Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Evaluating and adjusting fish populations do koi stir up the bottom?

Last summer the neighbor who shares (about 50-50) the shoreline of our 2-acre pond put in 5 or 6 "koi" that he bought cheaply somewhere. In last summer's drought, when the water level was extremely low, we saw them break the surface occasionally. This spring we have plenty of water, but it looks muddy--and I saw 2 of these big fish--ugly, about 15" each--swimming in the shallow end.

Our pond is clay-bottomed, built 30 years or more ago by damming up a ravine. At its deepest now, it's probably only 10 feet or so, having silted up from muskrat action and the city storm sewers that have emptied into it since the development was done 25 years ago. We have an algae problem from lawn chemicals, but the water is usually clear. We have lots of migrant birds and usually duck and/or goose nests. The pond hasn't been stocked in more than 20 years, and I haven't seen minnows for almost that long.

So--the koi: Are they the mud-makers? How best to catch them? Thanks!

I am not an expert but in my opinion there is no way that 6 koi could muddy a 2 acer pond. How many ducks/geese have you seen swimming in the pond at one time?

Koi can stirr up the bottom. they also break up to F. Algae so thats a positive.

I tend to agree 5 koi in a pond that size shuold not stir it up too badly. I have about 20 in my half acre pond and it is definally noticable.

I do not think 5 koi would muddy up a 2 acre pond. Now if those koi start reproducing and there aren't LMB or another high end predator to prey on the young, then you could have issues in the future.

Koi are the same speices as common carp, just selectively bred over many generations to have unusual coloration and form. Fish for the the same way you would carp. Consider baiting an area with whole sweet corn kernels, perhaps a half handful for a day or two and then try fishing the bottom with light line no weight and a size 8 hook with 3 or 4 kernels covering it.

CJ provides good advice. Here are a couple links about sweetcorn for carp and special angling rigs for catching carp. 'Brits' have refined carp fishing into a science. Note carp prefer Jolly Green Giant Sweetcorn.
http://www.aboutcarp.co.uk/sweetcorn_carp_baits.html

http://www.gocarping.com/Homemade-Carp-Fishing-Bait-Recipes-Improving-Sweetcorn-For-Big-Fish.php

http://www.gofishing.co.uk/Angling-Times...-fishing-baits/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=is6dDukr5RE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxc5jxAWS1I

Thanks, all. Guess I'll wait until our spring rains are pretty much over before I tackle koi removal, just in case they aren't the mudders. I don't think the problem is the ducks or geese--we have just one pair of geese and probably a pair of mallards.

But these koi have none of the beautiful patterning for which koi are bred. These are muddy-white, submarine-shaped, and not pretty at all.

How do koi taste?

Thanks again.

They taste like common carp. Read up on them...