Going out this weekend so threw some traps in, but my minnows all died overnight. It's crazy, have had mass die offs before but never this bad.
Using rye bread, don't think that's an issue since I've used it before for years unless they changed the ingredients. I did have dog food in the first round but went just to bread for the ones last night and same issue.
5 different spots, 5 traps full of dead minnows over the last couple days. The weird thing too is the giant water bugs were dead.
It's been warmer here and no rain since July. Got the traps in the main creek pools though.
It's baffling, did have some die this spring as well and that was cold water and flowing.
Any ideas?
Posted by DynamoDynamite
5 Comments
Did you ask them if they eat gluten?
Possible explanation I’m no expert though. It’s been warm with no rain. Since it’s a closed water changes are that the oxygen levels are way too low. This in combination with extreme stress by landing in your trap can result in death off the fishes. This still doesn’t explain the bugs. But it’s my best guess. It
How long are you leaving the traps before checking? Are you placing them in deeper cooler moving water, or calm shallow water? The minnows were alive before the trap so its something you are doing
I wonder if the minnows (and beetles) move into that area during the cool part of the day and are smart enough to leave the area while the sun beats on that area and warms the water. Maybe the trap just contained them in an area they’d normally vacate because of water temp.
Looks like the water got too warm and deoxygenated. Try setting them in deeper/cooler water. I like to find a shady bank this time of year, or I set them in the evening and pull them at dawn.