All, I saw my first LMB on a nest this week. He was defending it very well. After watching him for a day or so, I decided to record him with my underwater camera. I had to try it several times because I needed to learn how it is done without bothering him too much. The day after the recording, I saw him with a really fat female! I am hoping for a good spawn this year! I believe I can count seven or eight nesting LMB in the big pond right now!
On a side note, I saw a 10-12 inch LMB on another nest just six or seven feet away from this guys nest. I was fun watching him defend his nest as well!
Bob, the camera is still in tacked and I still have my legs, but the duct tape did get a few battle scares!!
Eric, the full moon was last night. I plan on looking on Monday to see what is out there and again in a week to see what I can find. I'll post more when I find it.
This is really cool, of course my biggest concern was that I don't disturb the nesting process. If anyone see anything I could do better please let me know.
Great video! I have around 8 nesting in my pond as well. Most are tagged (feed trained) but there are a few that aren't. They didn't want to hit a plastic worm dropped in the nest, so I'll try a live nightcrawler tomorrow. I want to remove all the non-feed trained LMB.
I did catch about a 5# RBT on that bass worm. 4/0 hook and all. I tried to keep it away from the trout, but they were too fast.
He really thumps the camera, doesn't he? No wonder why his lips are red!!
Well the Bass was still on his nest. He was alone. He still was giving me the fishy stink eye and fought off the camera! I'll check back next week to see if I can find any of the YOY.
Does anyone know of the top of their head how long LMB eggs need before the young hatch?
Also, I think it was Tilapia on the other nest. I got some video of it as well which I will post after processing later today or tomorrow. The fish had a red tail and vertical stripes running the length of his body. His lips were lightly colored and his mouth was partially opened most of the time.
Well the video of the Tilapia on his nest came out better than I thought, so I am adding a link to it here.
I have found several beds like this, and I have seen more than five Tilapia on them. It is funny to see them on the beds, any time there is a larger intruder, they leave the nest, swim a racetrack, and then return to see if the nest is clear.
Also, in this video, when the Tilapia leaves, I counted over 15 small Bluegill studying the nest and camera.
I am using a Go Pro HD for the underwater video. I tape it to a 1/2 inch diameter ten foot PVC section. The Go Pro is easy to use and is very versatile.
Well I was back on the farm yesterday in the rain with the over case and I did see what looked like several hundred 3/4 inch fish swimming in the brush right next to the LMB's nest. I did not find that LMB there, but there was another LMB in the area. The overcase combined with the rain made it nearly impossible to video any of the action, so I will try again when I get back out to the farm. I am excited to get the little guys on tape, so I am hoping for better weather next week!
On a side note, I caught a 14 and a half inch 1 LB 10 OZ and an 8 and a half inch +4 Oz LMB during the rain!
I also caught several really nice RES and assorted sunfish but no CCs.
Fish trap 2.0 lite is still working very well. I am catching three to four size class of sunfish every time I set it out.
Always want to see pictures! Today I found some bass fry that had hatched and another on the nest just starting the "ritual". I'm a little concerned about all the new bass that are going to be in the pond. I seen a wood duck hen with 8-10 little ones too!
Nice fish. You tagging any of the bass to check growth throughout the year? It would be interesting to see how much the bass grow feeding on the tilapia.
Me either CJ. Only key here is the yellow on the tails. But I will say those Ark CNBG don't look like George's or most of the others I see from the deep south when they are young. I got some recently from Ark and could only id about 20 % as certain CNBG. Checked with the hatchery again and they assured me that only CNBG were in the pond seined. That has happened before and they all turned out to be CNBG. The Ark fish when small have close skinny bands like regular BG.
Below are photos of immature male and female CNBG that I donated to Brian for his forage pond a couple of weeks ago. Brian took these pictures after transport and release into his pond.
I selected these two photos to show the characteristics that I choose for my pure strain of CNBG.
The male has the obvious copper bar on his nose, cream-colored tip tail fin, and 4-5 faint broad vertical bars. Broad vertical bars are also evident on the female. Number of broad vertical bars is a critical marker, as well as cream tips on tail fin.
