Citizen’s Lake has experienced a heavy fish mortality on gizzard shad and black crappie over the last three weeks. Cathy Froelich, District Conservationist with the Natural Resources Conservation Service, has more details:
“The cause of the mortality appears to be either bacterial or viral. The gizzard shad population was an undesirable introduction into Citizen’s Lake within the last three years and has created a very dense population. The black crappie population at Citizen’s Lake has been very dense, with a size range between six to nine inches since the winter kill of 2013. Gizzard shad and black crappie populations are both susceptible to natural mortality from bacterial and viral infections represented in high densities and thorough water conditions,” Froelich shares.
IDNR District Fishery Biologists will survey Citizen’s Lake in early May to determine if corrective sport fishing stocking is needed to help restore a balanced fishery.
http://podcast.prairiecommunications.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/cathy-froelich-nrcs-4-9-19.mp3