Bronzy
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Eurasian milfoil is in 200 of Minnesotaʼs lakes and up until now, the most common way to fight it was to cut it.
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> "It's a temporary fix, like a haircut. You need to do it like, every 30 days," explained lake homeowner Bob Pillsbury.
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> City officials budget about $115,000 per season to cut milfoil out of Lake Minnetonka. But now thereʼs a new treatment that kills it for good.
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> The Department of Natural Resources allowed a controlled application of herbicide to be spread across the lake on Wednesday. The herbicide will kill weeds and milfoil before they even begin to grow and will last all season long. The DNR says the chemical will not harm fish or swimmers.
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> The DNR first tested the herbicide in 2006. It was so successful in stopping milfoil, that lakeshore property owners started offering to help pay for the prevention program.
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> Home and property owners on Grayʼs Bay raised over $60,000 to treat the bay for milfoil. The DNR has offered to pay $25,000 to treat three more bays.
A. Is this true ??
B. Thoughts ??
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big G
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Seen it on the news last night, suppose to be the ticket.
big G
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You can tell how big a person is, by what it takes to discourage them! "Hooks"
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jiggineye
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That must be the reason why they were out and about yesterday. Had a good chat with a fellow DNR representative in regards to invasive species at Grays launch yesterday. They were out to inspect and educate boaters. Wonder where all the fish will be hiding now?
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Rootski
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Every year in June they dump some kind of herbicide into Lake DeMontreville. It's turns the lake into a stinky mess. It looks like Fall turnover only worse. Brown water, dead weeds and fish floating all over, and it stinks. How the DNR can allow that so that some homeowner doesn't have weeds in the lake is beyond me. I hope 'Tonka doesn't get like that.
Rootski
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Every now and then its gettin' kind of hard to tell but I'm still alive and well
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baldwin4
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We have lake they use it on down here. It controls it but doesn't get rid of it  Every year they find a new area to started growing
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"And in the end it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years."
Abraham Lincoln
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stingler
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Quote:
How the DNR can allow that so that some homeowner doesn't have weeds in the lake is beyond me.
Rootski
It can be very uncomfortable for little Bobby when his little feet touch the weeds when he's swimming in our personal swimming area with clear cut shoreline and artificial sand beach. Dump herbicide in the water! That will solve all our troubles!!! Complete Bunk.
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lots of luck
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It's true and I applaud the efforts. Will be nice to get some more native plant species re-established.
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lots of luck
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How the DNR can allow that so that some homeowner doesn't have weeds in the lake is beyond me.
Rootski
It can be very uncomfortable for little Bobby when his little feet touch the weeds when he's swimming in our personal swimming area with clear cut shoreline and artificial sand beach. Dump herbicide in the water! That will solve all our troubles!!! Complete Bunk.
Remember, they are dealing with an invasive species.
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GordonK
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INVASIVE SPECIES! Yes, let's kill all of the invasive species here in Minnesota, starting with the evil ringneck pheasant and that awful species the smallmouth bass. Invasive species that have worked out quite nicely, I think. Not all invasive species are bad, but the DNR is using Milfoil as a way to insure that shoreline owners get their own private beaches.
If you decide to mow down ten acres of trees off of state land to get a better view, you are a criminal. If you mow down ten acres of weeds in a lake, you are a home owner. Lakes are public property here in MN and killing off habitat is about as horrible as it gets. As fishermen, we shouldn't let the DNR polute the airwaves with the bunk about how bad milfoil is. I haven't seen the fishing get worse when it enters a lake, but it often gets much, much better.
I can't believe that we as anglers let them get away with this. As noted above, when they kill off the weeds, you get a lake full of sludge and dead fish, killed off by the lack of oxygen. We need to mount our own propaganda attack against the sandy bottom crowd.
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Rootski
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Quote:
Remember, they are dealing with an invasive species.
I'd agree...except for years the state has allowed lake shore owners to kill of NATIVE lake weeds without any regard to what it's doing to the water quality, the fish populations, or the health of the lake. Swimming pools don't produce many fish. Lakes full of milfoil and other "invasive" species do. Look at Waconia, White Bear, Minnetonka....the fishing is much better now than it was 25 or 30 years ago. Would I rather see cabbage than milfoil? Sure....but that ship has sailed.
