Jackson Lake

[RobertW]

Throughout the decades Jackson Lake was dredged and kept clear of weeds.  failure to do so would result in the lake filling in, becoming a meadow and disappearing completely.  In the past weed clearing was done differently than it is today:





Now after quite a few years of the banks filling in with weeds and Cattails, they are finally being removed. Another year and we may not have had much of a lake left to access from the shore.

They remove the weeds differently today than they have in the past.  They pull the stopper and as the lake drains and gets lowers the Fenner crews have been using chainsaws to remove the weeds.  The areas that were cleared will be covered with material that will inhibit future growth of weeds and the lake will be filled.















By-the-way, they are doing a great job of removing all the trash that was at the bottom of the lake as well.  Come spring, Jackson Lake will be clean and pristeen again.   

[lagomorphmom]

"By-the-way, they are doing a great job of removing all the trash that was at the bottom of the lake as well.  Come spring, Jackson Lake will be clean and pristeen again.   2thumbsup "

That's terrific, I might just be first in line for fishing in the spring! Been wanting to go for a long time and then wonder about eating the fish...

[RennMan]

And depending on when the lake gets re-filled, there may/may not be a problem with other folks walking on the too-thin ice covering the lake this winter...

[Tomas]

That's terrific, I might just be first in line for fishing in the spring! Been wanting to go for a long time and then wonder about eating the fish...

Good Luck beating me to the spring fishing. 
I eat fish out of the lake all the time. They're fine, I swim in the lake every once and a while too.

[lagomorphmom]

..I swim in the lake every once and a while too.

Ohhhhh, now ya had to go and ruin it!   

[RobertW]

Pulling the "stopper" is easy.  I want to know who is going to dive to the bottom of the lake and put the stopper back in place when the lake has drained to sufficient levels.   

It is good to see Mescal Creek flowing with water again...

[Kaikapu]

Jackson Lake is another jewel in our local mountain area.  I've fished the lake extensively and love it, well, except for weekends; had problems with people over fishing, playing loud music...etc.  Earlier years I fished there at least 4 times a week.  Recently I've only been able to get out there a few months then only a few times for maybe an hour or so.  Two weeks ago I was there on a Thurs.  Nice and quiet, caught my limit and gave them to my neighbor; I usually catch and release.  Last Thurs I could stay only about an hour but still caught four.  Yesterday I went out there and the crew was cutting down the weeds and picking up trash.  They told me about draining some water then putting in some sand bags to prevent the over growth of weeds.  After talking with them for a few minutes and thanking them for their hard work I fished for about an hour....nada this time, but thats okay.  I always told my son that fishing is great and if you catch something, that's the bonus....thats why it's called fishing, not catching.
It's a small lake with big beauty.  Thank you Micheal (Game Warden and WW Resident) for patrolling it.

[Tomas]

I hope to see you there sometime Danny. I'd really like to meet you. You're great at finding the beauty in everything no matter how tough.

Pulling the "stopper" is easy.  I want to know who is going to dive to the bottom of the lake and put the stopper back in place when the lake has drained to sufficient levels.  

Ohhhhh, now ya had to go and ruin it!   

buh dum tshhh (rim shot)

Draining the lake is not as easy as you think...

[RobertW]

Good Luck beating me to the spring fishing. 
I eat fish out of the lake all the time. They're fine, I swim in the lake every once and a while too.

I have no problem eating fish out of Jackson Lake.  Despite what people think, the fish there are just fine.  As for swimming in the Lake, I'd do so if I felt inclined.  Out of all the years I went swimming in Jackson Lake, only one time did I come out of it with the "crud".  My legs iched for two days.   

But really, what the Forest Service is doing for the lake is unbelievable.  You could hardly fish from the road because of the Cattails.  They've even removed a large tractor tire that was under water. 

The Fenner crew is doing such a good job that in walking around the lake I could only find one plastic Coke bottle on the beach. 

Apparently a different crew from Fenner is working the Lake each day.

[RobertW]

 I always told my son that fishing is great and if you catch something, that's the bonus....thats why it's called fishing, not catching.
It's a small lake with big beauty.  Thank you Micheal (Game Warden and WW Resident) for patrolling it.

