# Berlin Lake Low



## dmk (Jul 30, 2004)

My Bass club fished a tournament on Berlin yesterday the 28th and I have two questions about the lake. Question #1, what is killing so many Walleye?The place acutually stunk with the smell of dead fish. I marked water depths up to 53 foot so they have deep water to go to and do not have to stay in the extremely warm shallows; I got a water temp of 80 in 5 foot or less of water. Question #2, why do they pull the lake down so far so early in the season and how much lower will they pull it down? According to the Pitts. Corp web site it is down 5.5 foot now. The MWCD lakes are pulled down 5 foot below summer pool but they don't start pulling water out until Nov. 1st. I am looking for some kind angler to give me some answers as I am in the process of planning next years tournaments and am trying to figure the best time of the year to do 2 on Berling; was thinking spring and fall BUT not sure fall is a good idea. 
DMK


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## TritonBill (Apr 9, 2004)

This is pretty typical draw rate for Berlin. Plus with the lack of rain this year its making matters happen slightly earlier. Berlin feeds Milton and Milton feeds downstream waters. These lakes are drawn to keep the downstream waters at acceptable levels. It will get a LOT lower than it currently is at berlin. In fact right now is when its dangerous at Berlin because things are slightly underneath the water and you can run into things if you don't know where you are going. Stay in the Creek Channels!

As for the walleye kill, I've heard the high temps but I'm not 100% sure.


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## Old Graybeard (Apr 1, 2005)

I've heard it's a combination of high water temps and lack of wind and rain. This is leaving the lakes affected with insufficient oxygen levels to sustain the bigger walleyes. This is happening at Pymatuning also. Has anyone out there seen it elsewhere?


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## JIG (Nov 2, 2004)

Lack of alot of things! If we get some good rain they might come up but...  I would think that WB and Berlin would be affected more than a full lake as Milton and Pymy. You should walk around WB and see the dead weeds that were in 15 fow. SAD! I think thats the reason for the stockin of WB being stopped. They dump the fish to Berlin and let WB fish die. Probably the reason :B use the dam water.
It all I would bet has something to do with the water rights down stream on the Mahoning and the docks at Milton and such. $$$$$$$$


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## chuckie (Nov 12, 2004)

warm water doesn't kill walleye. i got a 4-5 ft deep pond with walleye in it. it's "extremely" warm but i aerate it and they do fine! it's the l-o-w oxygen content that's killing the fish. you got to have wind to add oxy. to the lake that is consumed by dying vegetation. this record summer we been having is quite devoid of wind on the inland lakes! there might not be any fish in WB or Berlin if it weren't for the recreational boaters and ski-dos chopping the lake to a froth e-v-e-r-y DAY in the summer! i say, thank God for them.......lol!!?


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## northwind (Apr 5, 2004)

They call it "Summer Kill". Walleys for the most part will stop feeding when the H20 Temp. reaches 80.


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## Flipp (Apr 5, 2004)

Guys you think its low now wait till october! Who won that tourney on sunday?


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## Procraftboats21 (Apr 6, 2004)

I fished a tournament up there sunday, whitaker threw together a "fun" tournament, $42 bucks to enter. only 5 boats showed up. We won with 6.66 pounds, 4 fish. He said hes having another one this weekend, there should be more boats with the fishing getting better.


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## Flipp (Apr 5, 2004)

The lakes should come up some after the rain. I'll be out all weekend.


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## Walleye 3 (Jul 2, 2005)

I know that the lake was down a little over the past few weeks which was probably caused by the dry summer and the need to keep a minimum flow down stream, but I would think that the lake has been drawn down extra the last few days because of the hurricane heading our way. They probably didnt want to get caught like last year when the lake reached its highest level in many years and went over the emergency spillway. Normally they start their winter draw down after Labor Day. As for the walleye having problems it was stated correctly when it was said that there just isnt enough O2 for them. I know that the dissolved oxygen levels on Berlin were real low. The surface DO was around 6 PPM and at 10 feet it was around 4 PPM. Below 10 feet there was no O2. Also the surface temp a few weeks ago was 86 and 10 feet down it was 81. Walleye get very stressed at temps over 75 and need at least 4PPM of O2 to survive. This was the same problem at Pymatuning, the surface temp was 87 and 10 feet down it was 83. The DO was about the same as Berlin. The problem the walleye probably had was they were up in the shallower water where there was O2 and we may have had wind or the last set of storms or some other reason turned the water void of O2 up to the surface and suffocated the already stressed walleye. The bigger older fish always die first because they cant handle the stress as well. I also think that the overwhelming amount of boats did save the fish at Berlin a little longer than at Pymatuning where there isnt the boat traffic. Hope the rain and wind helps them out and doesnt cause more problems in the short term.


