Lake Bavaria, Report

Made a couple hour stop on Lake Bavaria this evening 7-8:30pm. Weather was beautiful, mostly sunny and warm.

However:
Water Temp 80f
Clarity: Less than 1-foot. (How sad is this?). Early Spring thru June clarity was over 8ft, very clear. Right now it is turning GREEN, Dead weeds all over.

A few years ago even late August the clarity was 3-4 ft.
The last few years have seen a number of home built on the North side of this Metro Gem turning to a Scum Hole and in last 5-10 years a large development went in to the West.

Apparently the DNR needs to get out there and monitor the guys poisoning the Weeds with the little flourescent cards posts on most every lot.

There are quite a few new docks on the North side where there used to be a great weed bed and cattails. On the SE corner somebody put in a long dock in what used to be a massive Lilypad and Milfoil heaven for bass. Now they have Jets skis sitting on a lift and wide pathways cleared thru the slop to the dock.

What a Sad situation.

Do you think the clarity has anything to due with the crazy hot summer we’ve had the last 2 years and not just the new homes on the lake? I know the hot summers are to blame for the hot water and terrible clarity on waconia. 3 summers ago the water temps only cracked 70degs a few times and we had 6-8 foot visibility all summer. This is just another example of you blaming man when you should be pointing the finger at good ol ma nature.

No, it’s the weed killing. They do it four times a year on most metro lakes and it destroys the fishing for a week to ten days after. You can catch fish in a frenzy, then when the chemicals are applied, even the sunnie bite dies. It seems to affect the larger fish worse than the little ones.

I complained to the DNR and they were surprised that anyone had anything bad to say about it. If more anglers called and bitched, you’d see far less of this. Also, the companies that spray are not following the rules. The guy at the DNR said they usually give out permits for only 15% of a lake at any one time and I’ve seen these guys going down a shoreline with a firehose spraying for hundreds of yards. I always bring a camera now so I can catch them at it and get them on tape.

I wouldn’t mind it if they sprayed once, it gives a nice inside weedline, but three and four times a summer just limits the growth of the fish and destroys massive amounts of habitat.

They just made a sweep through the northwest metro and I’ll be shut down for another week at least.

How was the fishing?? My guess is that there is a little of both sides on the lake. More chemicals running into the lake combined with extreme heat to get the algee to bloom like crazy is a bad combo. If the surface water was down to 80 that is probably 5 degrees cooler than it was last week, so hopefully we are heading in the right direction.

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How was the fishing?? My guess is that there is a little of both sides on the lake. More chemicals running into the lake combined with extreme heat to get the algee to bloom like crazy is a bad combo. If the surface water was down to 80 that is probably 5 degrees cooler than it was last week, so hopefully we are heading in the right direction.

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The fishing, well, ah, ah, um, sucked. First time I’ve been shutdown on that lake in a couple years. Couldn’t even get a gill or crappie to bite. marked schools and tried a few choices, but nothing.

I have to say it Chemicals and will call the DNR to complain. About 2-years ago in late June had a similar clarity with masses of dead weeds all over, but still caught fish.

I have never seen the guys spraying weeds/poisoning the lake, but will take photo’s/Video if I ever do and drop it off to the DNR in Eden Prairie and a few locals TV-NEWS tip lines.

Pretty sad for a lake at the top of the chain, mostly Spring fed and a relatively small watershed, no streams coming in.