Labor Day 2026

What a beautiful Labor Day here at Lake Mohawk today! So many people enjoying this beautiful lake and all the amenities it has to offer!

Never Looked Better IMHO

Lake Mohawk has never looked better in terms of water color and clarity at this point in the season. As the figure below illustrates, we are now moving past what is normally the peak of blue-green algae season at Lake Mohawk and many other lakes throughout Ohio.

Take a moment to look at the color of the wake from the boat and skier above. (Photo taken on Sunday August 30th, 2026) The wake is white without leaving a trail of green tinted water which is indicative of an algae. bloom. What really makes this season different than most all past lake seasons is that no copper algae treatments have been applied to the lake up to this point in the year. Normally by now, nearly 1 ton (2000 pounds) of copper sulfate would have been applied to the lake in order to control the nuisance and potentially toxic blue-green algae blooms that begin at the end of July. The lake would often require two to three of these 1 ton treatments in order to control the algae past FallFest. That amounts to 4000 to 6000 pounds of copper being applied to the lake each season.

Copper sulfate is NOT biodegradable. Copper accumulates at the bottom of lakes when used for algae control. In addition to copper being toxic to blue-green algae, it is also toxic to beneficial benthic organisms, aquatic insects, zooplankton, rooted aquatic plants at high levels, etc.. In other words, it causes collateral damage to beneficial organisms that are important for a healthy fisheries AND ultimately to the overall health of the lake.

Now is a great time to review and remind ourselves the importance of aquatic plants in a lake especially when it comes to how they naturally help suppress blue-green algae blooms resulting in less use of toxic copper algae control products like copper sulfate. Please visit or revisit my page here. Lake Ecology

I urge all lakefront property owners and residents of the L.M.P.O.A. to support Paul Mickley in his aquatic plant and algae control methodology whenever and wherever possible. If you use your lakefront property for swimming or have jet skis or boats that have intakes that get clogged by aquatic plants, by all means contact Paul and have him treat your lakefront property for nuisance aquatic plants. if you don’t use your lakefront property for a specific recreational water activity, I recommend that you allow the area to be inhabited by beneficial aquatic plants that not only provide food and shelter for a healthy fisheries, but also help naturally suppress nuisance and potentially toxic blue-green algae. As in many cases with many things, balance is the key to satisfying the many needs and wants of a diverse lake community that makes up the L.M.P.O.A..

Aquatic Plants Naturally Clarify Water

Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria) Report

Lake Mohawk continues to be reported as No Data on the Ohio EPA Satellite monitoring for report for cyanobacteria in Ohio Lakes. Report 10.

Cyanobacteria Monitoring at Lake Mohawk

Scott Noble monitors potential health issues associated with cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) by collecting lake water samples from various areas of the lake. Not all blue-green algae species produce toxins that can be harmful to humans, pets, and other wildlife. The latest report from EnviroScience indicates that there are no issues with cyanobacteria toxins. Regardless, lake water is not a potable water supply and caution should always be taken when potentially ingesting untreated water from lakes, streams, etc.. Pets should also be restrained from drinking lake water whenever possible.

Lake Mohawk continues to provide excellent and beautiful recreational opportunities as summer progresses and fall grows closer. Blue-green algae remains under natural control based on water color in the northern two thirds of the lake. Helping to naturally suppress the microscopic blue-green algae (cyanobacteria)is a common summer aquatic plant known as brittle naiad as described at this LINK. Brittle naiad although an exotic aquatic plant helps suppress blue-green algae by competing for nutrients such as phosphorus and nitrogen in addition to stabilizing lake sediments which prevents sedimentary phosphorus from being recycled back into the water column.

The following is a short recent video provided by Paul Mickley showing a lush “carpet” of naiad in the back of bay 3. Notice how clear the water is within this area.

Brittle naiad reproduces by seed and is very common in lake and reservoir environments that utilize winter drawdown of lake levels. While winter drawdown freezes the root system of many other aquatic plant species, it has no effect on the seeds produced by this aquatic plant. Brittle naiad will naturally die off (senescence) throughout the months of September and October.

