# Resthaven Pond 8 Dead Largemouth



## Scum_Frog (Apr 3, 2009)

I dont know if anyone has been over to Castalia and taken a look at Pond 8 but theres over 200 dead Largemouth of all sizes along the shoreline.....on the west end alone had over 49. Called ODNR and spoke to a gentleman about it and he said "There's nothing we can do about it, we cannot do anything for largemouth if they are sick, if they die off we will just re-stock them, I know this probably isnt what you want to hear". I know its probably true to a point, but really? Nothing they can do about it? Said they wont run any tests on them either. Talk about disappointing. Resthaven is a GREAT fishery or was...

The only thing they could blame it on was low oxygen levels and the pond turned over cause the heat? How does this happen and only kill ONE species of fish.....not another specie at all. Pretty upset about the entire thing to tell ya the truth.

I dont know what anyone else thinks though some more input would be appreciated.


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## Shortdrift (Apr 5, 2004)

One specie of fish can tolerate lower oxygen levels than another.


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## Net (Apr 10, 2004)

Sounds like that ODNR gent needs to work on his people skills. I'm not saying there's anything they can do to prevent a die-off...but geez.

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Ohub Campfire mobile app


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## Nubes (Dec 3, 2012)

That sucks! I wonder if it has anything to do with an illness?? Such low oxygen levels seem odd to me considering its not been that hot?? Maybe an algae bloom of some sort helped attribute to the loss?? I was at Sharon woods and it appeared the lake had flipped there as well. The cooler rains must have made the surface temp a bit cooler than what was below it and caused it to flip?? I was under the impression that this helps with the oxygen levels bringing the surface oxygen down to the bottom, since there is more dissolved oxygen at the surface and less at the bottom. I didn't see any dead fish out there but you did get the occasional whiff of sulphar which is a sign it flipped.


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## jstiene (Aug 14, 2008)

Scum_frog,

we chatted on the nw ohio forum on this also. When I went there this past weekend, I swear the weeds were 50% in volume compared to 2/3 weeks prior. I could barely maneuver my trolling motor through them about 3 weeks ago, and now the top 1-2ft of water seems to be much more clear of weeds, especially the back end (south) opposite of the dock...anyone else notice this?


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## bassmaniac (May 10, 2004)

Well I was going to head up there tomorrow but if you saw 200 dead bass, I'd say the population is pretty much gone. That sucks. I was looking forward to going. Now it 

might be years before that place is right.


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## jstiene (Aug 14, 2008)

bassmaniac,

On a good note, even with the dead fish, I still caught my usual quantity without a problem. I also didnt see 200, I saw about a dozen. I believe someone else mentioned 200, so i cant verify that count myself.

Hope that helps!


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## rustyfish (Apr 27, 2004)

Last thing you want to see when you show up to fish.

In a pond or lake there is not much you can do once the fish start dying.
Death is mostly caused by disease (which is always in the water). Stress makes the fish susceptible to the disease (or kills them itself). Water quality (temp, oxygen, ammonia, ph) causes the stress. Impossible to prevent the stress without constant monitoring and planned responses in place. By the time you see dead fish its already over. Depending on the conditions fish sometimes sink first then float up after they start to break down, which puts you even further behind. Sucks but thats how it tends to work and it is a common occurrence. 

Different species or size of fish are affected differently by stress factors and diseases. So a water quality spike could only end up affecting one group of fish.


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## bassmaniac (May 10, 2004)

Should have gone up there instead of where I went. I love fishing there.


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## flippin fool (Apr 3, 2006)

i saw about 50 dead bass a few days after scum frog announced it. i only walked the bank a little ways around the northwest corner. who knows just how bad it will affect the fishing? i do know it was getting harder to catch fish there.


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## Yakphisher (Jul 9, 2013)

I fished it over a week ago and as I got the yak in the water started smelling the stench and thought it was a dead deer but further I paddled I started seeing big bass dead, not a few but more than a few hunderds. What an a disgusted eyesore! I counted over 2 dozen bass that easily 20"+ but I manage to get 2 bass in a few hours and it was enough so went over to another pond to finish my day off. Good call!! 
Now the week before it was all that hot ass temps with saturated humidity along with hhigh night time temps so it easily had to cook the water til oxygen levels dropped. Bass require more oxygen then all the other fish species in the water. 

