Algae Bloom

[The Jackel]

Well went out hally fishing in Renfrew yesterday, first time out this year. The water was a deep brown and when we reeled the lines up coated with a sticky brown film to about a depth of 40-50 ft, also a ton of jelly fish goo on the lines. Seems early to have any sort of algae bloom, any thoughts?? Was a ton of bait where we were and the humpys were putting on quite a show. Oh and my first thought on the brown algae was because the canucks **** the bed this season

 

[agentaqua]

Sounds like diatoms. Were you near fresh water runoff?

 

[The Jackel]

No not really lets just say north east point of the swiftsure closure, the water at the mouth of the Port of San Juan was clear and green.

 

[vanisland]

Algae has been the worse I've ever seen in the straight this year, so I'm guessing it's off the west coast too. Any luck getting Hali's?

 

[OnTick]

Seemed a little better today in the strait. Much less line slapping when pulling up than the last few weeks.

 

[TheHurtLocker]

We've been out all this past week and I've never seen it this bad. There is no way to reel in right now. Totally getting clogged up with slime. I'm in Sechelt.

 

[Aces]

I blame Christy Clark

 

[ziggy]

I blame Christy Clark

No way,I think Steven Harper was in charge of algae? Seriously though it has been messy, hard to keep the lines clean.

 

[Birdman]

Any thoughts on how long this stuff will last in the straight? We lost 4 solid fish last off Nanaimo Saturday due to rod tips clogging from the algae. I've seen it bad before, but never have I actually lost fish because I couldn't reel in my line. We had such a bad buildup on the riggers they were stopping multiple times while coming up due to the big globs that would form.

 

[peter mcmullan]

Any thoughts on how long this stuff will last in the straight? We lost 4 solid fish last off Nanaimo Saturday due to rod tips clogging from the algae. I've seen it bad before, but never have I actually lost fish because I couldn't reel in my line. We had such a bad buildup on the riggers they were stopping multiple times while coming up due to the big globs that would form.

 

[peter mcmullan]

Birdman's experience, and that of other respondents, with problems caused by algae off Nanaimo and elsewhere mirrors my own as recently as yesterday. Only one fish hooked and released (just undersized on a spackleback hootchie) in four hours of fishing up to the mid-morning high tide with the only solution to the problem being to bring lines in every 15/20 minutes and clean off as much of the slime as possible. I, for one, have never seen it as bad back as far as the early 1970s and would welcome more information as to what exactly it is, its source and how long it will continue to plague us. Compared to local results, including my own, over the past couple of weeks it seems to me that fishing outcomes have fallen off significantly in and around Nanaimo since the latter part of last week. Perhaps it's just a temporary slow-down.Let's hope that's the case.

 

[Burban]

We almost lost a fish on Saturday due to the algae. It was so bad it was tripping the riggers coming up, and it was clogging my eyelets. They clogged so bad I couldn't reel the last 20' of line, so I backed up and my partner grabbed it and hand lined a 9lb fish close enough to net. Got lucky.

We were reeling with rags in our hands to wipe the algae down to the last 10' and either cleaning them up or when it was too bad just cutting the last few feet of line off and retying the swivel on. I did find later in the day if you pinch it with your nails and give a sharp abrupt tug it was coming off. Slow tugs didn't work, had to be sharp.

I've seen this algae before in previous years, but never this bad.

 

[agentaqua]

...I, for one, have never seen it as bad back as far as the early 1970s and would welcome more information as to what exactly it is, its source and how long it will continue to plague us. ...

I agree, pm - would be good to know what you are up against. Maybe lowered pH and/or lowered O2 and/or nutrients is giving this algae a leg-up.

Sounds like whomever encounters it - and wants to - can save a sample for analysis/ID. Algae does ok drying-out. For "microalgae" - this stuff - keeping it wet - Lugol's (a dilute 1-2% buffered iodine-based preservative) - is most often used. You can use the iodine that you get for for wounds from a drug store if you dilute it a little (couple drops iodine in a pop bottle and keep it refrigereated, if poss.). Alcohol bleaches pigments and everything white - but can be used. next - someone with a microscope... Could post pics on here - and we could have a look, too...

 

[OnTick]

An Algae tax will fix it.

 

[Aces]

You should have used your Leaf's jersey to clean it off your lines, Buddy!

 

[ziggy]

A Leafs jersey is a good all purpose cleaning cloth. Just remember though, it won't go into corners !

 

[NootkaFisher]

Anyone know how far north it goes? Campbell river? Lewis channel? Toba?

 

[Seafever]

Birdman's experience, and that of other respondents, with problems caused by algae off Nanaimo and elsewhere mirrors my own as recently as yesterday. I, for one, have never seen it as bad back as far as the early 1970s and would welcome more information as to what exactly it is, its source and how long it will continue to plague us. Compared to local results, including my own, over the past couple of weeks it seems to me that fishing outcomes have fallen off significantly in and around Nanaimo since the latter part of last week. .

Well..algae or not, there's another reason the fishing will fall off a bit around now.

Herring. There's lots of them around during spawning time and for awhile thereafter. But as time progresses they head back out to deeper waters and other places. And fish and predators tend to follow them
around.
Happens every year.

However...there will be migratory fish coming through...and there will always be resident feeders around.

 

[The Jackel]

You should have used your Leaf's jersey to clean it off your lines, Buddy!

lol Leafs jersey is on the mantel, but i did use my buddies nucks jersey when i had to have a bowel movement