Eagle Pair spotted on power tower

A pair of American Bald Eagles were spotted perched high in the power line towers at the entrance leading to Lake Mohawk. Certainly a beautiful sight to see.

Beacon Lake water color change

Beacon Lake has recently had a significant change in water color from all previous weeks this season. It is often interesting to note the color differences between Beacon Lake and the back of bay 11.

Water color is still looking excellent for this time of the season. While many lakes in Ohio continue to see increased cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) blooms, Lake Mohawk remains largely unaffected by these blooms.

The southern portion of the lake and associated bays such as 7,8,9,10, and parts of 11 which are relatively shallow (Depth Map), are visibly different in color and clarity from the larger northern portion of the lake which is a mix of green and brown from microscopic algae and sediment suspension. Brown color is especially noticeble in bays 9/10 also known as barefoot bay. Lake sediments in the southern portion of the lake are easily mixed into the water column by boat motor and wind and wave action creating ideal conditions for blue-green algae growth. Considering the prevailing winds are often from the south/south west and the lake flows to the north, these turbid nutrient rich water conditions eventually moves to the northern basin of the lake. Nutrient recycling (internal loading) from the northern basin lake sediments (lake sediments chemically release phosphorus by the ferric to ferrous phosphate reaction under anaerobic/no oxygen conditions) also significantly contribute to August/September algal blooms. Phosphorus binding products like Eutrosorb by SeaPro can help prevent/reduce these types of algale blooms fwiw. Increasing NO Wake Zones is also very effective at reducing suspended phosphorus but not likely. Tolerance for increased NO Wake Zones would not be popular among many members of the L.M.P.O.A.. The table below illustrates how lake sediments are affected by boat motors of various horsepower.

Unfortunately, cloud and smoke cover from the Canadian forest fires prevented satellite imagery of the lake this past week which detects blue-green algae blooms. (See Most Recent Report 8 – Click Here). Regardless, on-site water color assessments provide the most accurate measure of the lake in terms of water quality conditions.

Wow! That looks fun! Surfing off of West Beach on July 30, 2026.

More on Lake Conditions and Fish Management Below

Excellent Lake Conditions!

Lake color is looking excellent for this time of the season! Lake color is one of the quickest and easiest methods of determining how the lake is doing in terms of overall water quality. Green color indicates planktonic algae growth while brown color is more indicitive of suspended soil particles. There are some exceptions such as diatoms that can impart a golden brown color to the water especially in the spring. Diatoms for what it is worth produce nearly 50% of the world’s oxygen.

Don’t be surprised to see the lake become more green in color over the next several months as cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) become more dominant in the water column. This is a natural and expected change in the succession of phytoplankton that occurs in many lakes throughout the world. The duration and intensity of these “blooms” depends on the overall nutrient levels within the lake especially phosphorus and to a lesser extent nitrogen. The Ohio EPA sends out weekly satellite images of Ohio lakes that are experiencing algal blooms. That information can be accessed through the home page of this web site.

Aquatic Plant – Bass – Bluegill Connection

More on the Jone’s Fish Management Report

One important factor that I feel is missing from the Jone’s fish population study and ensuing discussions (June 20th Post)is the iimportance of adequate aquatic plant cover within Lake Mohawk. The Jone’s study basically concluded that the bass population is suffering and malnourished due to a lack of adequate sunfish (Bluegill) in the lake which is an important food source for the bass. The recommendation was to stock additional bluegill over the next several years. This in my opinion is an oversimplified recommendation that does not resolve the root cause for the imbalance in the first place. Another important finding was the crappie are over abundant in the lake and need to be harvested at a rate of over 12,000 crappie per year. Crappie compete with bluegill within the aquatic food web in addition to preying on young bluegill fry.

In summary, bass production within a lake is optimum when 36-40% of the lake has adequate aquatic plant growth (Wiley, et al 1984a).

