Western Branch-Algae bloom theory.

[TapOut64]

This year is off to a rough start at Western Branch (WB) and this past weekend I noticed lots of algae globs floating in the water. My notes from last year report the same thing. (Last year was another bad year.) In 2007, which was an outstanding year for me at WB, I don't have any notes of algae globs floating on the water this time of year. Somehow, someway, could this algae bloom be affecting the crappie bite? It doesn't seem to be affecting the bass guys. Curious to know what our local marine biologist thinks. (that would be Shellquacker) :D

[bc1448]

I just started keeping a fishing journal/log this year after reading on here that some of you keep a fishing journal. I thought that you guys had a great idea to keep up with the date, location, water temp, lure, depth, and catch rate. What other info do you guys keep up with? It seems that you keep very detailed notes Tap what all do you keep track of during your trips?
Blake

[ShellQuacker]

The water level was down for a long time last year, allowing seeds to germinate and plants to grow and thrive, where before they would have been underwater. Well now, the remnants of those plants are underwater, adding to the biomass, decomposing and releasing nutrients. The influx of water from lake Prince has diminished a great deal lately, and Burnt Mills hasn't spilled over the dam in a long long time.Add to this, a successive string of warm to hot sunny days, and you get algae.
That's my theory, and I'm stickin to it.

[ShellQuacker]

Oh, I guess I misread Tap's question. I'll stick with the same answer as to why the bite is slow. (Crappie, Shellcracker, White perch etc.) Lack of flow from the upper end of the lake. Now I know they had the Burnt Mills bypass open for a long time, and near the end, the water quality was not what you'd expect for Branch. A definate discoloration, the closer you got closer to the Burnt Mills dam. The last time we really caught a bunch of fish in that end, it was catfish, and we were fishing for perch/shellcracker/crappie/striper...whatever. Hopefully Burnt Mills will open, it'll rain a lot, and water will come over the dam. I truthfully think this would help a lot.
As far as the bass fishing, they're mostly sight fishing bedding bass right now, so I guess it's similar to sight fishing gill/cracker beds. In other words, a prime time to catch really big bass.

[TapOut64]

what all do you keep track of during your trips?
Blake

I'm just a stats nut that keeps records of everything. As far as fishing goes, I have a microsoft excel spreadsheet that I simply put where I fished, the water temp, how many crappie caught, and how many were over 1lb. I've done this since 1998 with bits of info back to 1995. I also keep a microsoft word journal with notes on water temp, air temp, barometer, cloud cover, fishing method, jig color, size of fish caught, where exactly, depth, and whatever else I feel like noting. I've only been keeping this journal since July of 2006. (I also back it up on a flash drive.)

[Barnacle Bill]

Are you sure its algae and not pollen? Pollen is really heavy right now.

[crappie12]

I'm just a stats nut that keeps records of everything. As far as fishing goes, I have a microsoft excel spreadsheet that I simply put where I fished, the water temp, how many crappie caught, and how many were over 1lb. I've done this since 1998 with bits of info back to 1995. I also keep a microsoft word journal with notes on water temp, air temp, barometer, cloud cover, fishing method, jig color, size of fish caught, where exactly, depth, and whatever else I feel like noting. I've only been keeping this journal since July of 2006. (I also back it up on a flash drive.)

Sounds like you are a "mad sciencist" like Corker:D That's probably why you keep catching the big ones!

[NavyAngler]

Tap,
I noticed those alge blowns on Prince as well. It just doesn't seem like there is alot of flow in those lakes. I think you might be onto something. I know in Texas a similar thing would happen to a few lakes that I fished. Without flow from the other lakes it seems like the oxygen level goes down in the lake and the crappie don't like low oxygen. The bass are not as affected by lower oxygen (ie green carp) LOL!!! If you look in your nots from last year did the fishing improve after big rains?

[Redy2Fish]

I was at Western Branch about a month ago and noticed the algae then, especially at the mouths of a couple pf creeks that we fished and around the island across from the ramps. I don't know the lake, so didn't think too much about it.

[Corker]

WB has a bubbler system. Doesn't that add enough O2 to keep the lake healthy?