Fishing Forum

Had a chance to get out for a couple hours. Fished 4 to 10 FOW. Ice was pretty consistent with about 3 inches. Only caught one healthy trout in my short time with my boy. I'm guessing fishing will be tough with the fall kill they had. Talked to a few people mostly no luck.

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I should add only fished the south side! Had a bunch of tents just off the dock.

What was the fall kill? I missed that? And which side of the lake were you fishing?

Thanks!

Last fall, or it may have been late in the summer, Brigham City had the reservoir treated with herbicide in order to reduce the amount of aquatic vegetation present.  It is believed by some that this treatment inadvertently killed many of the fish in the reservoir as scores of dead fish were seen near the shores soon afterwards.  The reservoir is owned and managed by Brigham City for irrigation purposes in the town parks, cemetery grounds, etc. and is not a source for culinary water.

(01-08-2024, 05:22 PM)BoatBallast Wrote: [ -> ]What was the fall kill?  I missed that?  And which side of the lake were you fishing?

Thanks!

In the last part of his post he said he was fishing on the South side of the lake. They put some chemicals in the lake to kill the algae or weeds last fall.

(01-07-2024, 09:05 PM)IceGuy97 Wrote: [ -> ]Had a chance to get out for a couple hours. Fished 4 to 10 FOW. Ice was pretty consistent with about 3 inches. Only caught one healthy trout in my short time with my boy. I'm guessing fishing will be tough with the fall kill they had. Talked to a few people mostly no luck.

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I should add only fished the south side! Had a bunch of tents just off the dock.

You are exactly right about the fall kill. Just talked to two gentlemen who tried it there and were unsuccessful, didn't even see anything on their finders. It's crazy how that place is mismanaged and not cared for. Hopefully it makes a comeback by this summer.

Well, that is a major bummer. We might skip Mantua this year.

(01-09-2024, 05:44 PM)TubeDude Wrote: [ -> ]Short of a massive restocking program, Mantua may not ever return to its former glory.  The herbicide treatment likely killed off a lot of the aquatic invertebrates as well as the young of most species.  An entire food chain wiped out.  Gonna take some time for Mama Nature to rebuild from the mud up.  Not likely there will be any fish stocking efforts.  Maybe.

So true, Pat. It's a shame as that was my favorite and closest pond to wet a line. 
And I don't see them putting in the $ to completely fix it. Maybe, but it will take some time. My question is, for those responsible, what will they do to rectify this problem? Or do they even care?

(01-09-2024, 10:06 PM)lavaman Wrote: [ -> ]

(01-09-2024, 05:44 PM)TubeDude Wrote: [ -> ]Short of a massive restocking program, Mantua may not ever return to its former glory.  The herbicide treatment likely killed off a lot of the aquatic invertebrates as well as the young of most species.  An entire food chain wiped out.  Gonna take some time for Mama Nature to rebuild from the mud up.  Not likely there will be any fish stocking efforts.  Maybe.

So true, Pat. It's a shame as that was my favorite and closest pond to wet a line. 
And I don't see them putting in the $ to completely fix it. Maybe, but it will take some time. My question is, for those responsible, what will they do to rectify this problem? Or do they even care?

I think your last question...about caring...pretty much tells the tale.  The lake has gone from a quiet country pond, a paradise for bank tanglers, small boaters, float tubers and tooners...to a compressed power squadron puddle.  Those who burn gasoline and churn the waters mean more economically to Mantua than a few quiet anglers who would like to catch a few fish in peace and quiet.

Used to love our quiet get-togethers on that wunnerful lil lake.  But the last couple of times I tried to fish it with TubeBabe we became slalom pylons for a dozen racing boats.  No mas.  Ain't fished Mantua for at least 5 years.  Here's a pic of better times.

KSL posted an article on this in September. It's a private company called Blue Green Water Technologies who is doing a pilot program "studying a new approach that they say is safe for fish and wildlife and could end up costing taxpayers nothing"  The target was toxic algal blooms floating on top of the water. Apparently it is actually not safe for fish and wildlife since shortly after the treatment there were numerous reports of a massive die off with thousands of dead fish. Here's a link to the KSL article:

https://www.ksl.com/article/50738213/pil...-in-mantua

I heard about the die off, but I'm curious, does anyone know if it worked for the algae? Was it meant to be a one and done (for a while) or was it something they'd need to keep doing every year (if it had worked without killing off a bunch of fish)?

(01-09-2024, 11:20 PM)Miles Fitzrobert Wrote: [ -> ]I heard about the die off, but I'm curious, does anyone know if it worked for the algae? Was it meant to be a one and done (for a while) or was it something they'd need to keep doing every year (if it had worked without killing off a bunch of fish)?

Things have not been real clear and transparent on this whole front.  I wonder what the legal precedent(s) here as to possibly decimating a fishery. It is my understanding that while a private entity can own land that wildlife is on and control access to hunt and fish, the state 'owns' the wildlife and has right to set limits on its use and harvest. So, if DWR approved the treatment are they liable to bring the fishery back or ...... On the other hand, was the treatment done without DWR apporval is the reservoir owners liable to replace a public resource.....  Just throwing thoughts out, while hoping it not a doomsday scenario.