Glowing bryozoa
- Thread starter Reef Bass
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JaYbIrD1969
New member
Gnarly! Quite alien!
Reef Bass
colors and textures
Yeah, this happens to be one of my favorite fishing holes, a "scatter my ashes here" kind of place for me. With the drought, the lake is down over 40 feet now from full pool. While the main body is still 200 feet deep in places, this finger of the lake is drying up. I've never seen it so low in my 20+ years of visiting it. It's sad for me because this part of the lake is normally a veritable haven for largemouth bass and is particularly productive. When tournaments are held, winning sacks frequently come from this area. Or used to. It's so low now that wave action from wind stirs up the bottom and the remaining water has gone from clear blue to muddy.
With the perpetually dropping water level, old timber that was present when the lake was impounded emerges and is usually remarkably well preserved having been submerged and not exposed to air. These colonies of bryozoa attach themselves to the wood and seem to have some sort of relationship with zoids. Before they emerge and droop, they are somewhat buoyant and spherical with star shaped zoids visible on the outside. Like looking down on the top of jellyfish or flying saucers hovering around submerged timber. Apparently they are a sign of good water quality, which is encouraging, at least when there was water there.
Here's a pic of what the area looks like with more water. It's down 10 feet or so from full pool, but that's 30 more feet of water than presently.
With the perpetually dropping water level, old timber that was present when the lake was impounded emerges and is usually remarkably well preserved having been submerged and not exposed to air. These colonies of bryozoa attach themselves to the wood and seem to have some sort of relationship with zoids. Before they emerge and droop, they are somewhat buoyant and spherical with star shaped zoids visible on the outside. Like looking down on the top of jellyfish or flying saucers hovering around submerged timber. Apparently they are a sign of good water quality, which is encouraging, at least when there was water there.
Here's a pic of what the area looks like with more water. It's down 10 feet or so from full pool, but that's 30 more feet of water than presently.
JaYbIrD1969
New member
With your description, I realize Ive seen these too. Just never hanging like that. Very sad about the drought! It will effect millions in many ways! Have you gotten out on the water to collect on the snagged fishing gear being exposed? We used to do that in low water years, not just to collect valuable gear, but to clean the place up! Amazing what a dump becomes exposed when the waters recede.
Reef Bass
colors and textures
Yes, drought sadness. With the general lack of rain from May to October here even during normal rainfall years, water is precious and collections of it attract, nourish and proliferate animals of all kinds. When water goes away, so will the density of life.
I have noticed a particular abundance recently of wading birds, like herons and egrets. I suspect they are capitalizing on the ever concentrating abundance of aquatic organisms on which to feed.
Yes, I joke about some of the emerged trees being Christmas trees, as they are festooned with line and dangling gear. I can understand broken off lines being left behind, as no one wants to snag, and if you're not snagging at least occasionally, you're not fishing where the fish are. It's the refuse, garbage and detritus that some people throw in the water that really frosts my biscuit. IMHO, a fundamental lack of respect for the environment often accompanies a selfish and uncaring personality.
I have noticed a particular abundance recently of wading birds, like herons and egrets. I suspect they are capitalizing on the ever concentrating abundance of aquatic organisms on which to feed.
Yes, I joke about some of the emerged trees being Christmas trees, as they are festooned with line and dangling gear. I can understand broken off lines being left behind, as no one wants to snag, and if you're not snagging at least occasionally, you're not fishing where the fish are. It's the refuse, garbage and detritus that some people throw in the water that really frosts my biscuit. IMHO, a fundamental lack of respect for the environment often accompanies a selfish and uncaring personality.
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