Never seen this before.....

[iowaboy]

Not doing any finger pointing here just an observation. I used to seine most all of my minnows and chubs in local creeks around me without any problem. It's just about impossible for me to find a creek now that I can seine. I'm not saying it's from chemical's or fertilizer but most are so overgrown with grass ans weeds you can't even tell if there is water in them. I live in Hamilton County and we have TONS of hog confinements in the area that contribute to this problem also.

Just wonder what a farmers thoughts are on this.   

[Mainehazmt]

I think thier thoughts may be if the spray materials are washing way Im loosing money   I need to stop it

[cdt80]

Ok Krappie,  you asked:  http://limnology.eeob.iastate.edu/Studies/ClearLake/ClearLakeReport012002/Chapter%2013%20-%20Pollution%20Issues.htm

In case you don't want to check it out here is the basic findings on pollutants on Clear Lake here is the most recent water quality facts I could find on Clear Lake:

Water quality planning representatives from the Department of Natural Resources report that there are presently no permitted livestock facilities in the watershed.  Also, there were no point source dischargers in the Clear Lake watershed within the last 5 years.  During the last five years, the Clear Lake Sanitary District had one occurrence of bypass pumping into the lake.  This occurred on June 20, 1998, and 250,000 gallons of pretreatment sewage were discharged into Clear Lake (Kevin Moeller, Clear Lake Sanitary District, pers. comm.).  This bypass pumping added approximately 1.5 kg of phosphorus to the lake, or 0.02% of the lake’s annual average phosphorus budget.  Additionally, during that same period, the City of Clear Lake had two occurrences of bypass pumping into the lake.  The first one occurred in June 1995, and 126,000 gallons of pretreatment sewage were discharged into the lake.  The second one occurred in June 1998, and 44,250 gallons of pretreatment sewage were discharged into the lake (Al Tompkins, IDNR-EPD, pers. comm.).  These two events combined added around 1 kg of phosphorus to the lake, or about 0.01% of the lake’s annual average phosphorus budget.  
Residential areas in the watershed can provide point sources of nutrients to the lake.
  2.  Fish flesh.  Common carp, channel catfish, walleye, black bullhead and yellow bass were collected from Clear Lake by IDNR personnel on August 2, 1999.  Filets from the collected fish were analyzed for pesticides by the University of Iowa Hygienic Laboratory in Iowa City.  They found only one detectable levels of pesticide in one species of fish analyzed (DDE in channel catfish), but this level of detection was far below the state’s standard for a fish consumption advisory.  This indicates that there is no reason for concern about contamination of fish from this lake with the listed chemicals.  The list of chemicals analyzed and the results of these analyses on the original data sheets are presented in Appendix 13.



So now this is my 6th post Krappi and you are probably right but I think if you are being honest with the above facts you will see that I am possibly a little right.  Farmers try hard to be good stewards as a rule.  By the way I personally do not advocate Factory Farms but it is America and as long as someone follows the rules I have no more power to stop them as I would stopping any other factory following the rules, nor would I want to.  And I don't get to make the rules.  I just have to abide by them.  

Now however since the urban people are so fed up with the farmer, I think I will cancel the junior conservation league ice fishing trip scheduled to happen again at my farm pond.  Also, no more allowance of hunting in my timber and wetlands since I am so unappreciated.  

[jagerdog]

cdt,
     I believe we met on Lake X on Wednesday.  Just my 2 cents, but I think my fish and his warts had nothing to do with pesticides or farming.  I'm a fisherman, not a scientist and I can barely grow romatoes and cucumbers in my garden, so I know squat about farming.  However, I hunt, fish and other wise coexist in a farming community, know almost every farmer within 10 miles of my house and would say collectively they are better stewards to land than I am. 
     Having fished Clear Lake some, I would say the issues with contaminants is more related to residences and recreational activities that agriculture.  The watershed is pretty unique in a lot of ways, but I can't give any analysis on what's right or wrong, I just fish it.
     There was some talk earlier about minnows and all.  I trap bait all over the place.  My 3 best spots are 2 golf courses and in between a corn/bean farm and a horse pasture.  Run off doesn't seem to be affecting these streams, but again I'm no expert.
     All I really know anything about is hunting and fishing.  For the most part I can keep myself well fed on fish and game and have no complaints.  I don't shake my fist at the farmers, because I would have no place to hunt deer, pheasants, and turkeys without them.  All in all, I have no complaints.

