Can you identify this grass? 2024

burleytog reply :

My home lake is usually pretty barren of vegetation due to an overpopulation of grass carp (water supply lake, guess they want no weeds). But today I found more grass than I've ever seen in three years of fishing the place. Tons and tons of this stuff.

I'm no biologist and I didn't stay in a Holiday Inn Express last night. Unless it's bermuda, bent or fescue, I'm lost when it comes to grass.

And yes, I do know how to use Google...

Pitchinkid reply :

lol not the kind of grass im familar with.

Muddy reply :

Hey BL we have this site saved, it gives pics of a lot of invasive weeds. If you never have seen it before it may be here. Has pics and a lot of plants

http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wq/plants/weeds/

Paul Roberts reply :

Looks like Chara. It's a macro-algae. Also called skunk grass (smells skunky) or sand grass (gritty texture). Often the deepest "vegetation" in a lake. Can carpet the bottom. Might reach as much as 3 feet high in places. Crayfish love it. Often tough to fish through later in the season, and hooked bass can burrow into it. Despite the clear waters that tend to support it's growth I end up going up to 10# when I'd rather be fishing 6#.

J Francho reply :

Cabomba?

burleytog reply :

The stuff doesn't have any odor.

Found most of it today in places that were dry last year. 8-12 FOW.

RoLo reply :

I don't know what weed that is, but if it produces little yellow flowers,

it may be "bladderwort" (which is actually a carnivore).

As Paul suggested, it may also be chara (muskgrass).

Is it growing on top or on bottom?

Roger

burleytog reply :

Quote
Looks like Chara.

http://www.ppws.vt.edu/scott/weed_id/chara.htm

Looks similar, but different. :-?

I wish I could have gotten a better photo. I drug a big clump of it into the boat and decided to take a photo. Left the camera out of the case after snapping a photo and the lens got fogged up.

Big Mike in Fl reply :

umm, its hard to tell by the pic, but it maybe hydrilla...it may not be, I usually jsut see it matted up, but it sorta looks like it could be.

RoLo reply :

If you're collecting it off the bottom, it's probably "Muskgrass" (Chara) or "Stonewort" (Nitella),

which are high forms of algae. If it's growing near the surface, it's probably bladderwort, a carnivorous plant.

Roger

burleytog reply :

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umm, its hard to tell by the pic, but it maybe hydrilla...it may not be, I usually jsut see it matted up, but it sorta looks like it could be.

Definitely not hydrilla. I was thinking milfoil, but chara seems to be the likeliest answer.

skunked_again reply :

dont laugh but does it smell......................skunky?

we have a ton of that here and my fingers alway smell like that stuff for a day or two from picking it off my crank baits.

Paul Roberts reply :

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Looks like Chara.

http://www.ppws.vt.edu/scott/weed_id/chara.htm

Looks similar, but different. :-?

I wish I could have gotten a better photo. I drug a big clump of it into the boat and decided to take a photo. Left the camera out of the case after snapping a photo and the lens got fogged up.

One sure way to tell: The next clump you pull up give it a sniff. And rub between your fingers: Chara is gritty. You'll know right away.

RoLo reply :

Then of course there's "southern naiad" (Najas guadalupensis)

http://www.wildflower.org/image_archive/320x240/JAM6151/6151_IMG04027.JPG

Roger

bigfish88 reply :

Quote

Quote
umm, its hard to tell by the pic, but it maybe hydrilla...it may not be, I usually jsut see it matted up, but it sorta looks like it could be.

Definitely not hydrilla. I was thinking milfoil, but chara seems to be the likeliest answer.

true, def not hydrilla..

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_aP2GN0yCuO8/SXCp1lFMEyI/AAAAAAAABzw/OJdDzcqP5S8/s400/hydrilla01.jpg

Paul Roberts reply :

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The stuff doesn't have any odor.

Chara can be really strong or very weak in odor. You may have to crush it some.

RoLo reply :

Chara and Nitella are very easily confused, even among "professionals"

Muskgrass(chara) Stonewort (nitella)

Straight Filaments Y-Forked Filaments

Crushed branchlets emit garlic-like odor Usually lacks a distinct odor

Feels gritty due to calcium carbonate Usually feels smooth to the touch

Roger

Paul Roberts reply :

I think Roger's got it: Nitella. I don't have that here -just Chara -unless I've overlooked it.

Randall reply :

We fish that stuff where there are grass carp. Evidently grass carp will not touch it. I have had guys call it chara when we pulled some up so thats what I assumed it may be but never took the time to identify it. We just call it the stinky stuff. ;D

etommy28 reply :

we have the same stuff in lake kingsley on camp blanding in florida, but it grows as deep as 20'.... or at least it looks the same.

Bassin_Fin@tic reply :

Pretty much looks like milfoil to me except the stalks aren't as viney...

Catt reply :

Absolutely not Hydrilla or Milfoil

It appears to be Chara, muskgrass or skunkweed

Chara is a gray-green branched multicellular algae that is often confused with submerged flowering plants. However, Chara has no flower, will not extend above the water surface, and often has a "grainy" or "crunchy" texture. Chara has cylindrical, whorled branches with 6 to 16 branchlets around each node.

fishfordollars reply :

Looks like Chara to me. I looked it up on another site and the picture is pretty close.

