Mantua Problems?

[leaky]

I just read this post in the DWR Fishing Tip section. Is this old news? Anyone have info. on this? Doesn't sound good!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mantua Reservoir
Date: July 31
Name: Robert Whitlock, [url "mailto:robert.whitlock@hill.af.mil"][#0000ff]robert.whitlock@hill.af.mil[/#0000ff][/url]

I took my grandson up to Mantua Res. this last friday. I was surprised to see hundreds of trout dying on the surface of the water. The water temp at 0700 was 78°. We launched the boat and tried to do some trolling but we couldn't pick anything up. I hope we don't lose any more. Do you know why the fish are dying?

[]Leaky

[Mr_Loopy]

Man, if the water's that warm, I would just leave the trout alone until the fall.
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[Xman]

if the water is 78 degrees thats why. they will handle 70 for some time but not 78 not for very long.
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[PREDATOR]

Hey leaky, Mantua has several issues with being a good trout fishery, but since the trout have only been stocked in there for the last three or four years, I expect we will find many new problems in the coming years.

Every summer you have the bacteria problem in mantua. Lots of people think the bacteria is a new problem, but the residents of mantua have been recieving notices of the seasonal bacteria for many years. Combine that with the drought, overall shallowness of the lake, and record heat and the weed cover just cant provide adequate cooling of the deeper portions of the lake.

The trout have been spending the days down on the bottom hidden in the weeds where the water temps are a bit cooler for several months now. Coming out to feed activley in the evenings after the sun goes down and the water cools a bit.

The lake will in my opinion continue to support large numbers of bass, but with out the presence of the chubs, we will likley see large numbers of smaller stunted fish. If we get into a couple mild summers and the trout get established well, hopefully the bass will have a bunch of trout minnows to eat.

Most guys who have fished mantua for years before they put the trout in there didnt think it was a good idea, but only time will tell. I only hope what was once a very stable and balanced largemouth fishery doesnt sustain long term damage.

One thing you can count on, the trout stocking wont go away in this res. Its new found popularity has paved the way for upcoming facilities such as a beach area, much bigger paved parking area, construction of restrooms, and a bunch of other "improvments". But expect to see number restrictions on the ammount of boats they will allow on the water, and expect to have to pay to play in the near future.
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