Tight lines and I hope to catch you on the ice again some day.  You and your partner are good fishermen and all right in my book.

Mike

[cdt80]

Thanks Mike!   Yep that was me and my brother in law.  Ended up having a pretty good day.  The locals were a lot of fun and it is a nice relaxing place to fish.  Just what I was looking for that day.  Sorry about hijacking your post.   We'll meet again.

[handaugrr]

I fished Lake X using chicken legs today, and did pretty good.  Quite a few crappies and perch, plus I caught one keeper walleye.  Unfortunately, the walleye had some sort of growth on it.  I've never seen this before.  I filleted the fish (didn't eat it!) and the skin wasn't marked at all onthe inside.  Growth was only on the right side.  Anyone ever seen this before?

Mike



(Image removed from quote.)
 
 

:)Just back from Lake of the Woods. Lots of fish. Caught one just like it. Can't blame that on farmers, none around their

[1Eskimoshack]

Nothing like chimin' in where I don't belong.  Here is how I see it.  I farmed or worked for farmers for nearly 10 years.  I have personally witnessed incredible decline in bobwhite quail and pheasents.  This is obviously due to habitat loss.  Most of the larger scale farmers in my immediate area rountinely brag about their government payments.  One family in my area gets 2.5 million annually in subsidies.  They pay no taxes to speak of, drive new pickups every year, have nearly new equipment, and nice houses.  These are all great things, I am happy for them, however when the stand at the DX station in the small town I grew up in and cuss about people on welfare and unemployment I have to laugh!! What are they getting?  Subsidy is just a nicer word for welfare.  There was a time when there was no "Farm Bill" farmers either made it on their own or went broke and had to find something else to do.  How many of these "Corporate Farmers" would still farm if it was as it was before the "Farm Bill?"  What needs to be addressed is getting special interest groups out of farming and get it bake to what it once was--the FAMILY farm.  Big companies dip their fingers into farming to get tax write-offs.  This seems to be the largest contributor to the push to be big farmers, it's simple when you have to farm thousands of acres or head thousands of livestock just to make it, you don't have enough time to truely care for their land and treat it as a long term investment.  The push for large farming is what brought about all the chemicals, huge machinery, and corporate conglomorations.  Weed these out and get the farm back to "family" and things might improve.  Fact is the larger the farms get the more the wildlife--in all factions-- suffers.  What happened to butterflies don't seem to see nearly as many any more, what about grasshoppers?  I believe these are all early warning signs, and something is going to have to happen.  Obama says he is going to kill the farm bill, and end its pork barrel spending, we shall see.

Enough political BS from me, good luck to all this season in what ever you choose to pursue.

[Agronomist_at_IA]

Nothing like chimin' in where I don't belong.  Here is how I see it.  I farmed or worked for farmers for nearly 10 years.  I have personally witnessed incredible decline in bobwhite quail and pheasants. 

If you look into this, quail & pheasant populations are mainly due to the weather conditions when hatches occur. Good weather and Populations soar, bad and they don't. I'd like to see some solid DNR data that the populations are declining in your area other then your opinion. Many times I have fished a lake, and if I don't catch anything when I go to the lake, I tell people that there isn't any fish in the lake.....Take into consideration at how turkey populations exploded in the last 10 years, is this because of farmers too?

 

This is obviously due to habitat loss.

Really, and how many acres did the farmers remove in the last 10 years? How many acres of CRP & pasture have farmers put in helping the populations. 

Most of the larger scale farmers in my immediate area routinely brag about their government payments.One family in my area gets 2.5 million annually in subsidies.  They pay no taxes to speak of, drive new pickups every year, have nearly new equipment, and nice houses.  These are all great things, I am happy for them, however when the stand at the DX station in the small town I grew up in and cuss about people on welfare and unemployment I have to laugh!! What are they getting?  Subsidy is just a nicer word for welfare.

Well, a farm subsidy isn't a nicer word for welfare. Last time I checked people that didn't work were on welfare. Look at last year, commodity prices finally rose above the cost of production and the American public cried bloody murder because the cost of food went up. Well, either pay a subsidy, or pay the real price of food. Guess you shouldn't b***h about the farm subsidy if you enjoy paying half of what your food really cost in the grocery store. Since I get a tax rebate and deduction for having a children on my taxes, but work a full 40 hrs or better I shouldn't cuss about the people that are on welfare and unemployment since the government gave me a tax deduction?

