Has anyone been out since the fishkill...

[Antman40]

Has anyone been out on the Potomac or tribs since the fishkill? I'm wondering if it's a thing of the past or bigger than we know.

Tony

[Kris J]

I went out last Sat. And I saw literally hunreds of dead W. Perch floating down the Potomac River near Lower Machodoc Creek.
Kris

[Antman40]

yea...I was out right after and saw some dead fish...but didn't know what was going on yet....I'm just wondering if it was something that passed.....

in other words...can we still catch some fish [excited]

Tony

[grubthrower]

I solo fished Tuesday night's incoming tide on Machodoc.

Got 12 croaker and one large eel (I kept the eel for crab bait, released all croaks because I have some in the freezer).

I was running and gunning: seemed like I could only get 2-3 fish per structure (oyster bars and channel edges), usually as soon as I set up, then it would be time to move again. There were no true schools to follow, but that has been the case here all season anyway. Fish sizes were also in line with what it's been so far for me: almost all falling in the 13-15 inch range, none under 12.

In short, I can't say I noticed anything out of the ordinary as a result of the kill.

Also, and I hate to be the one to say this because I don't really want to take the heat since I'm fairly new to posting here, but hell, I've never shied away from what I view as truth: as fish kills go, this one wasn't bad.

Really. Go read the newspaper stories again and run the numbers. A minimum of five species, double-digit river miles, and the total destruction still doesn't crack the five-figure mark.

I know, I know... any concentration of dead fish is a bad thing and cause for concern, but compare this to that big croaker kill in the ocean (last year or the year before? I disremember) where the dead numbered in the MILLIONS. Or the Shenandoah's smallmouth kill of two years ago that wiped out *90%* of all adult bass and panfish.

And I caught fish last night right on the edge of the kill. I'm not gonna get all twisted about it... but I don't want to see it keep happening. Perhaps the best way to look at it is that at least it wasn't species-specific.

I would much rather see a kill like this than read about millions of gallons of raw sewage being spilled upriver of me. In honesty, though, I don't think the two are related... otherwise we would have been reading about dead fish all the way down the river as that literal crap washed down.

Anyway, there are still croakers in Machodoc.

[Antman40]

Thanks for the info guys!

GT.....Thanks for the post....but, you got me thinking.......living downriver of "blue plains"...is sorta like living next to a STATE PRISON[sad]

Tony

[Lipyourown]

Grub thrower, what makes this alraming is not the number of fish killed but the timing, harmful algae blooms usually happen in the heat of summer during years of lots of rain. This is too early and it has been dry...the bay on the other hand looks ok this year becuase of the lack of rain. I think they are pretty sure it is from the sewage spill in DC a couple of weeks ago but DC seems to always have these spills. Gross.

[catcake]

From what I read about the spill, was that 17 million is a average spill for Blue Plains when it storms. The problem is that there was no storm so it wasn't a dilluted spill, just straight sewage.

[Scott_nra]

My question is has anyone heard if the "Toxins" suspected of killing the fish are harmful to people?

[SECOND HOLM]

Hope y'all enjoy your crabs at some of the restaurants along the River.

Now, did the EPA give Blue Plains a hefty fine? I think not. But just get caught taking a leak over the side and see what happens.....[grin]

[Beacon]

I have been reading post on Potomac River Angler's Club web site. there have been copies of news articles printed on posts there. Last one discusses that they are checking whether the suspected algae species has human toxicity.

Here is the link to the site: http://potomacriver.tripod.com/

[catcake]

SECOND HOLM originally wrote:
Hope y'all enjoy your crabs at some of the restaurants along the River.

Now, did the EPA give Blue Plains a hefty fine? I think not. But just get caught taking a leak over the side and see what happens.....[grin] There's no telling where the crabs at the resturants on the river come from. As far away as Louisana at times, we all know about the toxins released from Katrina. Be advised, you can pee over the side, you just can't pee in a bucket and dump it overboard. As far as a fine, think about it, it's the "Nations" capitol, it don't make alot of sense imposing a fine on yourself. I guess you could take money from your left pocket and put it in your right though. Blue Plains will never be able to handle it's load as long as the storm drains are tied in with the sewer, to separate them, the price would be staggering. It's not just Blue Plains at fault either, numerous treatment plants utilize the Potomac and it's tributaries. If there's a blame here, blame uncontrolled growth.

[Antman40]

With all that being said......
It's like I said before.....living downstream of DC is like living nextdoor to a Maximum security prison....just waiting for somthing to happen.[sad]

Tony

[Antman40]

Livin' inside the beltway is like living INSIDE THE maximum security prison.......so I guess it could be worse[grin]

Tony