I am colorblind so color is not a criterion for my ID - colors change due to water and sunlight conditions as well as spawning periods.
Theses fish were caught from our pond with turbid water but the characteristics of pure CNBG are obvious – to me anyway….
Okay, I'm back and I have been back to the farm. I was happy to see the following LMB on one of the nests that was in use last month, and with the full moon coming in a week, I am hopeful to see another spawn!
Spinner, I am tagging our LMB. I have not re-caught any of the tagged LMB yet, but I have only been tagging for a few months.
I have been told that LMB will spawn a few time in a year, ie, they will lay some of the eggs during the first spawn and lay some more the next full moon.
I did get some good video of the LMB on the nest with his "friend." I'll post it tomorrow. Any chance its his girl friend this early before the full moon?
Any thoughts?
Also, I caught this one out by our dam this morning, he was 15 inches and weight 1lb 10 ozs. Yes he got tagged!
Here is the new video. It is of another LMB on the same nest. I am sure it is not the same male ad I tagged the other one and he had a spot that is not on this one. The coolest parts of this new video are of the bluegills that are just inches from his mouth, and every once in a while you can see the female that is swimming with him in frame. She is usually on the right side of the frame and usually a bit further back. There is one or two pictures of her swimming right behind him.
Cj, the sweetgums are being sacrificed for the pond. I still need several feet of water before we reach full pool. Those sweetgums are toast!
I figured they had started to grow before you reached full pool and then got flooded. Good cover in the shallows for your all the new babies in your pond.
I have seen tilapia on the nest in several places and most seem to be putting on some good weight!
I'll try to get some pictures next week. Anyone have an iron clad way of catching Tilapia with a fishing rod? Or should I use a net or trap?
On a side note, I passed the System test today! Step one complete!
Also, I got the solar powered sprinklers up and running this past weekend on the dam to grow more grass! When I get the chance, I am going to add two more zones to spread the water around and get better coverage.
Brian, I stocked tilapia and caught one the other day on a panther martin when the pond got muddy from a heavy rain. I have tried AM600 on a hook with no luck. They are timid, and hard to catch. I read a post about using green peas? Anyone tried this?
About the sprinklers, I used 4 panels totaling 340 watts. I have 2 5GPM 12volt DC pumps, and I use a manifold that has the ability to have three sprinklers running as a time. My timer is 12 volt DC as well.
This past weekend, I added a new intake manifold using inch and a half PVC pipe and at the other end, I used two 3/4 inch barbed hose connecters which connect to the pumps on the intake side. I plan to add two more zones this summer to spread the water around.
Side note: We reworked the topsoil on the backside of the dam and I am trying to grow coastal bermuda.
Hey SB, I checked out you tube and found the videos of the kids catching Tilapia. If I pass tomorrows checkride, I am off to the farm. I'll be upgrading the solar sprinkler system and I will be going after the Tilapia, LMB and Crappie. I am looking forward to a really tasty dinner with my wife!
BTW, I'll try to take better photos of the system and post them here. If my solar powered sprinklers are upgradeable like they should, solar powered aerators for the little pond and the deep end of the large pond are next!!
Sorry for the late reply, Training has been very fast paced!
PV Checkride complete! Now I get a week off to recover! Its off to the farm to upgrade the solar powered sprinklers (with pictures) and then I get to go fishing!!
George and all, Thanks for the support but: It is going to be a little while longer before I am called Captain. Friday was just the PV (procedures validation) Next I work on the MV or maneuvers validation, then LOE or line oriented evaluation (this is the type ride), then IOE (initial operational experience) where I finally get to touch an airplane, them a line check with the FAA watching over my shoulder, then an activation ride with standard looking over my other shoulder, then I am released to the line as a captain. All that should be done some time in mid to late July. So about that train...... its still there.....but I do get a week off for now!!
Other good news; I did get one of the old fish feeders put back together last night with new guts and a new brain and it is going to the farm today along with the parts to update the solar powered sprinkler system on our dam. I am hoping to cover three or four times as much area with these updates. I'll take pics and post as soon as I can.
