Dead fish raising a stink near Hastings

HASTINGS, Neb. -- Dead fish are raising a stink in central Nebraska.

Hastings residents were seen cleaning up Lake Hastings themselves after dead fish started to float to the surface on Tuesday, but local park and recreation officials eventually took over the potent task.

Nearby residents on the lake say they started to smell the fish early Tuesday afternoon. For a few hours, workers spent time scooping up the dead fish.

City officials say most of the fish were shad, which are typically used as bait fish. They travel in the hundreds, and when water gets low, they freeze on top of the water and start to smell over time. 

Workers picked up as many as they could along the shoreline and say they will be using them as fertilizer.