But I fished #7 or big dike which average less then 2.5' and didnt see any dead bass. 

Sure as perplexed about it. Now it will take a couple years to get back to where it was so it a shame and even more so for ODNR dropping the ball on it to. They need to get it together!


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## c. j. stone (Sep 24, 2006)

After I treated my pond with copper sulfate for green-paint surface algae a couple weeks ago, I had all my big(EIGHT 36-40", 25-30#s, 30 yr old!) amurs die, several 3-4# bass, and a couple fairly large cats. Called DNR, they said the conditions weather wise(lots of heavy rains bringing in nutrient loads from surrounding fields, high temps, etc) would have made it dangerously bad to treat at that particular time!! My pond is little less than an acre, aerated 24-7 so I thought an algaecide wouldn't cause any change in oxygen levels. They said it could be a very minor difference and even a slight oxygen drop could stress/kill larger fish!! They said even when a pond/small lake flips, the decomposition of the weeds and algae is enough to cause a fish die-off due to oxygen depletion. Live and learn, I suppose??


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## chadwimc (Jun 27, 2007)

Yakphisher said:


> Sure as perplexed about it. Now it will take a couple years to get back to where it was so it a shame and even more so for ODNR dropping the ball on it to. They need to get it together!


I don't get it. No oil sludge. No barrels of chemicals. Just a natural fish die off. What is the ODNR supposed to do?


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## Fish G3 (Jul 16, 2008)

chadwimc said:


> I don't get it. No oil sludge. No barrels of chemicals. Just a natural fish die off. What is the ODNR supposed to do?


It's just people being uninformed and wanting to blame somebody. The ODNR did things just the way they're supposed to...except for maybe go out and clean up the dead fish. So that it wouldn't get any publicity. This probably happens more than most realize. Low oxygen levels can kill fish pretty quick. It's just one pond I bet the fishing will be just fine if not improve in a year or two.


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## Yakphisher (Jul 9, 2013)

That is exactly what I meant G3, Why DNR leaves them to decomps rather then try to clean it up. After all we are paying them with our tax dollars.


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## chadwimc (Jun 27, 2007)

Yakphisher said:


> That is exactly what I meant G3, Why DNR leaves them to decomps rather then try to clean it up. After all we are paying them with our tax dollars.


Buzzards gotta eat...Same as the worms...


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## Yakphisher (Jul 9, 2013)

chadwimc said:


> Buzzards gotta eat...Same as the worms...


LOL! Yea true but I think the population of raccoons have congregated to an all you eat buffet earlier and whats left is vulture but didnt really see any tho.


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## bassmaniac (May 10, 2004)

I was wondering if anyone has been there lately. If there is anything left to catch now.


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## flippin fool (Apr 3, 2006)

i was there tuesday morning for a couple hours to see if there were any left also. caught 10 missed 2 and lost 1. one was just a hair under 18" 2 were just about 15" and the rest were between 12-15. now if we could just get that weed that looks like a blanket under control there we might be alright?


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## Jbravo09 (Aug 24, 2013)

i was thinking about heading out here to fish ive never been out there before but now im reading bout all the dead fish and seen someone said that it was very overgrown with weeds? can anyone tell me if its worth a drive im coming from lorain so about 30 or 40 min drive. also looking at resthaven wildlife area it looks nuts can anyone explain where to go to fish it or how to get to pond 8 it doesnt have numbered ponds on google maps.


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## Yakphisher (Jul 9, 2013)

There will always be fish to catch. Its about 50 min drive for me. Go to ODNR for map of the area. If you have small boat or kayak you can get to some much better areas to fish. Weeds are great thing so fish the edges and you will do well. I may head that way Wednesday/Thursday but not sure yet. #10 and #7 does have some nice bass but #8 is prolly one the better.


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