NOTE 1: Many things can restrict aquatic plant populations including the drawdown process of lowering Lake Mohawk each season. This process exposes 3-4 feet of lake sediment that freezes the root system of many desirable native aquatic plants. Water clarity and depth also naturally can restrict plant growth. Over utilization of aquatic herbicides can also reduce aquatic plant populations below optimal levels. Paul Mickley is extremely judicious and consciencious in his select and minimal use of aquatic herbicides at Lake Mohawk.

NOTE 2: Aquatic plants not only provide cover from predation, they also create an environment for a healthy and abundant “macroinvertebrate” food base for the sunfish (bluegill). All important for the aquatic food web within Lake Mohawk.

Note 3: Aquatic plants are extremely important in minimizing toxic blue-green algae blooms. Aquatic plants compete for phosphorus and stabilize lake sediments which helps in the recycling of phosphorus into the water column. There is also some evidence that aquatic plants secrete inhibitory substances that reduce cyanobacteria (blue-green algae). In summary, a healthy aquatic plant population helps purify lake water.

Below (Figure 2) is a graph that illustrates the relationship of Percent Plant Cover to that of the Largemouth Bass and Sunfish population within lakes (productivity). In summary, as plant cover increases from left to right in terms of percent coverage of the lake, the largemouth bass productivity increases to a maximum when plant cover is between 36-40% (180 – 203 surface acres of Lake Mohawk). The sunfish (bluegill) population continues to rise in a linear fashion as plant cover increases.

Below is the AI summary of how this delicate food web works between the bass and bluegill. If you would like further explanation, please don’t hesitate to ask. GraysAquatic@gmail.com or text at 330.412.4139.

Piscivorous Largemouth Bass Production

• Low plant cover (<20%): Bass production is low because young bass lack structural refuge from cannibalism and macroinvertebrate food webs are less productive. [1, 2]
• Intermediate plant cover (20–40%): Optimal balance where Largemouth Bass Foraging and Habitat Success peaks; predator search times are minimized and encounter rates with prey are high.
• High plant cover (>50%): Bass production and condition factors decline sharply because dense stems reduce foraging efficiency and restrict movement, shielding forage fish.

Insectivorous Sunfish Production

• Low plant cover: Sunfish (like bluegill) production is limited by high vulnerability to predation, keeping population biomass lower or stunted. [1, 2]
• Moderate to high plant cover: Production remains high or positively correlated with macrophyte density because plants provide an abundant macroinvertebrate food base and safe refuge. [1, 2]

* Extreme vegetation (>80%): Dense choking weeds can prevent bass from thinning sunfish, leading to overcrowded, slow-growing small sunfish populations

“Oil” Reported in Lake Mohawk on NextDoor

NO need to worry!

Someone on NextDoor at Lake Mohawk recently reported what looked like to them “oil” in the north dam end of the lake. This concern also happened several years ago when black dark small spots were observed floating in the water column. While it is certainly possible that oil can get into the lake from many sources, the actual substance was discovered to be a of dark species of attached algae (in the blue-green family) that had broken off from the bottom and floated up into the upper water column. Sunlight penetrates lake water to a depth of about 3x the secchi disc reading which can easily be the 21 or so averafge feet that is common in the north end of the lake. Note: does not include the original narrow submerged stream depth of up to 33-34 ft..

Post July 4th weekend and all is quiet at Lake Mohawk. Lots of room on the serene lake and the beautiful beaches for recreation and relaxation. Water color is excellent for this time of the season. No signs of blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) blooms in the near future.

July 3rd, 2026

July 3rd and the lake conditions look excellent! People having fun on this Friday one day before our Nations 250th birthday. Swimming, tubing, boating, jet skiers, water skiers, etc..

June 27th, 2026

July 4th week is an exciting and important week at Lake Mohawk. Not only will it be America’s 250th birthday, it is a period when fun and recreation on the lake reaches it’s peak. Preparing a 507 acre lake along with the three beaches, roadsides, shelter areas, restrooms, etc.. is no small or simple task. Many thanks and kudos go out to Paul Mickley and his maintenance crew members for making Lake Mohawk a great place to live and recreate throughtout the season.

