flyshooter Posted June 26, 2012 Report Share Posted June 26, 2012 Have any of you fishing folk had any dealings with a weed cutter for swims on a lake ? The lake in question is a two acre, fly fishers water which has a bank of kelp/Canadian pond weed about 20 foot from the water's edge, aprox' one metre wide, all the way around. I can reach weed out to 20 foot with an extending pole with a scyth afixed to the end, but under water, steepish banks do not allow me to wade in to the water. I have seen a coarse fishing weed cutter on evil bay, this is in the form of a blade with a fixing for a handle in the middle, sort of a T shape, but with the blade only 23cm long, it would be a bit short, a metre long blade would be a lot better. Any help on this would be gratefully recieved, thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ack-ack Posted June 28, 2012 Report Share Posted June 28, 2012 Have any of you fishing folk had any dealings with a weed cutter for swims on a lake ? The lake in question is a two acre, fly fishers water which has a bank of kelp/Canadian pond weed about 20 foot from the water's edge, aprox' one metre wide, all the way around. I can reach weed out to 20 foot with an extending pole with a scyth afixed to the end, but under water, steepish banks do not allow me to wade in to the water. I have seen a coarse fishing weed cutter on evil bay, this is in the form of a blade with a fixing for a handle in the middle, sort of a T shape, but with the blade only 23cm long, it would be a bit short, a metre long blade would be a lot better. Any help on this would be gratefully recieved, thank you. Could try chain dragging it. Tie 10m or so of blue cord to each end of a few metres of heavyish chain and with the help of a buddy and a bit of timing you should be able to launch it a fair way out. Retrieve slowly and you should be able to dislodge the bulk of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenboy Posted June 28, 2012 Report Share Posted June 28, 2012 The only problem with cutting the weed is that you will just create a even bigger problem to come as dragging it out just creates 1000s of broken bits that soon take root and the weed grows back thicker than ever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ack-ack Posted June 28, 2012 Report Share Posted June 28, 2012 The only problem with cutting the weed is that you will just create a even bigger problem to come as dragging it out just creates 1000s of broken bits that soon take root and the weed grows back thicker than ever. Or black polysheet it for a few weeks and starve it of light. Not suitable for large areas but it is a 100% kill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aga man Posted June 28, 2012 Report Share Posted June 28, 2012 i have seen someone trying it like ack ack says in hi first post, but instead of chain it had some wieghted barbed wire. looked like bloody hard work though, and i think like fenboy says it will grow back with a vengance. :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
39TDS Posted June 28, 2012 Report Share Posted June 28, 2012 Put a few grass carp in there. There is no plant life in mine after putting some in. Damned good sport on the fly now they are close to 10lbs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ack-ack Posted June 29, 2012 Report Share Posted June 29, 2012 Put a few grass carp in there. There is no plant life in mine after putting some in. Damned good sport on the fly now they are close to 10lbs. Lateral thinking. I think you get the banana. I used to fish Britton Court when it was trout lake and I hooked something truly huge one day. I managed to stay in contact with it for about 5 minutes but could not get it off the bottom, it was playing a skate. It obviously got cheesed off and took off on a run that had me down to backing at which point it must have come back on its self as it shed the hook. I later found out Keith had Grass Carp in there well into double figures and they would take the odd fly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyshooter Posted June 29, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 29, 2012 Do the Grass Carp muddy up the water :yp: , as I only stock Rainbows and Browns the water is gin clear even out to 17 feet in the middle of the 2 acre lake, great dry fly water. Grass Carp sound the business, I don't get a lot of help from the rest of the syndicate, which some times is not a bad thing and help from nature would be just the job. I sent some of the weed to the Environmental Agency, a couple of years back, for identification as I knew it was a Canadian pond weed but not which vatiety. After they had identified it they suggested what pellet/chemical to treat it with, and after I had applied for, and been given permission to use it through a licenced "applier", had it administered £425 . The latter only lasted for one season before it steaderly returned and I do believe the aquatic life suffered through it. I think, if the G/C muddy the water I will have to put the subs up and get some muscle in to clear it, the guys are paying £165 a year at present to fish when they like, as often as they like, for as long as they like, with very little rules, and no work parties , perhaps it is time to moan myself a bit . Thank you guys for your input , sorry for the moan, just practising for the fishery keep well, Fly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hornet 6 Posted June 29, 2012 Report Share Posted June 29, 2012 Two grass hook blades bolted