Was at Big Bear Lake doing some bowfishing for carp. Got a few on Saturday and took them to the Big Bear Water District Carp drop off. What I saw there was disturbing. Instead of a pile of carp, there was a pile of trout, hundreds of them.
I had heard last week they had unusually high surface temps in the lake. Average this time of year is 72°, but the middle of the week had temps as high as 78°.
Apparently the trout didn't like the heat or the heat reduced the oxygen level to a nonsustainable point.
I believe it was probably the heat. The carp were very active and Carp Killer, the local bowfisherman, was getting big fish counts the days it was hot.
(I know what your thinking... he was shooting the belly up carp. I won't say it isn't a possibility. LOL)
The guy taking care of the fish said he'd have to go out several more times to clean up most of them.
The Big Bear Facebook page said on Sunday there were hundreds more appearing along the shore.
It's a sad day when all the game fish die off like that.
- Keith
Oh Damn! 78??? Thank goodness that lake is deep so it can sustain the ones that live deeper, but holy crap that is warm for up there!
I hate hearing about fish die offs.
I always get bummed out when I see a few dead trout up in Bishop, but it's usually due to someone gut hooking them, the eagles get a free meal when that happens ;) Seems like a large die off like that would be quite a nasty smell if not cleaned up right away :(