rest was wet.
> 
> You guys forget last year already? Over 60" of rain in NW Ohio...setting a record...and that followed the snowiest December/January on record too. We had 8" in 7 days in September.
> 
> ...


Those of us that are 72 can't even remember what happened last Tuesday, let alone last year.

Jim


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## Jin (May 25, 2011)

I fished maumee yesterday after work. The algae was not that bad. I got 5 tiny LM in the first one and a half hour and then went to another spot where algae only covered the shallow water near the shore. Caught 4 samllies. all around 14 inches. The number of bait fish and crayfish is enormous. You can catch them with your hands. I was using rebel crayfish.


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## DeathFromAbove (Oct 21, 2008)

olderfer said:


> Those of us that are 72 can't even remember what happened last Tuesday, let alone last year.
> 
> Jim


 You dont have to be 72 for that to kick in. I'd ask you to remember how it was when you were 55, but then I realized you probably cant. (LOL-Sorry)


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## rod bender bob (May 19, 2004)

dreamstalker said:


> 2 good reasons..
> 
> Thank the farmers for one. The Manure runoff has not been diluted down with rain. This makes algae run wild. I expect the algae problem to show it's ugly head this year like none before.
> Then there is the Lack of rain and above average heat. Both combined with the Farm runoff sets the stage for stagnation and algae.
> "..........


Last year people blamed the tons of rain n heat formthe algae and now it is the LACK of rain LOL The problem is, we have an algae PROBLEM. But not all algae is a problem it is only the blue-green toxic stuff mainly caused by phosporus that is causing problems. But it is here every year and will be until we attack the problem, not study it. Some years are worse than others but it is there every year.


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## rutnut245 (Jan 18, 2009)

I've fished the river a couple of times this week.Lots and lots of moss where I fished but I didn't notice any algae.


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## spikeg79 (Jun 11, 2012)

Anybody hit the river today by Sidecut or buttonwood parks? Wife took a drive by there and noticed the spots we usually fish from are still covered in the green crap as bad as last Sunday. Might try another spot closer to the Maumee Perrysburg bridge tomorrow if it isn't too bad.


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## fridge454 (Jun 20, 2012)

Today I fished just near the bridge and had no problems.


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## 1mecheng (Jul 28, 2009)

Fished Sunday afternoon - Tip of bluegrass island resulted in moss on nearly every cast.

Dan


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## NorthSouthOhioFisherman (May 7, 2007)

BFG said:


> Funny how everyone blames the algae on run-off when it rains too much, and now we blame the algae on when it doesn't rain enough?
> 
> I just came across the Maumee at lunch at the 280 bridge. The river is green. Gonna be a long summer on the western end. Fishing sucks for a reason from June through February on the western end.


I agree, takes the words out of my mouth   

As for the fishing sucking from June to feb. I have to disagree with that! We have had a decent June and always do. July August and Sept. are slow for eyes but perch fishing then gets hot! After that it is almost fall bite for the eyes and then come January its an eye beat down if the ice is there. So we miss three months... I can live with that


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## spikeg79 (Jun 11, 2012)

Heed my warning if you choose too: Don't waste your time or gas going to the Maumee side of the Maumee River from the Maumee/Perrysburg bridge to the I475/23 overpass. It is nothing but algae/moss or whatever you call the green muck anywhere from 5-15' from shore. My wife and I spent the morning walking the paths there trying to find a decent spot to cast out but there isn't one on the Maumee side that isn't covered in that green muck. Hopefully soon we get a few days of steady rain that will wash that muck away, till that happens I'd avoid that side of the Maumee. We didn't check the Perrysburg side so the conditions might be better on that side of the river, maybe someone who's fished that side recently will chime in on that.


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## DeathFromAbove (Oct 21, 2008)

Fished the river 2 days ago and had no problem with moss or algae. Water was really warm though. Maumee tackle updated his site and posted it at 80 deg. at 9:00 at night.


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