Rootski
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Every now and then its gettin' kind of hard to tell but I'm still alive and well
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mrwalleye
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This is not the first year they have been doing this, they did Crystal Bay a few years ago and the weeds were gone! (all of them) no weeds = no fish in Tonka,
It's not that I like all the floating clumps of weeds after a weekend but the weeds are what make the fishing so good. and not just the Bass fishing but the walleye northern and panfish.
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“Trying to put on a life jacket during a boating accident would be like trying to buckle a seat belt during a car crash.”
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biggill
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Quote:
INVASIVE SPECIES! Yes, let's kill all of the invasive species here in Minnesota, starting with the evil ringneck pheasant and that awful species the smallmouth bass. Invasive species that have worked out quite nicely, I think. Not all invasive species are bad, but the DNR is using Milfoil as a way to insure that shoreline owners get their own private beaches.
Step back a sec. Smallmouth and Phesants are not INVASIVE. They are non-native species.
Otherwise, I agree with the rest you said 
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Bronzy
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Quote:
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How the DNR can allow that so that some homeowner doesn't have weeds in the lake is beyond me.
Rootski
It can be very uncomfortable for little Bobby when his little feet touch the weeds when he's swimming in our personal swimming area with clear cut shoreline and artificial sand beach. Dump herbicide in the water! That will solve all our troubles!!! Complete Bunk.
Remember, they are dealing with an invasive species.
Two major issues with this arguement....
1. If you read the recent article in the star trib the DNR admits to know knowing the full effects of the herbicide on other weed/plant life (not just milfoil and pondweed)
2. Ever noticed the beautiful lawns that go right to the EDGE of the water - pretty sure that fertilizer isn't curtailing the weed growth any.
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lots of luck
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GordonK, Invasive vs. introduced species? You better think about that comparison. We saw an opportunity with pheasants I would guess. I don't think anyone decided to introduce milfoil into our lakes. Once again a native stand of trees vs. and invasive weed species, no comparison.
Let's say pre-milfoil those areas were rather weed free or navigable/swimable(not a word, I believe) prior to milfoil. A DNR funded program as such could be seen as a restoration.
We have to remember there are all types of users of the lakes. We may see it as a nursery for small fish, while recreation boaters see it as a nuisance. In the case of an invasive species, the nuisance is probably going to lose out most times.
Fishing better now than twenty five years ago is also mentioned. I would assume the fishing pressure has increased, but importantly conservation ethics and stricter limits have also been put into place. I don't think Milfoil can be the sole reason.
I fish Minnetonka a lot and most of the damage is done already, meaning most of the lake shore that can be developed is developed. Minnetonka also has a lot of lots on steep shore lines and many lots with riprap reinforced shorelines that never see swimmers. I can attest that many of those shorelines have an abundance of native plant species and do hold fish.
Waconia is also mentioned. Talking with some individuals in the know, Waconia is starting to see a reversal in some areas of native plants replacing milfoil beds.
I don't think a "lakeshore owner" comment that lumps everyone of them together is fitting either. We have to remember they are allowed a certain amount of removal by permit anyways.
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Jeremy Liebig
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It's one thing to treat small areas of a lake for swimming, recreation, etc. It's another when lake associations with DNR approval bomb an entire lake and kill off every single species of vegetation. Owasso comes to mind 
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jdkeehl
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As far as fishing goes milfoil is the best thing that could happen to a lake. I have fished major tourament all over the county and one thing i have noticed is all lakes with milfoil have bigger and more fish of all types in them. It can only grow to a point then it stops.
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stanman
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There are places in Minnetonka where the milfoil gets so thick you cannot motor through it with the big engine. I for one would rather the natural lake weeds come back. As for the improved fishery, how much of that is attributable to the increase in water quality over the last few decades?? Add to that the increase in CPR and I'd bet that has had more impact on improved fishing than the milfoil replacing native vegetation. Full disclosure I live on Minnetonka , my lawn does not get near the water and my shoreline is natural.
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Rootski
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Stanman....I think all of us agree that the best thing would be for the native weeds to populate the lake. I think healthy native weed growth contributes to better water quality and certainly good fish populations. But how is that going to happen if they dump herbicide in the lake? ALL the weeds on DeMontreville get hammered over the WHOLE lake every June. There aren't any lush cabbage beds or stands of reeds after they nuke it. Personally, if the choice was milfoil or a brown soupy stinking mess with no weeds, I'll take the milfoil.