Kudos!!   

And a big thank you to the USFS and their Volunteers who also patrol it.

[RobertW]

Draining the lake is not as easy as you think...

So, where's the plug?

Here?




Or here?




No, it is here:

[GRAHAM_RANCH]

Robert, thanks for the info. There are many "plugs" at Jackson Lake... just like there are many springs that fill it back up. The best one being the at the west portion of Blue Ridge. Doug Milburn, USFS, said that the last time the lake was drained was in 1957, when a large steam shovel was used to scoop out the muck at the bottom.

It took approx. a winter to fill the lake back up to compacity.

Photos of the operation were lost in the arson fire at the Swarthout Lodge (ranger office) in 1987. Even the steam shovel had a difficult time with its slipping and sliding, thanks to the muck and the blue stone copper sulfate that was used for algae control up until the late 1970s.

The deepest part of the lake is around 14 feet, and is at the east end of the lake. The reeds were a good indication that nature was reverting it back into a mash, as you said. Somewhere in my stack of photos is a 1923 photo of horses grazing on what is now the west portion of Jackson.

For a sag pond, Jackson is an interesting lake..to be enjoyed in most weather and respected in the winter time.

Once again...thank for the good share and can't wait to hear of the updates on this project.

[ak7v]

Are they going to remove the hundreds of goldfish I saw in the lake this summer?  I hope so...

[RobertW]

Are they going to remove the hundreds of goldfish I saw in the lake this summer?  I hope so...

I will tell you that they plan on draining Jackson Lake as far as they need to so as to remove the reeds.  Unfortunately, the project was a little late in starting, and should some cold weather come in and the lake freezes, the project is over.

As Tomas stated, the draining of the lake is not as easy as you'd think.  The drain hose and valve constantly clogs up with debris.  A new screen has replaced the old one.  Thanks to Tomas and others who monitor the process many times a day so as to make sure the "drain" isn't clogged, the lake continues to drain. 

The "goldfish", "Carp" or "Coy" are not natural to the lake.  Somehow they were introduced and there are thousands of them.

While patrolling the lake one day, a person came up to me asking about the limit for fish in the lake.  He claimed that an Asian man was catching hundreds of fish.  Upon inspection, we found a man catching the "goldfish". 

Apparently this fish is a delacasy in many cultures.  There is no "limit" for these fish.  They are not natural or planted.  I told the individual they can take as many of them as he can catch.  "Take them all!".

People are still fishing the lake.  I'd expect that ALL species of fish in the lake will be fine.  They will just be more confined to a limited area.  I saw several fisherman today.  I'd think that the fishing would be much better with all the fish being pooled in less area.

Once the weeds are removed, and the "cork" is secured, it is expected that the lake may fill to normal capacity for this time of year in about 3 weeks.

[ak7v]

Thanks for the info, RobertW.  I have heard that goldfish/carp make it more difficult for trout to survive because they root around the bottom and kick up a lot of debris which the trout don't appreciate. 

[SkierBob]

The trout in Jackson Lake aren't natural,, I doubt they're even naturalized.   If the gold fish reproduce they're more naturalized then the trout. 

How was the fella catching the gold fish? 

[RobertW]

The trout in Jackson Lake aren't natural,, I doubt they're even naturalized.   If the gold fish reproduce they're more naturalized then the trout. 

How was the fella catching the gold fish? 

Of course the trout are planted.  I doubt any of the fish in there are "natural". 

The man was using a very small treble hook with one salmon egg on one barb.  He was only using about two yards of line and was able to watch them grab the bait and then hook them.  I figured he had about 50 of them in a container.

[SkierBob]

I wonder if he could have used a net?   

The only place I know of near wrightwood that has naturalized trout is the head waters of Littlerock Creek.  Although the drainages on L.A. basin probably have some too. 

[RobertW]

I wonder if he could have used a net?

I know I wouldn't have said anything if he was using a net.  I would have considered it parasite removal and not fishing... 

[Nolena]

I wonder how many goldfish it takes to make a sandwich....