This sure beats being run over by that train......
Esshup, I was on the 777 and I am now learning the MD-11. I think of the Mad Dog (the MD-11) as a DC-10 with a commodore 64 bolted on. The FMS (flight management system) is 70's technology while the 777's FMS is up to date, so it is a bit of a learning curve to type and then wait to see what it does. We make a game out of it though, just like you would expect pilots to do.....
Besides, the tool box (the 777's nickname because of who is going to its left seat) was getting a little stale.
A further update on the solar powered sprinklers; We got four zones installed yesterday. I'll post pics when I get back to the house where I have a better connection but it looks and works great!
Brian, I'll re-read the thread, but if it isn't in it, could you scribble down what you used to make the system? There's a couple places where I could use something like that!
Esshup, Sure thing, do you want me to PM you with detailed info, I have all the stuff and where I got it from, and how I set it up. I also have pictures. It is all 12 volt DC so it is easier to set up. I have detailed pictures of the the solar, the controllers, the pumps, the updated intake, the DC sprinkler system, the zones, what it all looks like, ect.
Like always, I over did it again!
I'll be home tomorrow as I am going to extend zone one and four for better coverage. When they are done, I'll be on my way and I'll post the pictures.
BTW, my Tilapia are doing great, I have pictures of them eating Aquamax 500!! I do not know if I would call them feed trained, I just think they like it!
Brian, if you don't mind, post it here. There were others that were interested in how you did it.
I think I have the biggest expense covered. I have 6 or 8 large solar panels already, about 18" to 24" by 40" to 48". They are the size that you see on the large message boards that are on the side of the highway. IIRC they are 50 watts each or so.
Alright, I am back where I have my fiber optic connection to the internet!!
This was a very busy couple of days, and I will try to keep this readable.
Things we got done this week out at the farm. 1) we upgraded the solar powered sprinklers to a four zone DC powered system that covers 90% of the dam face. It was a lot of work, but I am very happy with the results.
Here are the pictures:
This it the new intake, it is 1 and a half inch PVC one foot under water about eight feer out from the dam. If the water rises as much as 3 feet, I am still okay, and if it falls as much as five feet I am still okay as well.
The pumps are 12volt DC shurflo and I love them, they have not been treated well but they just keep right on going. In the future, I will be adding an enclosure with a fan for the pumps. The intake is anchored and supported with very high class floats.
Here are the solar panels I am using for this project. They are 85watt panels and I have them connected for high amp. I get something close to 20 amps in full sun. I use a simple 20 amp solar controller to keep the cost down while I am proving the concept. I am using three 12 volt batteries to hold the charge, they are in the black box. All of the panels are zip tied down to each other on the bottom and they are also zip tied to the buckets using 550 cord sent through half inch holes on both sides of the buckets.
On an side note: the 550 cord/zip ties worked great in the storm we had on monday night!! Everything stayed anchored right where I put it.
The water then travels through two hoses to the main manifold where it can pressurize any of the zones.
Her is a picture of the manifold with the four zones as is yesterday! There were several earlier pictures that I will add after this one, but here is how it ended. The two middle zones cover about 110 feet laterally and about 60 feet vertically each. The end zones cover between 70 and 90 feet circularly each. The reason I left it with that coverage was that I ran out of pieces to add to the project, it could easily support another zone or two, or I could simply add another head to zone one to complete the coverage on the east side of the dam face. The zones are numbered 1 through 4 from east to west.
Here are a few picture from earlier this week as we were building sprinkler 3.0! The white bucket houses the new DC powered sprinkler controller. I weighted down the bucket so it would not be bothered by the wind. The bucket has two drain holes just in case!
Now on to the rest of the weeks work!
I finished repairing an old fish feeder given to me by a friend that no longer needed it. I gave it a new brain and I gave it new motors and a new spinner plate. But as you can see, I need to choke down the feed as the discharge motor can not handle all the feed that comes through! I figured if I make a plastic plate to fit over the hoppers drain port, I should be able to slow down the feed and get a better pattern. Any thoughts?
