I have never seen so much green stringy algae as we have this year. If your crankbait ticks bottom on a 6′ high spot on a off shore reef you seem to get fouled.
Also this stuff is worse than spiny water fleas. With them I can rig things so they stay off the baits.
Corking doesn’t seem to be a problem and rigging is okay but this is aggravating stuff even with boards out.
It’s cladaphora. It’s been observed proliferating in the Great Lakes and is associated with Dreissenid (Quagga and/or Zebra Mussel) colonization. Not surprisingly there’s been a large increase of it in Mille Lacs observed over the past decade. This year, with the water temperature warming earlier, and the lake being lower due to substantially less than average precipitation, there’s more cladaphora present at this time than any previous year that I can remember.
It might also have something to do with small cladocerans (a type of small and slow moving zooplankton; daphnia (water flea) being in this classification) essentially becoming extinct in the lake. A result of bythotrephes Longiman (Spiny Water Flea–SWF) which is a larger type of zooplankton that heavily predates on small cladocerans. This has caused a bottleneck in the food chain since small cladocerans are the most important forage for small fish (minnow species and large species when newly hatched fry). Perch consume SWF but it’s not as rich in calories and requires more energy used in consumption. The biggest issue with the decimation of small cladocerans in the lake by bythotrephes/SWF is that a <strong class=”ido-tag-strong”>perch (and other fish presumably) need to be 3″ or bigger to be large enough to consume the much larger zooplankton. This bottleneck in the base of the base of the food chain is what has lead to the large decline in the lake’s <em class=”ido-tag-em”>perch population.
The reason I point this out is that small cladocerans and other zooplankton feed largely on phytoplankton….like algae. So the loss of small cladocerans could mean there are types of phytoplankton/algae propagating unchecked. In addition, zebra mussels are filter feeders but they don’t consume everything they filter. Like everything else, they have foods they prefer and stuff the spit out and choose not to eat. An example of this would be how chlorophyll A levels have steadily declined over the past decade and this is what has caused the water to become clearer overall.
In short, your observation is a good one and very accurate—you’ve never seen so much cladaphora in the lake because there has never been so much cladaphora in the lake. There are a lot of things that have changed in Mille Lacs over the past ten to twenty years that each seemingly little thing often has a much larger “butterfly effect” down the road. Increased cladaphora being one such thing.
Very good information. Thank you
Wow Joneser. That is a very impressive reply.
In regards to the Zebs, I have less around my place in Wahkon. 5 years ago the ferrous parts of docks and lifts would have many growing on them. Now, not so much and the shallow parts of reefs have numerous areas of white, dead shells.
A serious question: Blue green algae has been linked to toxicity and is that an issue with this specific algae.
I have a windrow of it on my shore that rivals and bug hatch casings I have seen in my 60 some years.
The biggest issue with the decimation of small cladocerans in the lake by bythotrephes/SWF is that a perch (and other fish presumably) need to be 3″ or bigger to be large enough to consume the much larger zooplankton. This bottleneck in the base of the base of the food chain is what has lead to the large decline in the lake’s perch population.
I’m not sure if you’re a biologist or if it is just a hobby for you, but this is some good information.
As far as Mille Lacs, I’ve long suspected that there was more cause for the perch decline than merely an over abundance of predators.
Although I do believe that to be part of the problem, I figured there was more going on than just that. I know the more simple minded will blame the lack of perch being solely the reason of too much predation, however…there have been other fisheries throughout the Midwest that also have seen a once seemingly endless abundance of perch become mostly devoid of them.
I’m aware of a number of them (other fisheries) and their perch decline cannot not be blamed on too many walleyes, bass, pike and muskies.
I won’t argue that that is not a factor, but certainly there is another change in the ecosystems that have compromised perch abundance. And the saddest part of that is we’ll not likely ever see a comeback in our lifetimes. 
Another impressive reply and can’t really argue with anything you said.
One observation for me this year…. haven’t seen many crawfish at all. That and the mayfly hatch was horrible, water temps are very warm, and seems like some type of algae bloom in the water right now.
More good insight joneser, interesting too your thoughts about round goby in Mille Lacs.
I remember back in the 1970’s when another invasive…alewives started showing up in the Great Lakes, or maybe just Lake Michigan where I first witnessed them.
They would die off in huge numbers and the beaches would literally be covered with them. I think (not sure) this caused or coincided with a significant decline in the native forage…lake herring.
If I remember, surrounding state fisheries managers theorized this might be a good time to ramp up salmon stocking. If I have my story straight, this was the beginning of a phenomenal, world class salmon sportfishing that continues in Lake Michigan today.
I’m not sure if the balance of alewives to native forage has changed any but this was an example of an AIS creating a great fishing result.
That and the mayfly hatch was horrible, water temps are very warm, and seems like some type of algae bloom in the water right now.
Lindy, it seems every lake bug has been hatching and it’s been continuously the last 6 weeks.
I don’t remember past years where it was continuous, usually a period in between.
I too have noticed various algae crud pushing in near shore and the water looks plain scummy.
Well it is obvious to me that the tankers for the Isle, Onamia, & Garrison FDs need to transport Gobies from Duluth / Souptucky to ML 
Great info jonesr.
I do disagree with the zebra effect on swimming. My kids and myself have been cut plenty by them swimming in various lakes/rivers that have them. Big deal, no, but it changes the way you enjoy the beach for sure.
Gobies love fish eggs. Do you know how that would play out in mille lacs, or how it has in other bodies or water? Great lakes most those fish spawn up river where I would assume there are much less gobies present, than say a shoreline of mille lacs which would conversely have thousands of gobies stockpiled right where fish are spawning.
Just curious, it’s a neat idea to think about.
Lindy, it seems every lake bug has been hatching and it’s been continuously the last 6 weeks.
I don’t remember past years where it was continuous, usually a period in between.
I too have noticed various algae crud pushing in near shore and the water looks plain scummy.
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Agree Andy. It’s probably the worst overall bug season (not counting mosquitos) I’ve seen on the lake in my 7-8 years having a place. Just continuous waves of various water bugs sandwiched between a bad fish fly hatch and mayfly hatch.
The beaches on the North and North East side have been downright disgusting the last week or so. Like a hot pea soup filled with dead bugs.
The beaches on the North and North East side have been downright disgusting the last week or so. Like a hot pea soup filled with dead bugs.
BARF
joneser,
Thanks for you insight on Mille Lacs. Just wondering what your background is as your knowledge seems pretty in depth. Are you a current or former DNR employee with direct knowledge of Mille Lacs? If so great, as we could use some insightful info on what is happening on Mille Lacs.
FYI – I have a camera that I put down from time to time on Mille Lacs to look at the what the bottom is like and where the fish are. The cladaphora is heavier this year than I have seen in the past. Not sure if related to cladaphora but there appears to be very few crayfish in shallow water this year. The areas that I have looked at say 15′ or greater don’t have cladaphora and the crayfish are as I have seen in previous years.
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