# Seneca Lake Fish Dying



## Shepard (May 31, 2007)

Why are the fish dying?? it's not just the carp anymore? and it's starting to happen at Salt fork?? It stinks so bad and there's thousands of them???


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## Lewis (Apr 5, 2004)

I was there last week and saw tons of dead and dying Carp.
The Buzzards sure were getting full.
This is pretty typical for Carp in some lakes.
I did see one dead LM Bass that would go about 7 Lbs.
What species are you seeing?


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## Shepard (May 31, 2007)

In the last two days I've seen crappie, white bass, striper, largemouth. Last night was the worst. Fish were everywhere floating up and rolling over.


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## Sr.Jigger (Feb 17, 2005)

I noticed that fish kill also ! It's happening at Salt Fork. I saw some large fish of many different kinds. Is the water to warm ? Got to warm to quick ?


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## Tiny Tim (Sep 19, 2006)

Saw it before at Seneca with the white bass years ago. The DNR said it was because they were all spawning at once and it did something to the water they were in.They had some kind of reaction to it and they died by the thousands.Boy what a smell,ya couldnt fish around the dam for a couple of weeks!!!


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## Osilee (Jul 4, 2005)

I called Salt Fork Outdoors and they said they have not heard about this happening at Salt Fork but ODNR officers had said that Seneca is having a problem. Has anyone been to Salt Fork and seen this fish kill. Thinking about taking my dad there tomorrow but do not want to spend the day gagging!!!!


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## maynard (May 19, 2007)

I've heard at Seneca that it's a parasite killin the carp, but have seen quite a few shad along the shorelines lately.


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## maynard (May 19, 2007)

just found this article in our daily paper:

*Seneca Lake fish kill investigated *
Comments Greg Parks/The Daily Jeffersonian 
4 hours ago
Fish at Seneca Lake have been dying and the cause remains a mystery.

State wildlife officials are awaiting test results from the Biological Monitoring and Database Team of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in LaCrosse, Wis., where fish from the lake were sent.

Tim Parrett, fish management supervisor for District 4 of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, in Athens, said Tuesday that his agency had been contacted by the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District after it got queries from the public about large numbers of dead, smelly fish -- mostly carp.

Seneca is one of eight MWCD lakes in eastern Ohio.

Parrett said it was first thought that the villain might be a virus which is currently active in the Great Lakes. But that theory was dispelled because the Great Lakes virus propagates in cold water, and lake water around here has been anything but cold lately.

Parrett said ODNR personnel had to capture sample fish that were still alive but facing imminent death in order for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to conduct tests.

Collecting the necessary fish was accomplished at Seneca this week. All of the samples happened to be female, Parrett said, and all of them were having trouble reabsorbing their eggs, which could indicate pesticide poisoning.

On June 30, a woman informed the MWCD that in 46 years of visiting Seneca Lake, she and her family had never seen so many dead fish.

"It sure put a pall on our visit," she said.


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## Sr.Jigger (Feb 17, 2005)

It sure seems like something strange is going on this year in many ways. I'm still seeing new born deer in my back yard (tiny little things) they should be much bigger than that by now. I have to wonder if it's not caused by the weather some how. I have terible sinus trouble this year (never like this before). Weird


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## TClark (Apr 20, 2007)

Most around here are boon around the first week of June on. We seen a mama deer and 3 little ones in "OCTOBER", so there's no set time for ALL of em.


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## Muskieman96 (Jul 6, 2007)

I was at Seneca last Friday the 29th with my Dad and Son. I did not see any dead or dying fish, but I went back Crooked Creek Bay and saw a lot of Carp coming up to the surface. I just thought they were spawning. We caught and kept several channel cats between 12" and 20", but after reading that it _could_ be a reaction to pesticide, I am glad we didn't consume them yet. Think I'll just keep them in the freezer for now, hoping a more definitive answer comes along soon. 

Also, fished Salt Fork that Saturday and remember seeing only two dead crappie and one shad - nothing else. Was all over the west side of the lake. Definitely something strange going on.


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## Shepard (May 31, 2007)

Still dying and still stinks, Ive done some research on other lakes. It appears Seneca isn't the only lake. Some lakes up north (Canada) are having the same problem. In that area they are telling the public not to touch the fish with their bare hands and to dispose of them in double plastic bags????


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## doughboy (May 5, 2006)

We fished salt Fork yesterday and last night and I dint see any dead fish. My friend Tony that I was fishing with landed a 51 lb flathead Which we released after some pics were taken


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## fshngaddict (Jul 11, 2006)

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Heading to Seneca for a long weekend starting tomorrow (Thursday the 12th). My family and I take a trip there once each year, but I am very concerned because of the fish kill. I have not seen any update since July 5th on that situation has anyone else? Was it mostly limited to carp and is it still stinking real bad with dead fish everywhere?


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## Sky Pilot (Jul 15, 2007)

Doughboy, if I'd caught 51 pounds of fish in one swimming chunk, I would still be grinning two years later! Well done!


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