Greetings, Pond Boss faithful!
Texoma Hatchery is sponsoring a free field day at Lusk Lodge, 2 October 22.
We'd love to host you!
Here's the plan...start at 9 and go to 3. Grilling hot dogs for lunch on the pond bank. Bring the kids!
We'll be talking about the Texas drought and what to do with your pond, we'll seine one of the ponds here at LL,2. You'll learn about handling fish, aeration, electrofishing demonstration...a wide variety of fun stuff you need to know about how to manage your pond (if it ever rains here again).
I'll be there for the early part of the field day. Chad Fikes, Josh Flowers and Walter Bassano will host the entire thing.
Post here and let us know, but register at www.texomahatchery.com
Heck, it will be worth the trip just to see what the Queen did with the house.

Great opportunity for you Texans!

Bob, I checked out the Texoma Hatchery web site - it looks fantastic, very well done!

Bob, what a bummer - bad timing for our annual family reunion!
Got kinfolks coming from all directions!!!
Next time for sure.
George

If you have a chance to go to this, you should. Once in a lifetime opportunity. You'll never regret it.

George!! Haven't heard from you in a while. How ya doing??

Thanks Scott, been hiding out praying for rain - got some big plans in the makin' tho ...
Stand by....

It'd better be a hell of a rain dance!

West Texas may get some rain this weekend. DFW area maybe on the fringe. 40% chance for NE Texas. We are at 11 inches for the year.

Sniper, this is the most excited we have been about rain in a long time. Althougth the amounts keep going down .....

I just booked my flight ~ I'll be there for the field day with Shannon, my pond meister daughter! Come on everyone ~ if you are in the area, come on by!! It will be fun and informative!

How did you do? Rainwise. I see the Sooners did well.

We had 2 inches as of about 3 pm and it was still raining. It was a nice soaking rain with very little run off. Ended up with about 2.5 inches. Little to no runoff.

Bob, I will be there, and I will try to bring out some of the family! Just one request, no snakes please!

Wish I could make it. Prior commitment.

where in texas is it, Im in LA but could possibly make it. hate to miss an chance to meet Mr. Lusk himself.

Sadler, Tx, about an hour and a half north of Dallas. Hope to see you there. (I'm coming from Florida)

Bob and all,
I would like to be among the first to thank you guys for hosting todays field day. I had a blast. The weather was great, although I would have been very happy to be out on the ponds in the rain!
While I realize I did not have a long way to travel (only from Shenzen, China), I for one think the trip was worth it!
I really had my eyes opened to all the real science involved and all the benefits one could reap if one plans properly and collects their data.
I look forward to seeing the pictures on this site!

Please let me know if you plan round 3, as I will do my best to be there again.

I'm shocked that Sue's facebook page is not yet chock full of pictures.

Sunil, she may be in jail, I think she had a discussion with a Texas Ranger yesterday, and I don't mean a baseball player.

Probably not a new experience for her.
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.Just kidding! Call it a character builder...

I'll post some photos in the morning. It was a great time!

Sue Cruz explaining the merits of aeration.


Biologist Josh Flowers installing a Vertex aeration system.


Chad Fikes and Josh taking the diffuser out into the middle.


Bubbles!


Chad discussed the merits of wind-driven aeration and then talked about adding habitat in ponds.


Supplemental feeding was a good topic and Josh showed how easy it is to maintain a Texas Hunter feeder.

Overall, the entire meeting was informative, the crowd was enthusiastic and the weather was perfect.
A big thanks to Walter Bassano, Chad Fikes and Josh Flowers who planned the meeting and to everyone who attended. It was really good. Total of 15 people attended, just the right size group.

Definitely looks like a good time. No fish?

So has anybody heard from Sue since she left there?

I'm waiting on some photos from Walter. I didn't take any of the fish, but he took a lot. Will post those when I get them.

Sue's down at the Texas Aquatic Plant Management Society meeting in Bandera, Texas until Thursday, I think.

Hey!! I made it back. Yes, I had a little run in with the law. 83 in a 70... he cut me no slack. I had a fantastic weekend at LL2 with Bob and Debbie as well as the Texoma guys and all those who attended the Field Day. My daughter Shannon really REALLY had a blast. She was totally hands on shocking, seining, fishing and zip-lining! I have some pictures I'll try to post.

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Me & Josh Flowers getting everything ready to fish Bob's catfish pond
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Shannon and THE Pond Boss

Shannon caught a Bluegill

I landed a 2 lb tilapia ~ dinner

Seining during Field Day

Chad talking about one of the LMBs that was seined

Maybe it's the picture more than anything else, but the color on that LMB is unique to what I see around here.

We have that color sometimes. I think its due to the water conditions.

Sun penetration right?

Bob, how old is that Tilapia?

That tilapia was stocked in May at about 1/2 pound, so it can't be much more than a year old. It was tasty. We filleted and grilled it within an hour of catching it.

That's funny, Josh, I had the same thought when I first saw the pic - had no idea what that was but thought it seemed like an awfully funny looking trout or steelhead or something!

I think so but I am no expert. We have seen LMB that look like that. Barely colored and very light. Also, have seen the opposite of the light and a very dark almost black looking LMB. I asked my uncle about it and I believe he said its due to water clarity.