together, attach a rope to the centre bolt and away you go. Can also be used on a long pole, if you angle the handle a little you can push it out across the surface, when pulled back it will sink down. Neil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyshooter Posted June 29, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 29, 2012 Two grass hook blades bolted together, attach a rope to the centre bolt and away you go. Can also be used on a long pole, if you angle the handle a little you can push it out across the surface, when pulled back it will sink down. Neil. They do make a very simular set up to what you say, in America, that looks the business, but do not ship over to Britain. I use a sicle on two extending garden poles to reach the weed up to 20 foot out and it works a treat, but beond that one would have to have three shredded wheat for breakfast . I am going to speak to my fish farmer/supplier to see what he knows about the Grass Carp, aparently they eat their own weight in weed per day, they, to stock in a lake, aprox' 9 to 15 per acre, must be triplodes, not have access to free running water so as to escape, amongst other cans and can'ts. If that fails it looks like a boat is going to be the next step. Thank you for your input, wish my members were as helpfull as the guys on P/W, regards, Fly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenboy Posted June 29, 2012 Report Share Posted June 29, 2012 Sorry to throw a spanner in the works but grass carp are not the weed devouring machine some people think they are , they were originally brought into the country for that purpose by the enviroment agy or the NRA as it was then but the trials were a disaster from memory , you need a huge head of grass carp for any effect. I have fished a 10 acre lake with over 300 in and it still got choked with weed. You are always going to effect aquatic life with killing the weed off or dragging it out because thats where 98% of the life is , what happens is initially once the weed has gone the fish gorge themselves on the now easy to find food source (ruining the fishing for a few weeks in the process) then once that food is no more they begin a drastic weight loss. What is the issue the weed causes ? is it up to the surface, or is it just that the fish bury themselves when hooked ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyshooter Posted June 29, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 29, 2012 Sorry to throw a spanner in the works but grass carp are not the weed devouring machine some people think they are , they were originally brought into the country for that purpose by the enviroment agy or the NRA as it was then but the trials were a disaster from memory , you need a huge head of grass carp for any effect. I have fished a 10 acre lake with over 300 in and it still got choked with weed. You are always going to effect aquatic life with killing the weed off or dragging it out because thats where 98% of the life is , what happens is initially once the weed has gone the fish gorge themselves on the now easy to find food source (ruining the fishing for a few weeks in the process) then once that food is no more they begin a drastic weight loss. What is the issue the weed causes ? is it up to the surface, or is it just that the fish bury themselves when hooked ? Hallo Fenboy, the issue is I have some members who will not fish with the conditions at hand (rat bags) ie; lures all year round. It is, as I have said, a great dry fly water, and c.d.c's, shuttle cocks and drys give good sport most of the year, I personaly, and a few others, do not have a major problem. Some times we are pumped for irrigation and are down on water a few feet, when the water is pumped back in it tends, some years, to grow a "frame" of weed right round the lake and allthough it is easy to cast over this frame, when the fly is retreaved it picks up weed. Stop Press; just spoke to my fish farmer supply guy who said the same as your self, don't go down Grass Carp rout, (if one could get permission in the first place to stock them) there is a blue dye a lot of fisheries are using now which blokes the ultra violet rays from the growing weed at the start of the growing season, it is no more expensive than chemicles and is no threat to crops (irrigation). I will pursue this and let you guys know the results a.s.a.p. Once again, thanks folk for your time, regards, Fly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenboy Posted June 29, 2012 Report Share Posted June 29, 2012 I think if the water level dropped so the weed was breaking surface it would be possible to treat it with a round up type product , though that will also have the negative effects mentioned. personally I think part of the enjoyment of fishing is being able to adapt to what conditions you face at the time,shame some of your anglers don,t have that mindset. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magnum Posted June 30, 2012 Report Share Posted June 30, 2012 Hallo Fenboy, the issue is I have some members who will not fish with the conditions at hand (rat bags) ie; lures all year round. It is, as I have said, a great dry fly water, and c.d.c's, shuttle cocks and drys give good sport most of the year, I personaly, and a few others, do not have a major problem. Some times we are pumped for irrigation and are down on water a few feet, when the water is pumped back in it tends, some years, to grow a "frame" of weed right round the lake and allthough it is easy to cast over this frame, when the fly is retreaved it picks up weed. Stop Press; just spoke to my fish farmer supply guy who said the same as your self, don't go down Grass Carp rout, (if one could get permission in the first place to stock them) there is a blue dye a lot of fisheries are using now which blokes the ultra violet rays from the growing weed at the start of the growing season, it is no more expensive than chemicles and is no threat to crops (irrigation). I will pursue this and let you guys know the results a.s.a.p. Once again, thanks folk for your time, regards, Fly. we have done all of the above put 150 grass carp last year at a cast off £1500 very hard (sec31)!!!! with the EA but got there in the end blue dye at a cost off £187 for 5 kgs we have dyed our lake 3 time now (£561)we ended up getting a marchine in that cuts and removes it at a cost of £850 per day this is on a small lake and its still coming back (pm me if you want any more info ) some days i think it would be easyer to dig a new lake and just move the fish over Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
activeviii Posted June 30, 2012 Report Share Posted June 30, 2012 you can get a chain weed cutter. 1 meter lengths, like a double sided saw blade that has been twisted and then link swiveled together. rope one either end. we used a 30 meter cutter. 2x200 meters of rope and a boat. row across the lake leaving the rope ends with two helpers. drop the cutter out along the opposite bank. the two helper then pull in a sawing action back across the lake. we did the 4'5 acre lake when we first took it over from the fluff chuckers as we had full length weed growth in 20 foot of water. it was gin clear and chocked right up. we cut the whole lake twice, once each year. done on a windy day as once cut it floats to the far bank. then just a case of raking it out. ok it was hard work but it was a lot of weed. 25 years on and its never been cut since. only thing we did was get big water containers, cut the tops of and plant up with lilies. we have a nice spread on the surface but only a barrle of mud under the water. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomhw100 Posted June 30, 2012 Report Share Posted June 30, 2012 Me and my mate tied two garden rake heads back to back and then tied them to a length of rope and threw that in the water to clear swims,it works a treat but it is very labour and time intensive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard.Hosgood Posted June 30, 2012 Report Share Posted June 30, 2012 Same as tomhw100 - used to have to clear swims before matches on a local canal, and 99% of anglers would have one of these for the job! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyshooter Posted July 1, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 1, 2012 Same as tomhw100 - used to have to clear swims before matches on a local canal, and 99% of anglers would have one of these for the job! Thanks folk, I have removed the weed by hand in other years but it's just got to be too much (I'm getting on a bit now) and my members aren't the most helpfull folk. I have made inquireries into the blue dye, thanks "M", as our members do not like working parties , (I usualy do it all myself ) it will be a case of higher subs for next year, pay it, or stop moaning. Ironically enough I have just been offered another lake, 4 acre, near Maldon in Essex to start a syndicate. The latters is gin clear and does not get pumped, I have talked to the owners and am quite impressed with the deal, I think I have got a reputation of keeping my syndicate water, tidy, and thats why they got in touch with me. Another syndicate near me has some keen members I know quite well (we do host/guest between the two syndicates, mine and theirs) who are spuring me on to go for the Maldon lake and start afresh, so, I am taking them down to meet the lake owners next week, perhaps it's time to make a change. Very many thanks guys for your input, I really do appreciate it , Fly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magnum Posted July 1, 2012 Report Share Posted July 1, 2012 Thanks folk, I have removed the weed by hand in other years but it's just got to be too much (I'm getting on a bit now) and my members aren't the most helpfull folk. I have made inquireries into the blue dye, thanks "M", as our members do not like working parties , (I usualy do it all myself ) it will be a case of higher subs for next year, pay it, or stop moaning. Ironically enough I have just been offered another lake, 4 acre, near Maldon in Essex to start a syndicate. The latters is gin clear and does not get pumped, I have talked to the owners and am quite impressed with the deal, I think I have got a reputation of keeping my syndicate water, tidy, and thats why they got in touch with me. Another syndicate near me has some keen members I know quite well (we do host/guest between the two syndicates, mine and theirs) who are spuring me on to go for the Maldon lake and start afresh, so, I am taking them down to meet the lake owners next week, perhaps it's time to make a change. Very many thanks guys for your input, I really do appreciate it , Fly on our water you have to do work parties 2 per year out of 10 you will always get the lads that will only do 2 and there the ones that do the most moaning (i all ways put it back on them its as only as good as YOU MAKE IT )but a fair few of us will do all 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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