Here is a picture of its new brain!
There is more good news, I got a few pictures of the Tilapia eating the Aquamax!
And of course, I would be remiss if I did not show off my new friends!
I also added 3000 lbs of ag lime to the little pond to try to clear it up a bit. When I go back next week, I should see some results.
All in all, this was a very busy week out at the farm. It paid off very well and I am proud of the work we did.
Brian, I have the same feeder (actually, I have 2 of them). The feeders worked great with AM600 when new, but now that they are a couple of years old the one that is in service does the same thing as yours - I can only get it to run for 1 second before it reads "feeder jam".
If you choke the hole down any more it will have a tendacy to bridge, and you won't get any food thru it at all with AM600. You can make a smaller plate and use AM500, let me run to my feeder and measure the hole/plate that I made.
What are the specs on the 12v SureFlow pumps? Those panels look like the ones that I have.
Zep, this should warm your heart further, it is a picture from this past winter showing the back water area where we left a 3 acres area in timber to be flooded. You can also see the duck island in the background.
Scott, I misspoke I have flojet pumps. They are 13 amp 12 volt DC providing 4.9 GPM. I love them, even if I call them by the wrong name..... I got them from Northern, but I am sure you can get them from several others places as well. Also, I found that this year there is a slightly newer version!
Also, I am using Aquamax 500. I figured a reducer down to 3/8 of an inch would be a good place to start, but if you have a pattern that works well, I am all ears!!
Dang it, the only plate that I have has a hole in it that is 7/8" diameter. I thought the plate that I modified was around 1 1/8" - 1 1/4".
I drilled the plate smaller to start, and updrilled with a Uni-Bit in 1/8" steps to get the correct size to work with AM500. If I didn't use the baffle plate, it'd throw roughly 3# of food on a 1 second setting.
Thanks Brian. They are roughly the same ones that I have on my sprayer.
Be careful using the Uni-Bit. Clamp the plate down in a vise or to a piece of wood. If the bit grabs, you'll slice and dice your hand that is holding the plate.
I'll try a smaller hole first and let you know how it goes. I figure a 3/8 inch hole to start with, and then I'll upgrade if needed, I would rather let the feeder run a little longer to get the food out in a better pattern than throw the food close. Remember that I also changed out the spinner plate as well, so I think I will have to figure this one out solo.
Thanks Brian....hope to get over there to see it next Fall after the Texas heat goes away. With no cabin and A/C I'm pretty much done with my property until then.
Well we are growing grass on the dam using the solar powered sprinkler system!!! Some of the grass is over a foot tall and the Bermuda is sending runners everywhere!!!
Also, the pond is as full as it has ever been!
And I passed my Maneuvers Validation!!! One more checkride in the sim and I am off to fly the JET!!!
Brian I always wanted to see a full pic of your pond. Really nice place!! I know you will have years of great fishing to look forward to. Congrats on the flight!
Thanks guys, the sim ride was real strong, but I have to admit I was a bit more nervous than I expected. Our evaluator was very positive after the ride which made both of us feel really proud! Our LOE sim check is at the end of next week and I am finally feeling pretty good about all the work I have put into this program.
SB, the pond still needs a few feet of water to be full, but it sure looks good so far! It is a lot of work getting the project complete, but it is worth it! It is what it is all about.
I think aeration for the little pond and the deep end of the big pond is the next part of our pond project!! Hopefully I will have that done this fall before the water gets too cold.
I got to the farm yesterday with my son and we worked hard and played hard. First we had to cut the grass on the dam!!! thats right, the grass on the dam needed to be cut! The solar powered sprinkler system is doing great!!
We also got rid of two loads of left over sticks and roots around the dam area. They went off to the burn pile.
Them we got to go fishing. I must admit that we started off slowly. But them my son asked if we could catch a few small BG's and fish for LMB with them, so we got out fish trap 2.0 lite, and a little bit of aquamax 500 and after about 10 minutes we had more little BG's in the trap than we could use all day.
Turns out, our LMB really like BG's for lunch. In short order, my son caught a 1Lb 7 oz LMB that looked pretty good. Then he caught a CC that was around a Lb and a half who could not quite finish his BG lunch.
