Hundreds of dead fish found floating in Gilbert lake

GILBERT, Ariz. - Hundreds of fish found dead floating along a Gilbert pond. After viewers sent us photos, we went to check it out at Morrison Ranch Lake.

Many people who like to walk or bike here, or even fish, arrived to see hundreds of floating fish pile up on this pond.

"And I thought, 'Oh, I'll ride around the lake' because I always see kids fishing and people riding around here and I said, 'What in the world,'" said Kim Hurlock, who frequently rides her back around the lake.

Hurlock thought she saw trash in the water but after taking a closer look, she smelled reality. Fish of all sizes -- dead, floating against each other at Morrison Ranch Lake in Gilbert.

"It's a little gross," said Sam Cuesta, who went fishing at the like. "I'm a little leery of putting my hands anywhere near the water right now just because, maybe, there's bacteria with the fish growing."

Cuesta came to the lake to do some fishing like he does every week. Searching for bass in 111°, he's making do with the stench. He hopes the dead zone gets cleaned up soon.

"I've never seen anything like this," Hurlock said.

So, why are so many fish dead?

"I think somebody said the filter pump went out," Hurlock said.

"In my opinion, [it's] a lot of the excessive heat," Cuesta said. Especially with the tilapia and carp I've seen die off before."

Others we spoke to say the same thing -- it's strange and they haven't seen this many dead fish in the pond. We've reached out to the city, but haven't heard back.