"Slimeball" said:
If anyone has fished Budd Lake since the opener please contact me through private message, e-mail or my cell 248-974-5633. Very Important.Thanks
I would also advise that anyone considering fishing Budd please contact Jason before you go. There is a fish kill concern there and I would take every precaution to clean your rig well after fishing Budd.
REMINDER
How do you clean your boat/equipment.
• Clean boats, trailers, and other equipment thoroughly between fishing trips to keep from transporting undesirable fish pathogens and organisms, from one water body to another with special care to clean fishing equipment when you are done fishing. A light bleach or chlorine solution is an excellent disinfectant for cleaning your equipment. (1.5 – 2 tablespoons/gallon)
• After cleaning allow boats, trailers, and other equipment to fully dry for 4 to 6 hours in the sun.
• Do not move fish or fish parts from one body of water to another.
• Do not release live bait into any water body.
• Handle fish as gently as possible if you intend to release them and release them as quickly as possible.
• Refrain from hauling the fish for long periods in live wells if you intend to release them.
• Report unusual numbers of dead or dying fish to Michigan Department of
Natural Resources Fisheries Division offices.
• Educate other anglers about the measure they can take to prevent the spread of fish diseases and other aquatic nuisance species.
If we all do our part we can limit the effects of VHS on any inland water.
"Bryan Saenz" said:
what the hell happened up there?
Something "not natural", meaning not a normal spring fish kill, caused widespread mortality. From the DNR report there were many species involved and at least 8 dead muskies noted. It appears to be a short term event and as of today the DNR said it seemed to be over. There have been fish collected for testing, both live and dead. The DEQ took water samples today. Based on the lake, its proximity to the city of Harrison with multiple storm drains coming, in it's very likely this isn't a disease and hopefully the cause will be determined soon.
Thank you Jason (Slimeball) for taking point on this and making sure that the DNR got the information quickly.
Bummer. We have seen panfish kills and a couple dead muskies in past springs on Budd, but had attributed those to winter/spawning losses. Though the numbers sure were always much higher than seen at other lakes.
Sounds like this is even more widespread. Wonder if a lake owner is doing unauthorized weed treatments or something? This kind of activity has been rumored to have happened in the past.
Again, nothing definitive. Water samples came back negative and still waiting on tests from fish samples.
Whatever the results this could not have come at a worse time (spawning) as the musky were already stressed.
They(dnr) also went back to do a general survey of the lake. Unfortunatly more dead muskie were observed on the shoreline and 2 were dead in the live net.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 17, 2007
CONTACT: Tammy Newcomb 517-373-3960, Gary Whelan 517-373-6948 or Richard Morscheck 517-373-9265
Fish Disease Discovered in Budd Lake, Clare County
Department of Natural Resources (DNR) officials today confirmed the presence of Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia (VHS) in an inland lake in Michigan.
Budd Lake, a 175-acre lake in central Clare County, experienced a very large die-off of fish beginning April 30 that included black crappie, bluegill and muskellunge. DNR biologists responded quickly to the lake to determine the cause of the die-off. Potential natural and human-induced causes for the die-off were evaluated.
Fish collected from Budd Lake were taken to Michigan State University for testing. Because of the nature of the testing process for VHS, several weeks are required to obtain results. The DNR learned this week that the fish from Budd Lake were positive for VHS. Although the exact cause of the fish die-off is yet to be determined, this is the first time that the virus has been found in inland waters in Michigan.
“We are disappointed that the disease has spread to Budd Lake, and clearly we are very concerned about protecting our inland waters from further spread of this virus,” said DNR Fisheries Division Chief Kelley Smith.
Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia is known to cause large-scale mortalities in fish populations over short periods of time. Infected fish may exhibit hemorrhaging in the skin including large red patches, small pin-point spots of minor external hemorrhaging or no external signs at all. Sick fish often will appear listless, swim in circles or hang just below the surface.
VHS likely was introduced into the Great Lakes around 2002 via ships that entered the Great Lakes and discharged ballast water that contained the virus. The virus is now known to be distributed in Michigan’s waters of the Great Lakes from northern Lake Huron to Lake Erie.
Widespread mortalities in muskellunge and gizzard shad in Michigan waters of Lake St. Clair were observed in 2006 along with significant mortalities of yellow perch, white bass, freshwater drum and round gobies in lakes Erie and Ontario.
Internationally, VHS is a fish disease of concern and is a required reportable disease to the International Organization of Animal Health. In October 2006, the United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service imposed interstate and international restrictions on the movement of fish to prevent the spread of VHS in the U.S.
As a result of this finding in Budd Lake, the DNR is modifying regulations proposed in the Fish Disease Control Order that was presented for information to the Natural Resources Commission May 10.
The Fish Disease Control Order identifies restrictions on the use of baitfish and fish eggs for different disease management areas. These regulations are necessary to protect the aquatic resources of the state, minimize the spread of disease to uninfected waters and protect the DNR’s hatchery system.
“It is unfortunate that we have to take the steps required under the order, but those steps are similar to what other Great Lakes States and the Province of Ontario are enacting in an attempt to slow the spread of VHS in the Great Lakes Basin,” Smith said. “The order, however, will not prevent anglers from fishing as usual anywhere in the state this summer.”
Major changes to the order include an expanded certification process for facilities that maintain baitfish or other live fish that are known to be susceptible to VHS, as well as additional restrictions on the use of baitfish or eggs by anglers when fishing.
DNR Director Rebecca Humphries is expected to take action on the order at the June 7 meeting of the Natural Resources Commission. The order can be reviewed online at <url url="[Permission to view this media is denied]
">** you do not have permission to see this link **.
The DNR is committed to the conservation, protection, management, use and enjoyment of the state’s natural resources for current and future generations.
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