Eventually, he seemed to get it down, but I think he might have gulped a bit more than he could swallow.
Then my son said that he would be happy if he caught a bigger LMB, and about 15 seconds later, he got a hit, he then landed an 2lb, 4 oz LMB than was in really good shape. That fish set the record for a LMB in our pond and I was very proud of him.
But then I showed him who his daddy was!! I broke his little record and caught a 2Lb 14oz LMB it was 16 and 3/4 inches long and really put up a fight.
For a pond that is only a year and a half old, I was happy to see that a few of the original stockers were still doing okay. Remember, I got my original stockers fron Rex Allen Curtis and after Bob lusk's survey of our pond, it was evident that only a few of the LMB survived from last year.
All in all, it was a great day spent out on the farm with my son. We worked hard and we fished hard. If we we would have had the time, we would have probably would have gotten our selves in trouble!!
Hmm, thinking of borrowing a few ideas from you, though I am wondering where you purchased the solar panels and what model of pump you chose. I was looking at two of the el cheapo 45W panels from Harbor freight.
We have a natural gas/water spring on the side of the dam that we missed capturing when the pond was made, and I am thinking of digging a shallow well to capture the water and let the gas escape (or use it for lighting a lamp) then pumping the water into the pond to help it top off. Otherwise I may use the water to irrigate my grass like you have done.
It looks like the water flow from the spring in total is that of about a garden hose full-tilt but spread over a large area so I don't want to miss out on this great water source as my pond lowers in the summer. Also just to goof around a bit and teach my son about alternate energy.
LS, I used the flowjet pump from Northern, and the solar panels came from sun electric out of FL. I would stay away from the HF panels as they will loose their output way too fast. I have both poly and mono crystal panels. For this application, I used four 85 watt panels in a 12 volt system.
If you read further back in this post, you should see my setup and parts. If you would like more info, just ask.
four 85-watt good panels... wow, pricey. Still... I can put those to so many uses besides playing. Maybe still...
The reason I ask about the pumps is when I look up Flowjet pumps, there are around a dozen capable of running from 12V, and only a few that pump that much water. However, most importantly I cannot figure out how many may be capable of delivering about 40PSI or more to run a single large sprinkler a few times a day. One that looks interesting has flexible impellers rather than a diaphragm.
I should ask my father about what pump he uses since he runs his greenhouse misters from a 12V pump and rain-barrel.
Note: I have designed a solar controller recently, and a good solar controller makes ALL the difference in the world. Example: Mine does what is called "solar peaking" which maintains utmost energy transfer by constantly tracking the "knee" of the panel voltage vs current when transferring energy from the panel to a battery. This eliminates temperature variances as part of the equation. Cheaper controllers simply connect and disconnect the panel directly to the battery via switches (transistors) and diodes, better ones are similar to mine, but as far as I know they assume the knee at a certain voltage, while mine varies.
With a 150 watt panel I use for this work application I am able to get MORE than 150W (165W) from using my controller. A few other controllers I tested AT BEST were around 110W with the same panel minutes later. I have a hard time believing that these controller manufacturers can sell that garbage when solar panels are so expensive and toss out 40W of energy. The again my controller would cost a good deal more than what we tested against, but it was to prove how much better mine was to our customer.
LS, Are you saying yours is a MPPT? if so, PM me an let me know if you are going to produce them or if you are going to let your plans out. I would love to get a few MPPTs for several projects I am working on out at the farm.
Actually the controller is part of a larger project which is placed in remote sites with spotty power if any.
One of the things we are considering where I work is to spin the circuit off into our own IP and sell it stand-alone. Right now it is only capable of ~180W max, but to be really useful it needs to be around 250W. It wouldn't take a lot to get it there as it currently does not require any special cooling, but at 250W it would require something like some aluminum heat-sinks. It is very small, roughly 2" square with no heat-sink due to high efficiency.
Yeah, I'm itching to put it to broader use. Very configurable for managing any sized lead-acid battery using coulomb counting techniques.