Big Mike in Fl reply :

Quote

Quote

Quote
umm, its hard to tell by the pic, but it maybe hydrilla...it may not be, I usually jsut see it matted up, but it sorta looks like it could be.

Definitely not hydrilla. I was thinking milfoil, but chara seems to be the likeliest answer.

true, def not hydrilla..

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_aP2GN0yCuO8/SXCp1lFMEyI/AAAAAAAABzw/OJdDzcqP5S8/s400/hydrilla01.jpg

you're right, I stand corrected, and I sohuld know hydrilla because we have a ton of it down here on the lakes I fish, but I think we also have some of that stuff, and it gets mixed in and I get it confused. eh, oh well...I just call it all grass and don't worry about it

CJ reply :

Looks like swag to me...definitely not skunkweed! : ;D

bigtimfish reply :

How about pepper grass?

bigtimfish reply :

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Looks like swag to me...definitely not skunkweed! : ;D

maybe its hydroponic???? ;D ;D

CWB reply :

Have you tried drying some out, lighting it and seeing what it smells like?

Long Mike reply :

Without a doubt, Maui Wowie.

Muddy reply :

I FOUND IT::::::

This is I WISH THIS %^&@!*ING STUFF WOULD STOP FOULING MY CRANKS WEEDS ;D

RoLo reply :

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I FOUND IT::::::
This is I WISH THIS %^&@!*ING STUFF WOULD STOP FOULING MY CRANKS WEEDS ;D

I heard that.

I've got this Helicopter Lure that keeps loading-up with BC Bud >

burleytog reply :

Got back into this stuff today, didn't have any skunky smell.

Dalton Tam reply :

Definatley what we call "COONTAIL" grass down here in Louisiana. I googled it just to make sure I was right and it looks just like it. I think I got this one right.

Dalton Tam reply :

I think the more proper name of it is Ceratophyllum demersum. Google it and let me know what you think.

burleytog reply :

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Definatley what we call "COONTAIL" grass down here in Louisiana. I googled it just to make sure I was right and it looks just like it. I think I got this one right.

I know coontail quite well > and it isn't coontail.

RoLo reply :

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Got back into this stuff today, didn't have any skunky smell.

Burley, I'm pretty sure you're dealing with "Stonewort", the common name for Nitella.

Though it resembles Chara (muskgrass), Nitella has Y-forked filaments as in your photograph,

and is not musky smelling. Chara on the other hand, has mostly straight filaments and a garlic-like odor.

Roger

Catt reply :

I can guarantee it aint Hydrilla, Milfoil, or Coontail Moss

Paul Roberts reply :

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Burley Shackleford wrote on Yesterday at 10:34pm:
Got back into this stuff today, didn't have any skunky smell.

Burley, I'm pretty sure you're dealing with "Stonewort", the common name for Nitella.

Though it resembles Chara (muskgrass), Nitella has Y-forked filaments as in your photograph,

and is not musky smelling. Chara on the other hand, has mostly straight filaments and a garlic-like odor.

Roger

Roger is correct.

I went out and found some too. I've been mistaking Nitella for Chara, in places -I do have both. The Chara I have is the deepest "weed" I've got. The Nitella I've found was shallow -carpeting the shelf out to the where the milfoil wall starts.

I took a couple pics:

This species is different from Burley's, but there are many. The granules you can see on this one are spores. Burley's isn't producing spores at this time it seems.

Here's a site with images showing many species -from the UK but showing the diversity of form.

http://www.darwincountry.org/explore/001750.html

RoLo reply :

Quote

Quote
Burley Shackleford wrote on Yesterday at 10:34pm:
Got back into this stuff today, didn't have any skunky smell.

Burley, I'm pretty sure you're dealing with "Stonewort", the common name for Nitella.

Though it resembles Chara (muskgrass), Nitella has Y-forked filaments as in your photograph,

and is not musky smelling. Chara on the other hand, has mostly straight filaments and a garlic-like odor.

Roger

Roger is correct.

I went out and found some too. I've been mistaking Nitella for Chara, in places -I do have both. The Chara I have is the deepest "weed" I've got. The Nitella I've found was shallow -carpeting the shelf out to the where the milfoil wall starts.

I took a couple pics:

This species is different from Burley's, but there are many. The granules you can see on this one are spores. Burley's isn't producing spores at this time it seems.

Here's a site with images showing many species -from the UK but showing the diversity of form.

http://www.darwincountry.org/explore/001750.html

WOW!

Excellent field work Paul!

Roger

CWB reply :

Send some pix to your local DNR. They should be able to help or at least steer you to someone that could.

Paul Roberts reply :

OK...bringing this thread back up.

FYI:

Here's a pic of Chara, the other related macro-algae that is common in the north.

It is the one with the "skunky" odor, and is gritty when crushed. It does well in fairly deep water and coats the bottom of my clearer ponds, reaching up about 2 to 3 feet high from bottom.

Nitella, described above seems to be much shallower. (Thanks, Roger!)

Here's a sonar screen shot showing this deeper Chara "carpet" in one of my ponds.

Marshfisher reply :

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Hey BL we have this site saved, it gives pics of a lot of invasive weeds. If you never have seen it before it may be here. Has pics and a lot of plants
http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wq/plants/weeds/

Nice find link. Thanks

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Can you identify this grass? 2024

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