Please could anyone share their thoughts on this...

My focus is on a stunning lowland lake in Ireland...approx 5 acres, very shallow (approx 4-6 ft), 95% surrounded by reeds & lillies, silty bottom, crystal clear water all year round regardless of weather conditions.

I have fished this lake quite a few times over the years & the biggest Pike I ever caught was 10lbs and the rest well under. They were never apparently abundant but you got a few. However they were, and still are unusual in that they are remarkable in appearance...just so pristine & vividly marked.

However, in the past 5 years I have yet to get a single fish out of it over 1lb. I first ventured out in the float tube approx 4 years ago & discovered that approx an entire half the lake is thick with dense browny/green weed right up to the surface.

Now, the lake has resident swans which have always spent their time head down out there, so I assume there has always been a degree of weed holding food for them. And over the last few years the weed has not spread out. It just seems really well established in half of the lake. You can easily lift armfuls of the stuff out of the water.

I have also noticed that a fly cast over the weedy half results in eruptions from tiny Pike of 1lb but yet I have trawled the lake many times without a single sign of bigger fish. And the less weedy half of the lake fails to reward any efforts in the likely spots...weedbeds, rushes, lilies etc.

There is only 1 swim which is towards the clear end (the weedy half is beyond reach of the swim) the lake is tucked away'ish' & I cannot rule out foreign visitors, yet there is only minimal signs of visitors & over the years I have met few anglers compared to other lakes in the area.

I have also heard the same stories from various persons regarding the lake having had big pike released into it from a nearby lake...but I would guess I have fished this lake more thoroughly than anyone else in recent years & I have never touched any big pike it just seems so unusual.

There has also never been any apparent surface activity from Pike or smaller fish at any time of year.

This is really bugging me...ithe lake in question is probably my favourite for sheer beauty & the unusually clear water all year round (All other lakes in area are constantly like pea soup.

Why would such a stunning lake not show up a healthier stock, despite all other wildlife thriving amongst it?

Why so clear with such stunning little pike?

The weed...is this unusual?

Any genuine thoughts invited as this has really captured my full attention lately.

I think the lake is suffering from an invasive species, Easteranious Europinious....well known for reducing the stock levels of all lakes it infects.

When the big mamma pike are removed you will get an explosion of tiny jacks. Would it be possible to reintroduce a few doubles to thin out the wee stuff?
Not sure what the story is with the weed
Are there any other species in the lake?

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Im pretty sure there are only Perch & Eels...someone mentioned there are roach but I doubt it as I've never seen any surface activity despite regular fishing. The lake is so shallow I'm certain you would see something at some stage.

I'm not sure about the potential for transporting any Pike...The populations have declined in the area due to poor fishing methods & Eastern Europeans. I dont really want to risk damaging a nice sized Pike.

Its such a pity...its a remarkably beautiful lake...belongs on a postcard somewhere.

---------- Post added at 03:01 AM ---------- Previous post was at 03:00 AM ----------

Is there any way to reduce or remove this weed? It is not my lake but I would be happy to put my efforts into restoring it.

Since the recession this particular invasive species seems to be going home, at least numbers in my area are down. Expect stocks to recover to pre Tiger boom levels soon

That was my first thought....sad but true!

Has the lake got a inflow. If so has it been reduced by abstraction or the such like. Or has the near by ground been fertilized ect adding nutrients to the water. Shallow lakes suffer without weed growth especially with clear water and lots of sun like we had early in the year.

You could take drastic measures and kill every pike you catch under a couple of pounds. Put the bigger ones back until a better balance has been reached.

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It is in truth not glory,nor riches, nor honours that we are fighting,but for freedom - for that alone, which no honest man gives up but with his life.(Declaration of Arbroath, 1320)

As maharg said if there are no large pike around there will be a population explosion of starving jack pike.
I have heard of a lot of pike guys in similar situations cutting up the small jacks and throwing them back in to feed the others, eventualy some larger females will appear and prosper.

Why not try match fishing the loch to determine what other food source is in it, i.e roach etc.

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well thought I mite aswell join the armchair fishery managers and put my eggs in ...

First off the most usuall cause of a problem with a fishery is man's meddling and thoughtless destruction....

From what has been described in the first post it sound like the natural balance of the lake has been upset.

This could be caused by natural means, ie varoius pollutants causing poor fry survival rates etc which could mean less food for the missing pike, however the large weedbed and shallow water should provide ideal conditions for fry sancturary and food...

Assuming the larger pike have not been killed by angling related issues then the apparent vanishing of bigger pike coupled with numbers of jacks would suggest that the larger pike have been lost, either by old age, or they have been eaten!!.....If you could wait until pike start to spawn and as the lake is clear you should be able to find the males and females congregated around the spawning areas and this will enable a good chance of seeing the majority of the size and number of pike present..........especially if the lake is clear shallow and you are able to go afloat.....

Large numbers of jacks are a result of lack of predation from larger pike, if the large pike are removed or are lost the jacks will mutiply but if left alone they will control their own numbers and the balance will be restored....

Its a shame the fishery is in poor form but the best thing to do is let the pike sort themselves out, you could also introduce some silver fish as a food source to give the remaining pike the best chance of survival whilst they sort out the pecking order....Of course it goes without saying that if fish thieving/ sorry eating people are still about in numbers then I wouldnt bother doing anything.