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Active Threads | Active Posts | Unanswered Today | Since Yesterday | This Week
Property Projects & Construction Jump to new posts
Re: What did you do at your pond today? Boondoggle 3 hours ago
Today was a GREAT day for the pond with the exception of a little cooler weather that rolled through. It started off with a delivery notice that the apple, peach, cherry, nectarine, and plum trees where going to be delivered and ended with planting them and adding in some yellow perch to the pond (Thanks snipe for the fish). We've been so looking forward to those coming in and hope to be good stewards of them as the years progress.
4,552 3,218,861 Read More
Creating habitat Jump to new posts
Re: Horizontal vs Vertical (big bass)? FishinRod 6 hours ago
I have no clue which is optimal?

When the bass are biting, I have thrown behind standing timber and caught a nice fish. Farther up the shore, thrown to a washed up tree (horizontal), and caught a nice fish. Then dragged a lure past a deadhead (branches on the bottom, trunk up at the surface on an angle) and caught a nice fish.

I think LMB are pretty sneak opportunists and will take whatever you will give them. However, I have never fished intensively managed ponds with lots of planned structure such that you could run an actual "experiment". So I am definitely a rank amateur.

Hopefully, this turns into an enlightening thread! If there is a "best" way to do this work, might as well try to get as close as we can to the standard.
1 28 Read More
Soil questions Jump to new posts
Re: Watershed or Groundwater Pond? FishinRod 6 hours ago
Excellent news!

I was worried you wouldn't even be able to get the 9-10 feet that you got. Any estimate of surface area?

Should be a fine fishery.

Did you get the sand to the "back" of the property so there is still good space for some cabins overlooking the pond?

I think all of the future projects on the property will be more enjoyable than digging out your slightly risky pond. Have fun!
13 2,801 Read More
Help Jump to new posts
Re: Pond needs help! Falcons_King Yesterday at 11:31 PM
Originally Posted by rjackson
I'm in Newnan as well. I don't know about the "new" bass you put in, but to sample the originals in that color water, you need to throw a black/blue chatterbait with matching z-craw jr. trailer. It's been producing well in this area since everything around here muddied up a few months ago from all the rain.
Small world! I will do just that and give it a try ive thrown everything but the kitchen sink at them so one more wont hurt lol
12 231 Read More
Questions & Observations Jump to new posts
Re: A modest proposal anthropic Yesterday at 11:29 PM
Originally Posted by ewest
A good start - if the owner and wife are on board and you want the work ,would be reduce LMB #s and add adult BG and feed them. Tilapia would be good as they might deepen the pond a bit.

Good idea! Hyacinths would still be an ongoing problem, of course, but the expense necessary to scoop them off the entire lake bottom would be dredgeful. whistle
20 795 Read More
Evaluating and adjusting fish populations Jump to new posts
Re: Hybrid Striper Stocking Frequency esshup Yesterday at 10:26 PM
I have a customer that feeds his fish whenever there isn't ice on the pond and they will eat the floating feed. He doesn't feed a lot when it's cold, just about 1/2 coffee can in a 4 acre pond. It could be the Yellow Perch that are eating most of the feed too, he's not sure.
16 2,758 Read More
Questions & Observations Jump to new posts
Re: Rust in Small Engine Gas Tank esshup Yesterday at 10:17 PM
Look up frog lube.

Al, I'm going to look for the Rend Armor oil you mentioned. I was using a synthetic 2-stroke oil but I only have enough left to treat 2 gallons. The local marina said no matter what gas I buy, to treat it with an ethanol stabilizer because they've seen too many cases of "non-ethanol" gas have traces of ethanol in it.
10 177 Read More
Controlling unwanted plants Jump to new posts
Re: Bladderwort problem ewest Yesterday at 07:49 PM
4 160 Read More
Evaluating and adjusting fish populations Jump to new posts
Re: Managing black crappie Sunil Yesterday at 05:47 PM
MnAngler, I could be wrong on this, but if you check with the State of Minnesota and are good with them, I don't you'll need to check with any local or city 'authorities.'
75 3,740 Read More
Evaluating and adjusting fish populations Jump to new posts
Re: Reducing fish biomass Snipe Yesterday at 03:08 AM
I think it has a LOT to do with how the fish is handled after the catch.. Iced water in livewell? Fish on a stringer setting in shallow warmer water maybe.
I pour a bag of ice into cooler with fish on way home, meat stays firm.
23 651 Read More
Questions & Observations Jump to new posts
Re: Water hyacinth woes: Dredging? esshup 03/17/24 10:52 PM
The seeds go ALL OVER the pond.

But depending on the size and depth of the pond, they will only germinate if they can get enough sunlight. Determine what depth the sunlight will penetrate (Secchi disk), add 3 more or 4 more feet to that measurement and forget about anything deeper.
1 71 Read More
Questions & Observations Jump to new posts
Re: I'M NEW SO BEAR WITH ME FishinRod 03/17/24 09:12 PM
I suspected that was your situation.

