Positive siting about zebra mussels on Mille Lacs

Tom Gursky posted a few days ago about fish foraging on zebra mussels on Lake Champlain (i think) in NY. i fished Mille Lacs for the first time this year on Saturday. And we observed first hand the increase in Zebra Mussels from the past few years. But what I found to be a positive was that in a couple of the Jumbo Perch’s mouths and gut was a number of zebra mussels. We also were curious about the shells make up on the zebra mussels and we were able to manipulate and squish the shells easily. Maybe these things will help the perch fishery and will in turn feed the rest of the game fish on Mille Lacs???

WHAT? There is life after Zebs?

Christmas Lake Shore property owners are more of a threat to the fisherman than most AIS.

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Sorry, wrong thread.

I’ve also read smallmouth bass eat the zebra mussels.

I’ve also heard that Sheepshead eat them too.

Nature abides.

So what are the natural predators for zebs and where did they come from. They sure dont look to be top of the food chain. They must be a main food source for some fish where ever they came from.

I read this on wiki

Zebra mussels are believed to be the source of deadly avian botulism poisoning that has killed tens of thousands of birds in the Great Lakes since the late 1990s.[5] Because they are so efficient at filtering water, they tend to accumulate pollutants and toxins. For this reason, although they are edible, most experts recommend against consuming zebra mussels
However, zebra mussels and other non-native species are credited with the increased population and size of smallmouth bass in Lake Erie[8] and yellow perch in Lake St. Clair.[9] They cleanse the waters of inland lakes, resulting in increased sunlight penetration and growth of native algae at greater depths. This cleansing also increases water visibility and filters out pollutants. Each quagga and zebra mussel filters about 1 US quart (0.95 l) of water a day when confined to small tanks.[10] In lakes, their filtering effects are usually spatially restricted (near the lake bottom) due to non-homogeneous water column mixing.

Start spreading the news! But let the zeebz spread naturally.

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I’ve also heard that Sheepshead eat them too.

Nature abides.

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Is there anything they won’t eat? Good news I would think!

Whitefish on Green Bay are supposedly eating the zeebs as well. That was a reason given for why ice fishermen are catching so many whitefish in the bay.

i would be happier if walleyes and northerns ate them, but i spose we should be happy for small favors…

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i would be happier if walleyes and northerns ate them, but i spose we should be happy for small favors…

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Why? I’d be willing to bet the perch outnumber eyes and pike 10:1 on the pond.

Word on the street is zebes are far less intrusive in the Croix than they once were. Anyone hear that?

I’ve read somewhere that they just don’t adapt to some ecosystems. How factual that is…well I read it on the internet.

yeah I heard some crazy catfishing guy start spouting off as well

Our very own Sandbar says they have not been nearly as bad on the marina boats the last couple years which tells me they peaked and Ma Nature is leveling the field.

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i would be happier if walleyes and northerns ate them, but i spose we should be happy for small favors…

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The perch are more efficient and then the pike and walleye eat them in turn. Better system I think.

Dont think I have ever pulled one out of pool 2. They are in areas of the Mississippi river north of the twin cities but for some reason just dont take to good of hold in pool 2.

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Our very own Sandbar says they have not been nearly as bad on the marina boats the last couple years which tells me they peaked and Ma Nature is leveling the field.

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That’s normally the way it works, eh? Upon first introduction there is a boom and then everything starts going back to an equilibrium. Well, equilibrium adjusting to the new introduction.

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Word on the street is zebes are far less intrusive in the Croix than they once were. Anyone hear that?

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they have..in my opinion…become less invasive..for awhile i was snagging them all over and now the original spots where i caught them are free for the most part..you would think it would be the opposite..ill take them little batstards over flying carp thats for sure

For sure. I said it once and I’ll say it again. If those flying carp start flying in P3 I have lots of old steel shot that is going to get fired.

From what I know, consumption by fish or fowl will have little effect on controlling or eradicating a ZM population. The most promising species was thought to be Drum (Sheephead) which a known mollusk eater. But studies have indicated that while they may occasional feed on Zebs, it wasn’t enough to make a difference. Bluebill ducks were also studied as they also consume snails and other invertebrates. However the consumption of ZEBs is blamed for a declining population of Bluebills; they were poisoned by the ZM’s.

Chemical treatments are the best hope. While treating a large lake like Mille Lac would be nearly impossible, small body’s of water are being studied and it shows some promise.

Where is Riverweed when we need him!

He found a MN DNR study that said they will never become abundant in the St Croix River because it wasn’t fertile enough for them. This study was done before the check station and the Crisis.

On another note, I know a bass guy that claims a wing dam on P2 has so many covering it that it cuts his braid.
I really need to get out there with the Marcum camera.

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I really need to get out there with the Marcum camera.

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I would like to see that, how about some camera of Mille Lacs also?

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On another note, I know a bass guy that claims a wing dam on P2 has so many covering it that it cuts his braid.

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Now there are bass in pool 2?

Zeebs have been on pool 18 since 89. Pool 9 since 91 or 92. They’ll cut you good. Walleyes, sheephead, all bass, panfish, both species of cats, and carp eat them. Not enough to keep them in check. They will have a natural die off when mother nature dictates via very warm water temps and or old age.
They arrived in the states from the Black Sea by way of the ballast water in Russian ships it is said.
Live with it. You don’t have much choice at the moment.

I was on Mille Lacs last week and one of the old timers at Hunter’s Point told me Zebra Mussels have a cycle they go through and within a few years the population will almost be non existent.

Native Range: The zebra mussels is native to the Black, Caspian, and Azov Seas. In 1769, Pallas first described populations of this species from the Caspian Sea and Ural River.

Fun filled, interesting facts about zeebs<<

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Zeebs have been on pool 18 since 89. Pool 9 since 91 or 92. They’ll cut you good. Walleyes, sheephead, all bass, panfish, both species of cats, and carp eat them. Not enough to keep them in check. They will have a natural die off when mother nature dictates via very warm water temps and or old age.
They arrived in the states from the Black Sea by way of the ballast water in Russian ships it is said.
Live with it. You don’t have much choice at the moment.

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Are you sure gates, car washes and good intentions wont stop them?

Not sure where the “Oldtimers” are getting their information since ZM are a new invasive in ML. What I’ve heard is that they tend to colonize on hard strata such as rocks, shale or other structure such as dock poles, pipes, moored boats, etc.

Once they have used up excess nutrient in ML, they will likely grow and reproduce according to how much energy available to them. The problem is that they will out compete the zoo-plankton for these nutrients. As this occurs it ripples up the food chain and we might see fewer bait fish, and fewer game fish. It is a chain reaction.

That’s really not a problem is it Buzz? We’ll just stock more fish right?