Dead fish wash up at Rock Creek Marina

By Danica Baker
Herald Staff Writer

March 09, 2006 12:26 pm

— CAMANCHE — Hundreds of fish carcasses were found floating in the backwater at Rock Creek Marina and Campground on Wednesday.
Department of Natural Resources Biologist Kirk Hansen, in a telephone and e-mail interview with the Clinton Herald early today, said the sight is very common when the ice thaws in the spring. He said fish that die naturally during the winter float to the surface, but are hidden by the ice. When the ice melts, the fish carcasses collect near the shoreline.
“Gizzard shad are not very tolerant to cold temperatures,” Hansen explained. “Iowa is at the northern edge of the shad’s range so we typically see these natural shad-only winter kills every year up and down the river.
“Channel catfish will gorge themselves on these dead shad and can lead to some excellent angling opportunities,” he continued. “Winter-kill shad are also an important food source for eagles and other wildlife.”