Read up on some artificial cover threads. If you see some ideas that might work on some of the ponds that have limited access, then I would talk to the owner about your ideas. Many people would welcome your "improvements", especially if you could demonstrate that you did your homework first!

P.S. I also grew up fishing in small ponds and creeks with my father and brother where we were given permission by the landowner. My father realized what an important privilege that was, so he always offered to help out on any tasks that needed extra hands at the farm. I remember lots of projects like holding a long cattle gate against the wind while the farmer welded the needed repairs. Another time I filled a milk carton with baling wire from a stretch of grass that the farmer wanted to re-work. I could barely carry the load when I got back to the barn. The farmer was shocked. He said he had been through there a half-dozen times and wished he had my eyesight! In hindsight, I don't know if that was the truth, or if he was just thanking a little "city kid" for doing some actual work.

I agree with you about the privilege of being allowed onto property that someone else owns. It is certainly a blessing!
9 272 Read More
Questions & Observations Jump to new posts
Re: No liner seasonal wildlife pond, topping up FishinRod 03/17/24 04:49 PM
Awesome.

Yes, you can definitely control your pond water level! If it is just black polypipe you can make a tee and connections using the barb fittings for that size of line. (You wouldn't think they would work if you are used to "normal" plumbing jobs, but they work just fine for unpressurized lines.)

Float valve installations are one option. Maybe search "float valve for cattle tank" for simple, inexpensive options.

If you don't like that option, then you might try a "timer" valve to introduce some water every day. (If the water level is getting too low, then just increase the run time for a few days.) I have that type of valve on some tanks that I have set up to control drip irrigation on some new tree plantings. The valves I have (discontinued) run for several months on a 9V battery. I just set them up to run X minutes every 24 hours.

If you choose that option, make sure you get the valve for low pressure applications. The ones that run off of your pressurized household lines do NOT work well with only a few feet of head like from a rain barrel.
7 255 Read More
Questions & Observations Jump to new posts
Re: Waterfalls and wildlife FishinRod 03/17/24 04:01 PM
I don't believe a gentle waterfall would disturb any wildlife. (Except perhaps if they had been coming to the pond and discover a new waterfall on their next visit. I think they would be over that surprise very quickly.)

Will you have 120V electric power at your wildlife pond? (Or the European equivalent.)

If so, there are numerous little submersible pumps available that can move water for your your waterfall.

If you don't have an electrical supply, there are also solar powered pumps for that application. Some are very inexpensive and only have enough solar panel area to run the waterfall a few hours during peak sunlight. (Which may be just fine.)

Or you can design a larger solar system, battery augmentation, etc. and create a very complex and beautiful water flow.
5 154 Read More
Creating the food chain Jump to new posts
Re: New pond middle TN: establishing food chain? FishinRod 03/17/24 03:42 PM
Just adding a note on eutrophication from one of my ponds.

We had a hundred year old groundwater pond at our farm that had been slowly filling with sediment and leaves. The 2-year drought in our area had dropped the groundwater level in the area BELOW the bottom of the pond. The pond essentially looked like a marsh with zero standing water, but heavy plant cover in the damp mud.

I dug the pond about 8' deeper this fall and got the bottom back below the groundwater level. The pond then re-filled with beautiful, clear groundwater for our wildlife to utilize this winter.

I went by the pond on March 5th to see how it was doing. Still had beautiful clear water, but it was a fairyland of filamentous algae! There was lots of algae that had started on the bottom and had even established a few floating mats, with tendrils of algae connecting the two.

When I dug out the pond with the excavator, I certainly went deep enough to remove all of the rooted plants. I don't know where the initial algae starter cells came from, but the FA is essentially the only thing in the pond that is currently utilizing all of the accumulated nutrients. The pond is partially shaded, and we haven't yet had that many warm days, but the FA has already kicked into high gear!

(I just added this off topic note, because the pond was kind of an unusual "experiment" compared to the more typical ponds on the forum.)
77 4,388 Read More
Property Projects & Construction Jump to new posts
Re: Chestnut other trees for wildlife FishinRod 03/17/24 02:50 PM
Originally Posted by Rangersedge
Dug up the four buckets of seeds. Ugh! That was work! Even more when you start in the wrong spot! ;-)

Oh no, the Curse of Oak Island has reached YOUR property. grin

Good luck on your tree projects this year. My tube trees always seem to leaf out later than the existing trees on our farm. Of course, they are different species.

Our native sand plums already have tiny blossoms that are about to open. The pear trees that are in tubes and sticking out of the tops, do not yet even have buds swelling at all.

My oaks in tubes will leaf out very late.
100 19,397 Read More
Questions & Observations Jump to new posts
Re: Bumps on Crawdad? Snipe 03/15/24 04:13 PM
Originally Posted by catscratch
Originally Posted by Snipe
Thats part of their sensory organs.