The lake, beaches, and surrounding common grounds all look in excellent shape. While other lakes around Ohio at this time are experiencing blue-green algae blooms, recent satellite imagery that included Lake Mohawk indicated no traces of nuisance cyanobacteria. May you all have a safe and happy holiday weekend.

The “Shocking” Fish Survey Report

Have you ever looked over the vast expanse of Lake Mohawk (507 acres) and wondered what lies beneath the surface or lives within the lake? A very complex interaction of aquatic organisms including plants, phytoplankton, zooplankton, aquatic insects, bacteria, and fish make up the aquatic ecosystem of Lake Mohawk. Property values and summer recreational activites in and on the lake are all dependent on this complex ecosystem. In order to preserve the economic and recreational value of Lake Mohawk, it is vitally important to understand how this ecosystem works and responds to imbalances caused by both man and nature.

Knowing the composition of the fisheries within Lake Mohawk provides enormous insight into the “health” of the lake. Fish are excellent “biological indicators” of water quality and ecosystem dynamics considering they live within this environment 24/7. Water tests and sampling are snapshots in time but often do not represent long term conditions. Ironically, fish themselves depending on the species of the fish can adversely affect water quality which will be discussed below.

Jones Lake Management recently completed (May 5th and 6th, 2026) an electrofishing survey of Lake Mohawk and presented their report to the Lake Restoration and Protection Committee on Tuesday, June 16th, 2026. You can download the full report by either clicking the Jones image below or by clcking here.

Summary of My Thoughts and Feelings

• I must start out by saying that I am generally not an advocate of electrofishing in the spring for a variety of reasons. A simple AI Google search will provide you with a list of reasons why electrofishing should be avoided during the spring. One reason is that electrofishing can adversely affect bass spawning success. Other reasons include irreprable harm to the sampled fish itself such as broken vertebrate from the intense paralysis where the fish eventually swims off and succumbs to it’s injuries. With that said, I do believe that this particular survey was well worth the time, money, and effort as it clearly indicates that there is an imbalance within the fisheries of Lake Mohawk. More specifically, it gives clear insight as to why the bass population is suffering in number, size, and general overall health.
• Page 1 indicates that Lake Mohawk is 300 acres. I was informed that this was a typographical error however this number (300) is used again on page 16 of the report in a calculation for crappie harvesting reduction management (Catching and removing Crappie). The Jones report indicates that there are too many Crappie in the lake and that 25-30 Crappie PER SURFACE ACRE /PER YEAR.should be removed. The report stated that 8250 crappie should. be removed each year which is actually based on a 300 acre lake not a 507 acre lake like Lake Mohawk actually is. Using the same constant of 25-30 crappie per acre / per year, the numbers should be between 507 X 25-30 = 12,675 to 15,210 (Crappie removed each year). NOTE: This recommendation from Jones Lake Management for the need of crappie reduction hopefully dispels the concerns of those individuals that observe a relatively few dead crappie along the shoreline each spring. The death of crappie in the spring each year in the numbers observed are insignificant and are often due to natural causes including overpopulation, winter stress, spawning stress, etc..
• Too Many Crappie – As noted above, the Jones survey revealed that Lake Mohawk contains too many crappie and suggested that between 12,675 and 15,210 crappie should be removed from the lake each year. Overpopulation of crappie are directly harming the bass in several ways including the number, the size, and their overall health by competing for valuable food resources. Crappie also prey on small bluegill and their eggs which further adversely affects the bass as well as the bluegill. The Jones report indicated that bluegill are a primary and important food source for the bass. In fact, it was suggested that up to $89,200 be budgeted for restocking the bluegill population over a period of several years.
• In terms of the standard recommended bluegill to bass ratio in lake and pond environments, the report indicates that the prey to predator ratio should be 5 to 1 meaning that there should be 5 sunfish (bluegill) to every 1 bass in the lake. This number has changed over the years and it was primarily recommended for POND environments years ago. The sunfish to bass ratio use to be 10 to 1 until it was discovered that many ponds and smaller lakes were becoming overpopulated with bluegill. The final Jones report revealed that there were 20 sunfish to 96 bass. This is obviously a reversed ratio in terms of what it should be according to the Jones recommendation however it fails to take into account the vast number of other forage fish such as golden shiners (page 9) and yellow perch (page 5) that were identified in the report which also serve as forage fish for bass. Because of the low sunfish/bluegill population, Jones is recommending the stocking of “supplemental forage ” in the form of bluegill. In summary, the Jones survey identified an abundance of other bass forage fish such as the golden shiners and yellow perch. Logically, one would ask why focus on adding more sunfish as a bass forage fish when there are so many other species of bass forage fish? There are other considerations that must be taken into account to explain the distressed bass population as discussed below.
• Large Mouth Bass – 96 bass sampled in the survey ranging from 1″ up to 19″. The 11″ to 19″ bass were analyzed using Relative Weight Analysis – 79.3% of the bass between 11 and 19 inches are. below average condition. 51.7% of those selected bass are considered malnourished and 20.7% were in above average condition. In addition, greater than 50% of the bass sampled had sores and wounds on them. Clearly the largemouth bass population is being adversely affected by something. That something is NOT JUST ONE THING OR CAUSE such as lack of bluegill for forage In my opinion. Aquatic ecosystems like all ecosystems are very complex and delicate and can become imbalanced in a variety of ways. For example, how can too many yellow perch and crappie adversely affect a bass popultion within a large lake like Lake Mohawk? Answers following:
• Yellow Perch & Crappie – From AI Summary of Can Yellow perch and Crappie affect bass populations?