There was a time when there was no "Farm Bill" farmers either made it on their own or went broke and had to find something else to do.  How many of these "Corporate Farmers" would still farm if it was as it was before the "Farm Bill?"  What needs to be addressed is getting special interest groups out of farming and get it bake to what it once was--the FAMILY farm.

LMAO, please do some research. I agree get the special interest groups out of farming. There still very many family farms, but most of them have grown into corporate farms. I don't understand Y changing the farm bill would stop this. They both play by the same set of rules. With your though process, then we should stop any banks from being more then one branch. No chain fast food restaurants should be allowed. 

Big companies dip their fingers into farming to get tax writer's.  This seems to be the largest contributor to the push to be big farmers, it's simple when you have to farm thousands of acres or head thousands of livestock just to make it, you don't have enough time to truly care for their land and treat it as a long term investment.  The push for large farming is what brought about all the chemicals, huge machinery, and corporate conglomerations. 

  Call me crazy, but I though chemicals were brought on to control weeds for better yields......not because corporate conglomerations want to ruin the environment. Huge machinery was developed to allow for more work to be done by fewer people to cheapen up the cost of labor and time it takes to farm. Take and look at commodity prices 30-40 years ago, then look at toady's prices. They are basically the same. Inflation alone should have doubled commodity prices, but due to chemicals, huge machinery, and corporate conglomerations food cost is cheaper now then it was years ago. Well, when someone farms thousands of acres and has a couple thousand head of livestock I don't believe they do it alone. Many times there are employees, and it is unfortunate when the employees don't do a good job. But to say they don't care for their land is in my opinion B.S.

Weed these out and get the farm back to "family" and things might improve.  Fact is the larger the farms get the more the wildlife's all factions-- suffers.  What happened to butterflies don't seem to see nearly as many any more, what about grasshoppers?  I believe these are all early warning signs, and something is going to have to happen.  Obama says he is going to kill the farm bill, and end its pork barrel spending, we shall see..

  What does it matter if someone farms a thousand acres or ten acres? Farming is still going to occur, If you want to know whats rough on wildlife, what don't you look into all of the Cities in the United States that dump treated sewage down our rivers and streams. The DNR gets worried about nutrients in rivers and bodies of water, but say nothing about the millions of people flushing their toilets every year & unknowingly having it eventually be flushed down a river. I see butterflies & grasshoppers all year long. Maybe you should walk around some fields an look for these things. I would laugh if obama kills the farm bill, maybe you should read the farm bill. 95% of the farm bill basically for foregin countries needing aid to help there people and poor people in need of food. Could you imagine what those people will think and say when you let them starve.
 
But wait the farmers are getting all the money right.......Enough from me, but I just wanted to give readers another point of view.

[cdt80]

You have some valid points.  I don't know your line of work but I am certain that greed and working the system can be found in that line of work also.  Is everyone in your line of work environmentally friendly?  I'm not going to defend myself.  There are good and bad in all.  I have my own opinions and I really am amazed at the rift between the two groups. I really am sorry I opened up this can of worms.  If it makes you feel any better this fall I let three different groups of hunters deer hunt my timber, countless groups pheasant hunt my wetlands and crp, and in the last 10 days I have taken over 35 kids ice fishing on my farm pond.  (Plus cleaned and cooked the fish for them)  

[cdt80]

My last post was directed towards Eskimo, not agronomist.  Agronomist types faster than I do.

[KrappieSlayer]

in the last 10 days I have taken over 35 kids ice fishing on my farm pond.  (Plus cleaned and cooked the fish for them)  

I can't imagine what it would be like cleaning fish for 35 people to eat, I think that in itself deserves an award.  The real award or reward is that those kids got to experience ice fishing, maybe even for the first time. And props to CD for getting involved with our youth and letting them experience something fun and positive.

[buffettphan606]

This stuff belongs in the Grumpy Old Men Shanty forum, lets all just get along and talk about some positive ice fishing info!

[Agronomist_at_IA]

This stuff belongs in the Grumpy Old Men Shanty forum, lets all just get along and talk about some positive ice fishing info!

I agree, it just gets me upset when people comment on farmers like that. I by no means wanted to start a fight, but only correct an ignorant view of the farming community in whole. I do agree that there is corporate greed in farming, but that is in every industry. It's just sad that capitolism drives it.

[Mainehazmt]

Ya can tell us that live and work in a predominatly farming community for sure   remember with out them you prob would starve!

[CrappieBuster]

Someone needs to get out the ole 30/30 and put this thread to bed. 8)

Cant we all get along?