When fish start dying in Minnesota lakes in the summer, and especially when there were more than 200 confirmed fish kill reports at the end of July, it gets our attention.
Yet, the warm temps are just the tip of the iceberg. In reality, the whole lake ecosystem is affected when things really heat up.
Steve McComas: How extreme temps impact a lake’s ecosystem Read More »
Recently, I saw a red powder-like substance on a sandy lake bottom. I wondered what it was and how it got there. It wasn’t algae. It wasn’t paint. With a little more investigation turns out it was “rust.” The red particles were red iron precipitates. That was a tipoff to how it got there.
Steve McComas: The many ways springs impact lakes Read More »
For many outdoor enthusiasts in Minnesota, the summer opener is Memorial Day. I have been on lakes since ice-out and all indications are the lake critters and plants are on hitting their stride for early June and beyond.
Below are some of the findings I have observed.
Steve McComas: June is when Minnesota waters really hit their stride Read More »
This week, I want to share a couple of past mysteries that reveal the complex interactions roiling under the surface of the lakes we love. One mystery happened right here in Minnesota; the other overseas.
Steve McComas: Trusting science when easy answers elude us Read More »
After hunkering down for the Minnesota winter, we are tilting back toward the sun, and as sunlight energy becomes more direct and intense, our temperatures warm. Spring awakenings are afoot.
As the hours of daylight get longer and we move closer to spring and summer, there are boxes for me to check. Here are the things I am tracking.
Steve McComas: What to track as spring awakens Minnesota waters Read More »
Before retreating 14,000 to 10,000 years ago, glaciers covered nearly all of Minnesota except for the Driftless Area, in the southeastern corner of the state. Many Minnesota lakes were formed in depressions created by ice blocks that were left behind. When the ice blocks melted, water filled the depressions and lakes were formed.
For a brief period, there were no aquatic plants nor fish in these water bodies.
Steve McComas: Invasive species have been invading Minnesota lakes for centuries Read More »
These days, investigating lakes is bolstered by technology including new types of sonars, apps, and how-to videos that assist in finding fish. But old gumshoe methods are still important when it comes to a fish investigation – or when I take a break from my cases and go fishing for fun.
Either way, I combine new and old techniques.
Steve McComas: New and old ways to solve lake mysteries Read More »
This year’s early winter conditions lend themselves to a 1930s hardboiled detective type of story.
The first snow came early in Minnesota this year, and I was as surprised as a turtle coming out of hibernation in December. First, lakes sealed up with ice as clear as a picture window, then were slapped with a snowfall depositing a 6-inch-thick white down comforter across the hard lake surface in some places.
Steve McComas: Winter conditions set the stage for summer in Minnesota lakes Read More »
I’ve been following several Minnesota cases in which fish population trends were difficult to explain but later made sense. A few examples are listed below.
Steve McComas: Minnesota fish mysteries solved in 2025! Read More »
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