The Yellow Perch, Crappie, and Bass Connection

Page 5 of the Jones Report – “During the survey, we sampled 600 Yellow Perch with measured speciments ranging from 1″ up to 12″. Upon sampling, there were hundreds of more Yellow Perch that we did not collect”

Yes, overpopulation of yellow perch can cause severe problems for bass fishing. Overcrowded perch frequently stunt in growth, exhaust the local food chain, and compete directly with smaller bass for available forage. Additionally, swarms of competing panfish can excrete hormones that chemically suppress bass reproduction. [1, 2, 3]

Yellow Perch Imbalance

How Overpopulated Perch Impact Bass

• Stunted Growth: When yellow perch overpopulate, they out-eat their food supply, remaining small (often 3 to 5 inches) and stunted. These small, overcrowded panfish degrade the overall health of the fishery. [1, 2, 3]
• Reproductive Interference: In extreme cases of overpopulation, forage fish (including perch and sunfish) can release chemical or hormonal repressive factors that lead to reproductive failure in adult bass. [1]
• Direct Competition: Young and intermediate perch compete with young-of-the-year bass for the same primary food sources, such as insects and small minnows. [1, 2, 3]

Foraging and Predation Dynamics

Yellow perch are torpedo-shaped and generally soft-fleshed, making them a premium food source for both largemouth and smallmouth bass. However, the dynamic depends heavily on the size balance between the two species: [1, 2]

• Bass Eating Perch: Large adult bass (15 inches or larger) will actively feed on 7 to 9 inch perch. If the lake or pond features a robust, predatory bass population, they will generally keep the perch numbers in check. [1, 2]

• Perch Eating Bass: Newly hatched yellow perch are highly piscivorous. If the perch population explodes, dense schools of perch fry will frequently target and eat newly hatched bass fry in the spring, which significantly damages the bass population’s ability to successfully spawn and recruit. [1, 2]

Crappie Overpopulation

• Direct Forage Competition: Crappie eat the exact same forage fish (like shad and bluegill) that largemouth bass rely on to grow. When crappie overpopulate, they quickly deplete this food source. [1, 2, 3]
• Stunted Growth: Without enough food, both the crappie and the bass become stunted, resulting in an abundance of skinny, small, and unhealthy fish. [1, 2]
• Bass Fry Predation: Crappie spawn earlier in the spring than bass. This gives crappie fry a head start in size, allowing them to eat bass fry and reduce the number of young bass surviving into adulthood. [1, 2]

• Body Shape and Catchability: Because crappie are deep-bodied, they become too large for average-sized bass to eat very quickly. Furthermore, bass are ambush predators (hiding near cover) while crappie are schooling open-water fish, causing bass to expend more energy to chase them down than they would with other prey. 

