Gold Creek Alligator Weed

I know that removing vegetation on lakes is a hot topic right now and that this gets some people's blood boiling. This is a good example of when I biologist receives constructive criticism from fellow anglers and takes the message to heart and listens. For those of you that don't know, alligator weed is a non-native invasive plant that is trying to overtake Lake Conway. We (AGFC) have been spraying it for several years now to "knock it back" and keep it under control. This includes the Gold Creek area of Lake Conway. A few wise men, such as CrappiePro and Cmj, informed me that our spraying in Gold Creek hurts the fishing around the pads and grass when the crappie are moving up the creek. Being an angler also, I listened. So the past two years we took a more selective approach and targeted just the alligator weed. This selective approach has lead to more of the lily pads coming up. Also the killing of the alligator weed has allowed for the native water willow to start coming back. Water willow is much more beneficial to fish than alligator weed. It is one of the best types of vegetation to have in a lake. The moral of this story is that anglers and biologists can work together to benefit a fishery. All it takes is some CONSTRUCTIVE criticism and OPEN ears and mind. Thanks for the suggestions Russ and Chris. I am predicting that the "pad bite" will be in full force this fall. The third and fourth pictures are water willow. The last picture is alligator week.

Having knowledge in herbicides, I'd much rather see an aquatic labeled herbicide used instead of carp to control invasive or undesired vegetation. The beauty of using herbicides is that you can select them according to what you wish to control as you mentioned.

Matt- How is Caney Creek looking? Hope there is more vegetation in it this year compared to last year.

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Originally Posted by rmack

Matt- How is Caney Creek looking? Hope there is more vegetation in it this year compared to last year.

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I went by the access area last week. There is a considerable amount of alligator week near and around the bridge. We will need to spray this. I have not been down the creek since last winter. So I am not sure what it looks like right now.

The floating plants that look like rubber with bulbs and blue flowers are taking over down at Merisach Lake on lower Arkansas river.Heard them called Alligator weed, will shut you down motoring through in a boat. I know folks will not like those out there.

Nimrod,

You are referring to water hyacinth. It can cause a big problem down there.

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Originally Posted by NIMROD

The floating plants that look like rubber with bulbs and blue flowers are taking over down at Merisach Lake on lower Arkansas river.Heard them called Alligator weed, will shut you down motoring through in a boat. I know folks will not like those out there.

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Speaking of Merrisach, anyone caught any crappie there lately? I fished it earlier this year and all I caught was white bass. I fished the big bass bonanza over the weekend, and concentreated on stumps in merrisach with crankbaits and caught several really nice sized crappie. Only 3-4, but wasnt targeting them. So that spiked my interest.

Thats awesome, Matt. Thanks for listening. Those Lily pads play a big part in bringing the Shad/Crappie up the creeks in the Fall, and provide some of Conway's best fishing when they are in there thick and feeding shallow. I hate to see the Alligator Weed go because it can be just as good in the Winter when the pads die out, but hey, we can't let it take over. Thanks again for your hard work and dedication.

the water willows use to be thick around the banks in the cove about 10 years ago and the fishing was outstanding, there were also allot less people fishing in there at that time , glad to see the native grasses coming back, now if we can can just get the folks that live out there to quit racking it all out of the water !!!! thanks for the info Matt

Yep Alligator grass in the creek narrows and in the pools is good for the fishing. The alligator grass provides solid shallow water cover for crappie... from birds, gives smaller fry great cover and the alligator grass mats last through winter unlike pads and other types of vegetation which die off in the cold of winter. Control it yes... but please allow some to be maintained in the creek narrows and pools at Gold Creek. All BS aside we knock their lights out in those alligator grass matts in the Fall Winter. LOL Great Job Matt