CTFishTalk.com: Dead fish in Highland - Connecticut Lake Reports ( CT Lake Reports ) - A Community Built for Connecticut Fisherman.

SkeeterRon · Joined: 01 Jun 2007 Posts: 1173 Location: Newington, CT

WINSTED, Conn. -- Dead fish are washing ashore a lake in northwestern Connecticut.

The dead fish started appearing this week at Highland Lake in Winsted.

Residents said they’ve never seen anything like this before.

Resident Chris Bedard said he decided to go fishing Thursday, expecting to catch about 40 fish. He said that is a common amount for him to catch in the lake.

He said he didn’t catch anything during his most recent outing.

The president of the Highland Lake Watershed Association said having dead fish wash up on shore is unusual.

“We’ve noticed lately that the oxygen level is coming up,” said watershed President Richard Labich. “In other words, there’s less oxygen at the bottom of the lake than there used to be.”

Residents have also noticed large amounts of live fish pooling in shallow areas.

“They all seem to be brown trout, so I don’t think -- it’s not a Red Tide thing in the ocean,” said resident Ken Pratt. “I don’t know if the chemicals they put in for the weeds -- I’m not a chemist -- I don’t know if they would affect it or not.”

He said the lake is the shining star of the community.
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slimecoat · Joined: 09 Nov 2007 Posts: 1576 Location: Newington, CT.

I'm thinkin lake turnover, or is it too early for that?
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SkeeterRon · Joined: 01 Jun 2007 Posts: 1173 Location: Newington, CT

I'm thinking Trout dinner...
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Sleep...Eat...Fish!!!!! Then do it all over again.

dave_376 · Joined: 25 May 2007 Posts: 171

ME_fisherman · Joined: 26 Jul 2007 Posts: 66

I'm thinking the lack of turnover, or consistent temperatures that caused it and maybe the weed kill, but probably not if the dying fish were trout. If the water isn't shifting (caused by temperature changes which changes the densities of the water causing the layers to mix) in a relatively shallow trout lake like Highland the oxygen levels below the thermocline can be used up.