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## Lewzer (Apr 5, 2004)

I was thinking last night (run for your life!)...Do you think the Corp of Engineers were thinking ahead with the bad hurricane forcast in regards to the low water levels? 

That they purposely lowered water levels in lakes in the Mississippi watershed to ensure enough capacity so they can hold the water up here rather than having to start releases immediately and send all that water we, Kentucky, WV and Tennesssee got in the aftermath on down to New Orleans?
If so, their caution paid off.
Look at all the lakes in northeast Ohio that are in the Lake Erie watershed. Their water levels are and have been normal.


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## JIG (Nov 2, 2004)

Its good too read some helpful info! Sounds like you know a thing of two about water.  I talked too a guy that fished Berlin for a couple weeks and he said it wasnt nothin to see some 12 eyes dead in a day but yet he caught plenty walleyes. Theres alot of fish in our lakes and they are greatly appreciated. Alot of time has been spent on flood control and water rights over the last 50 years. Milton and Skeeter stay full and steady all year and Berlin and WB do not. I think they dump Skeeter and let WB rise. Just as Milton and Berlin. Alot of water runnin in Berlin. More than WB. I found Milton to be the coolest and WB the hottest with Berlin. I know when the water goes down it muds up and dying weeds give of heat and take 02. Not good in the mid-summer. Jacked the temps up fast. Same time the fish move out.
Im shure the rain helps some but alot of fish wont come up of the bottom in 30FOW till the water cools or turns-over. Almost like fish have to move vertical before lateral. Then the edges are on again. Is it because of the o2?
I see it in the bait out there like a minnow in a bucket of warm water.


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## chuckie (Nov 12, 2004)

same COE that designed the levies between L Pontchartrain and Big Easy for a cat. 3 hurricane-maybe they thought there might be a 5 coming someday?? but they are not totally to blame-i think they tried but GB and his Iraq war took the money they requested for levie improvements! pray for those folks............
http://www.minjok.com/english/news.php3?code=495


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## Whaler (Nov 16, 2004)

They draw these lakes down every Summer to a certain level so they can hold back Spring rains. West Branch is usually down around five feet but due to the lack of rain it is down seven right now. Milton is the last one drawn down . As for West Branch you can get on USACE LRP-WM-Reservoir Report and Forecast and it will show you the exact water levels for all these lakes and how much is flowing out of them. They actually cut the flow back some out of West Branch a short time back. It was flowing out at 92 cubic feet per second and the last time I checked it it was at 80 cubic feet per second.


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## AJS (Sep 4, 2012)

anyone have new info on berlin, water level, is the bite getting any better for the eyes, are ramps still open? cant sign onto USACE resivor report for some reason. 9-4 12


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## bountyhunter (Apr 28, 2004)

I was there monday , I,m 65 never seen it this low in my time , ramp at bonner rd is useable but be very careful only the older ramp is deep enough. lot of sand bars just under the water . if you don,t know the lake ? safer to try some place else.


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## firstflight111 (May 22, 2008)

they are dropping berlin 3'' a day for water on the ohio river..and it is low for this time of year ....


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## AJS (Sep 4, 2012)

thanks for the tip, did you catch any walleye.


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## t.stuller (Feb 25, 2010)

I live right by Berlin and will say it's extremely low for this time of year and even lower then most winters. I've seen brush piles were we usually ice fish for crappie and bluegill that are out of the water.


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## HookEmUp (Apr 14, 2012)

I saw one dead eye last trip. I havent seen any numbers of dead fish lately out there, but then again im rarely fishing that close to shore. Maybe next time ill take a closer look. How many we talkin? 50? 100? more? What areas have you seen them washed up?


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## BigDaddy300 (Nov 1, 2004)

The date of the original post is 7 years old.


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## HookEmUp (Apr 14, 2012)

Oops, Missed that one. Thanks for pointing that out.


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