Golden Shiners

Golden Shiners – Adverse affects on bass populations

Yes, a golden shiner overpopulation can cause significant problems for bass fishing and the overall health of your fishery. While golden shiners are prized as excellent forage for trophy bass, an unbalanced population creates several issues that disrupt the ecosystem. [1, 2, 3]

Key Problems Caused by Golden Shiner Overpopulation

• Stunted Forage Base: While mature shiners provide great meals for larger bass, they are highly prolific—capable of producing hundreds of thousands of eggs in a season. When they overpopulate, there are simply too many small shiners competing for the same zooplankton and insects. This stunts their growth, leaving them too small for bass to eat efficiently. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
• Egg & Fry Predation: Golden shiners are opportunistic eaters. If their numbers explode, they will aggressively feed on newly hatched bluegill, crappie, and even largemouth bass fry. This decimates the future generations of your primary gamefish. [1, 2, 3, 4]
• Disrupted Artificial Lure Action: When a lake or pond is overflowing with shiners, bass become highly accustomed to feeding on them. This can make bass incredibly selective, often causing them to ignore your artificial lures in favor of the abundant natural bait. [1, 2]
• Feed Competition: In managed ponds that utilize automatic fish feeders, swarms of golden shiners will consume the commercial feed, outcompeting other desirable panfish (like bluegill) for resources.

Carp – Grass Carp – Golden Shiners

Adverse Affects on Water Quality and Clarity

Carp, Grass Carp, and Golden Shiners can adversely affect water quality and fish habitat in several ways.

The common carp (page 14) being a bottom feeder stirs up significant amounts of lake sediments and uproots aquatic plants. Lake sediments contain phosphorus which fuels algal blooms. Algal blooms and suspended soil particles keeps the water turbid (cloudy) and therefore limits sunlight which is required for a healthy aquatic plant population. Submersed aquatic plants are vital for both habitat cover and protection as well as providing a base for the food chain consisting of aquatic insects. Jones sampled and removed 26 common carp that measured between 17″ and 33″. (nearly 3 feet long).

Surprisingly, the Jones survey sampled and removed 10 Grass Carp (page 15) that measured between 42″ to 48″ from Lake Mohawk. Grass Carp are aquatic plant “eating machines” and are very damaging to aquatic ecosystems. Grass Carp are preferential eaters of native aquatic plants rather than exotic aquatic plants such as Eurasian watermilfoil. In other words, Grass Carp eat the desireable aquatic plants first leaving undesirable plants such as Eurasian watermilfoil to spread throughout the lake.

Golden Shiners – Jones sampled 111 Golden Shiners that measured between 4 inches up to 9 inches with 5 inches being the most common size (60). Golden shiners. While an excellent forage fish for bass, too many Golden Shiners cause significant issues for bass populations AND WATER QUALITY. Golden Shiners are planktivores meaning they primarily feed on zooplankton. Zooplankton (microscopic aquatic animals if you will) feed on microscopic plants (phytoplankton). If the zooplankton population is reduced by over grazing Golden Shiners, the phytoplankton population dramatically increases leading to algal blooms. From AI:

Yes, golden shiners can indirectly cause or worsen algae blooms. They do this through a biological chain reaction (trophic cascade) where they feed heavily on zooplankton (like Daphnia) that normally graze on phytoplankton, allowing algae to grow unchecked. [1]

How the Shiner-Algae Cascade Works

1. Zooplankton Depletion: Golden shiners are active planktivores that consume the tiny zooplankton in the water column.
2. Phytoplankton Unchecked: When zooplankton populations drop, there is nothing left to eat the microscopic algae (phytoplankton).
3. Algal Bloom: Without these grazers, the phytoplankton multiply uncontrollably, resulting in murky, green water.
4. Filamentous Algae: Golden shiners often seek out and scatter their adhesive eggs over mats of filamentous algae during their spring/summer spawns, creating an ideal micro-habitat for them to breed but further sheltering the algae