If they could selectively eliminate milfoil, that's one thing. And if the DNR stopped the horrendous practice where shoreline habitat is turned into swimming beaches. And while were at it how about leaving 5-10 feet of shoreline vegitation around the lake to catch run off? That would all be good but I'm not holding my breath.
Rootski
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Every now and then its gettin' kind of hard to tell but I'm still alive and well
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Hillbiehle
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Unsure how accurate this information is, but the newscaster advised that the timing was critical. They mentioned something that the milfoil emerges first, therefore they sprayed now to attak the milfoil only. By the time the native plants begin to grow the herbicide will have dilluted and have no effect. ??
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Bronzy
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Stanman - I agree, not all lake property owners have that, but its much more previlant on tonka then most lakes. I like the note about the herbicides being applied before the rest of the weeds start to grow - this will most likey curtail the milfoil growth, but I don't see it being perminant - when you look at all the boat traffic on tonka on a nice saturday afternoon that stuff is floating and being spread everywhere on the lake via engine intakes....
Good points on both sides, tonka is always a center of controversy, and for good reason - its an awesome resouce in the middle on a large metro area. Don't find that too often around the country !!
Let's just be careful about how much crap goes into the lake....I'm confident the bioligists that applied the chemicals have forgot more about that stuff than I will ever know, but it doesn't make it any less scary !
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Mike Finke
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Bottome line, milfoil is one of the best weeds for freswater fish and one of the worst for the lake shore owner and recreational boater. Money talks and on a lake like Minnetonka the fishing and fisherman come out the big losers.
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Mike Finke Outdoors.com/ 612-210-5937
In-Depth Angling Pro Staff / Pure Fishing Ambassador
Otter Outdoors Pro Staff / OutKast Tackle Pro Staff Director
MnWalleye@aol.com
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mplspug
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I can confirm the effects Rootski mentioned on another lake. Last year, in the height of summer they sprayed Knife lake north of Mora. The milfoil problem there isn't even that bad as they have only been able to establish themselves on the South end for the most part and it isn't even real thick.
Well the chemicals killed everything and made fishing worse. Trying to fish that dead crap is tough...and it doesn't hold fish anyway. BUt there isn't a lot of cover in the lake and most of the structure normally is shallow with weeds. Add to that the fact that knife has a major algae problem that was made worse because it didn't kill it and all the nutrients were available to them. The lake was absolutely disgusting.
Now they put the chemicals in early this year, which I hope will help. BUt if they kill off the native weeds, they are screwing the ecology of the lake. It's as if they want to make a lake that gets no deeper than 14-15 a walleye fishery with bare points, bars and flats. I think they are doing a disservice to the lake.
I am going to write the area management on the issue and voice my opinion. Although it probably won't mean much since I don't own any land there, 2 of my brothers do.
Careful what you wish for.
Ah, that feels better.
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Some people like fishing, I prefer catching.
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lots of luck
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Do you guys have any data on what weed types and methods of treatments were used on these other lakes?
I am doing a little research now on this and there are many chemical methods of treatment, but there are also selective herbicides including, Fluridone, 2-4, D or Triclopyr.
I found the following data from the Christmas Lake Annual Association meeting discussing the very issues we are discussing.
Beginning of quote
Lake Minnetonka Studies from 2006
Carmen Bay
May 2 treatment with endothall and 2-4D
Has most diverse native plants in study
EWM density was low throughout summer
No adverse effects on other native plants
Gray's Bay
June 6 treatment with 2-4D
Reduced EWM plant occurrence by 79%; density by 99% by July
No adverse effects on other native plants
Phelp's Bay
June 6 treatment with triclopyr
Reduced EWM plant occurrence by 63%; density by 86% by July
No adverse effects on other native plants
End of quote
It appears that "experimentation" and treatments have been ongoing on Lake Minnetonka prior to it becoming news worthy to the local media. The lake residents are now the funding source to provide the DNR the opportunity to try treatments on a larger scale making it newsworthy now.
The real concern should be the home owners that can apply for a permit to apply "weed killer" themselves or hire a contractor to do so. Many times those particular treatments are like "round up" and wipe out everything. Unless you like fishing an inside weed edge, you may consider it an opportunity.
If you need some reading here is a link to the MN DNR Eurasian Watermilfoil Management Program:
http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/eco/invasives/ewmprog.html
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Minnetonka, millfoil, and chemicals to kill it ???