Oh, cool! What sort of sense? I know lots of organisms have sensory we don't such as lateral lines and ampullae of Lorenzini. Now I'm wondering about what crawdads can do!
I think mostly smell but they have features built in for vibration also.
6 295 Read More
Water chemistry Jump to new posts
Re: Water Test Report - Adjusting PH? Boondoggle 03/15/24 03:03 PM
Had a couple of comments on this about testing the watershed soils. Thought I would follow up. Our testing is in the area that we are planning to plant a mini orchard of fruit trees. Anything we do here will likely impact pond water as this is one of the watersheds to the pond.

Sulfur will have a direct impact on PH. Likely use elemental sulfur pellets as it's a slower process. Likely won't have any impact until the soil warms a little as the microbes in the soil have to break it down. If memory serves the microbes aren't really active in cooler temps.


Anything to be concerned with on the Zinc?
11 974 Read More
Building a dam Jump to new posts
Re: Pond w RPE Liner -Safety concerns esshup 03/15/24 02:21 PM
Usual installation (unless it's a temp installation) is to cover the liner with 12" of soil. Use a tracked vehicle, cover liner as the dirt is placed with the equipment. You cannot have equipment to liner contact or you will be patching the liner. That lengthens the life of the liner by protecting it from UV radiation and also allows for plant growth and ease in getting in/out of the pond.

Anything you put on the liner to help get critters or people out of there has a chance of puncturing the liner unless it's smooth. Chain link, etc. all can puncture the liner at the edges of the chain link.
5 313 Read More
Types of fish to choose Jump to new posts
Re: New 2 acre pond stocking plan esshup 03/15/24 02:09 AM
Just to drive that point home, I called a hatchery in Arkansas today for 2.5"-3.5" RES. They are already sold out and all that is left is 1":-2.25" They won't have any 2.5"-3.5" until July at the earliest.
19 736 Read More
Questions & Observations Jump to new posts
Re: Managing a grow-out pond Bill Cody 03/14/24 03:23 PM
I would definitely talk to the SP grower that you've found and get his thoughts on the best forage foods for growing the SP. He has success doing this. Ask if he knows anything about getting them to eat high protein fish pellets. Please keep us updated on your pond progress for growing some quality fish.
11 563 Read More
Pond Boss Jump to new posts
Re: Happy Birthday Chuck Theo Gallus 03/14/24 03:10 PM
Chuck Norris gargles chunky peanut butter.

(Cue Chuck Norris jokes)
3 117 Read More
Pond Boss Jump to new posts
Re: Happy Birthday Bing Dave Davidson1 03/14/24 02:29 PM
Happy birthday Fred
4 161 Read More
Building a dam Jump to new posts
Re: Dam help please! Blow out.... Tinylake 03/13/24 06:11 PM
Originally Posted by esshup
Dang, I'm sorry to hear that. I would make the top of the dam 12'-15' wide. Over time it will erode a bit and shrink in width. 10' wide could be 8' wide in a few years. You don't want to drop a wheel off an 8' wide dam. Dig a keyway in down to good soil and compact, compact, compact as you build up the keyway That's another reason for the width of the dam, it will allow equipment to pack the keyway.

No membrane needed. Extend the overflow pipe past the toe of the dam. OR make the outflow area concrete thick enough that it won't be impacted by freeze/thaw cycles. Use rebar AND fiber reinforced concrete - rebar for big cracks, fiber for small cracks. You don't want a crack opening up enough that water can get through it and start undermining the concrete.

Download this and read it. It has a ton of good information in it on building a dam. The clay for the dam can't be too wet or too dry for proper compaction.



https:// nrcspad.sc.egov.usda.gov/distributioncenter/product.aspx?ProductID=115

I put 2 spaces between // and nrcspad. Copy/paste that in your browser and remove the 2 spaces and it should take you to the correct web page.

Ok noted about the keyway. Il try to build as wide as I can, not sure how much material I can get!

The outflow will be well protected.

Many thanks for the book Ill dig into it right now!
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Evaluating and adjusting fish populations Jump to new posts
Re: Yellow Perch Spawn 2024 esshup 03/13/24 03:18 PM
I monitored fish in a customers pond yesterday in Rolling Prairie, IN and about 20% of the YP sampled had spawned already.
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Recent Posts
What did you do at your pond today?
by Boondoggle - 03/19/24 12:13 AM
Horizontal vs Vertical (big bass)?
by FishinRod - 03/18/24 09:41 PM
Watershed or Groundwater Pond?
by FishinRod - 03/18/24 09:30 PM
Pond needs help!
by Falcons_King - 03/18/24 06:31 PM
A modest proposal
by anthropic - 03/18/24 06:29 PM
Hybrid Striper Stocking Frequency
by esshup - 03/18/24 05:26 PM
Rust in Small Engine Gas Tank
by esshup - 03/18/24 05:17 PM
Bladderwort problem
by ewest - 03/18/24 02:49 PM
Managing black crappie
by Sunil - 03/18/24 12:47 PM
Reducing fish biomass
by Snipe - 03/17/24 10:08 PM
Water hyacinth woes: Dredging?
by esshup - 03/17/24 05:52 PM
I'M NEW SO BEAR WITH ME
by FishinRod - 03/17/24 04:12 PM
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Minnow identification
Minnow identification
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Nice BGxRES
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