My Summary of the Jones Report

The Jones electrofishing sampling and associated report has yielded valuable lake and fisheries management information. The report focuses on the addition of bluegill and the reduction in crappie in order to correct the prey to predator balance within the bass population. Unresolved issues are the sores and wounds that were observed in over 50% of the bass population. Considering that 51.7 % of the sampled bass population was considered malnourished, it is not surprising that many bass would be prone to a variety of fish diseases. One important topic missing from the Jones report was that of maintaining a healthy aquatic plant population. Habitat is an important part of a healthy and blanced aquatic ecosystem. From AI:

The optimum aquatic plant coverage for largemouth bass is 15% to 25% of the pond or lake’s surface area. This density creates the perfect balance, providing enough cover for ambush hunting and juvenile shelter without allowing forage fish to overpopulate and stunt the bass. [1, 2, 3, 4]

Why the 15-25% Rule Matters

Too much vegetation (>40%): Forage fish (like bluegill) have too many hiding spots. They become overly successful at avoiding the bass, leading to stunted prey populations and “bass-crowded” or stunted bass fisheries

Too little vegetation (<10%): Bass struggle to find ambush points, and young-of-the-year fish are highly vulnerable to predation. This results in poor survival rates and fewer bass overall. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

Over my past 17 years of managing Lake Mohawk for nuisance aquatic plant growth, I have never witnessed a natural decrease in the aquatic plant population as I have seen over the past three years. Heavy spring precipitation and overflowing lake levels early in the season has changed the dynamics of the lake from an aquatic plant dominated lake to a phytoplankton dominated lake. Once a lake becomes turbid with phytoplankton, soil particles, etc.., aquatic plants have a difficult time becoming established. Carp and Golden Shiners are also responsible for reduced aquatic plant populations as discussed above. The absence or scarcity of aquatic plants creates an imbalance within the ecosystem itself.

Minimal use of aquatic herbicides have been utilized to manage Lake Mohawk over the past three years and the growth of aquatic plants is encouraged. Copper algaecides however have been used to control summer cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) blooms in part due to the scarcity of aquatic plants (aquatic plants help naturally suppress blue-green algae blooms). I absolutely dislike the use of any copper based algaecides as it controls (kills) zooplankton in addition to targeted blue-green algae. Copper precipitates to the bottom of the lake where it accumulates over time considering it is not biodegradable. Copper can reach toxic levels for both aquatic plants and benthic aquatic insects. Minimal concentrations of copper algaecide are always the application goal whenever blue-green algae control is necessary.

The Jones electrofhishing survey illustrates the complexity of aquatic ecosystems and how everything works together to ultimately affect top predator fish such as the bass within Lake Mohawk.

Unique Advanced Algae on West Beach

Chara and Nitella are actually advanced forms of algae that have a similar appearance to aquatic plants like Coontail (Ceratophyllum) and other macrophytes. Chara and Nitella prefer clear water and are beneficial in that they stabilize lake sediments which helps suppress blue-green algae blooms. West Beach is one of the few places around the lake that you will see the algae growing on the sandy lake bottom which occasionally breaks loose from the wind and wave action and ends up along the shoreline beach area. This algae is gritty when rubbed between your fingers and has a musky smell. The gritty feeling comes from the fact that this algae extracts and and coats itself with calcium as the season progresses. Chara and Nitella also provide beneficial habitat to a healthy fisheries.

This advanced form of algae when washed ashore dries up quickly in the sun to the point it becomes a non-nuisance to beach goers. Lake Mohawk maintenance crews also often use mechanical methods to keep the beaches clear of any nuisance debris that may wash ashore during the lake season.

Always a fun day at Lake Mohawk even on rainy days!

One of my favorite views of the lake (looking from south to north)