Lake Arrowhead Crappie - Safe to eat?

[Scott Wright]

Hey Guys:

I'm at work right now and was just talking to a couple guys about fishing for crappie at lake arrowhead. they both said that they heard that there was a warning not to eat the fish out of arrowhead as they poisened the water there to kill the milfoil.

Has anyone else heard this?

[billditrite]

i have not heard it nor i have i seen any notices on the shoreline. i also was in contact with the state for approval of the FNCL and the didnt mention anything then.

[mainegator]

Scott,  I would doubt that rumor because DEP has never had a policy to use herbicides in public waters.  But a call to them would solve your concern.  1-800-452-1942

[fiesty]

I'd rather eat crappies out of arrowhead then trout out of Sebago...

[Frozen_nutts]

Now that would just about ruin my season!.....I think we would of heard something about that if they did it

[Marsh]

i heard from an attendant at the boat launch this summer that works for the state checking boats that the lake is so large 1000+ acres that it would be muchg to costly to treat arrowhead for milfoil.  Somewhere in the millions if im not mistaken.  So i would say that its not true.  Ynot to mention you notr going to eat many if they are all dead from the pesticide because it kill the fish from what the attendant told me.
Just my 2 cents

[billditrite]

doesnt lake arrowhead community get their tapwater from the lake itself?

[mainegator]

Just to resolve the comments about use of herbicides in the water.  Milfoil is a real problem in the south and mechanical harvest and chemical treatment is common.  A product called REWARD is often used. A Diquat herbicide, it works well on milfoil and is benign in comparision to others.  Application rates for milfoil is 2 gallons per surface acre at a cost of about $40.00 per gallon.  So for a 1000 acre lake the cost would be about $80,000.

The restricted use of treated water is:  drinking water: 3 days
fishing and swimming: 0 days
cattle/livestock water consumption: 1 day

But, the best cure is to make sure the milfoil does not get established and it is our responsibility to stop the spread.  We now have a small honda water pump on board so a wash down can be done before we leave a launch site.  You'd be surprised how many times other boats leaving, have asked for a wash down...........   at a fee of course 

[Marsh]

Thanks for the info i must have had 3 beers instead of 2 that day its hot in the summer HeHe

[Dogman-]

I know that methods of controling milfoil in Arrowhead are under consideration but herbicide hasn't been used there to my knowledge.However,over to Pickeral pond just a short distance from Arrowhead I'm fairly certain that a herbicide was used to control milfoil,its a very small pond.It is widely believed that Arrowhead milfoil originated from Pickeral pond because Pickeral pond is close by.
Maybe folks are getting the two ponds mixed up.

Unless someone has concrete info that herbicide was used in Arrowhead I think we can safely disregard any hearsay.

[Scott Wright]

Well, I'm sure glad to hear that... this is why I love this site!!!