Alright my pond is .28 acres. I have a good deal of large YP, Probably over 100, 4(I think) 12+" SMB, 6 15+" WE 12 20" HSB and one very crafty KOI. The only forage I have is a heavy population of SFM. I have put out a bunch of spawning structures for the SFM over the last 5 yrs and they seem to be holding their own. I just added the SMB last yr (Thank you Cecil) and would like to add 6 more WE. My water stays so murky that the YP don't reproduce and I doubt the SMB will either. I would like to have a little better diversity of forage. Any and all advice will be appreciated. So glad it's warming up in In I'm real anxious to get dirty again besides in the clubs.

I think a good plan would be to try and remove some of the WE and then replace them. Remove WE while they are still in the good harvest size and do not consume lots of additional forage as larger sized fish. Treat the WE and larger perch as vegetable crops. Do some harvesting. Get some benefit from your water garden - don't overplant it and crowd it. Harvest some when they get size and restock/replant for another crop/harvest; all similar to growing a garden. The current WE have done their job of having smaller mouth size, smaller annual consumption, and consuming smaller fish. Replace most of them before they get large with new young predators. The current fishery balance seems to be working with sustainable forage fish. Try not to overpopulate your predators and loose the existing forage basis.

As an option for the YP recruitment, try hatching some of the YP eggs in clear aerated water a tub, barrel, or aquarium. Hatch time should take 5-10 days based on water temp. Then plant the swim-up fry into the pond. Make sure the two water temps are similar before pouring fry into the pond. If your water is turbid with clay, then plankton foods will be sparse and only a few fry may survive. Although a few survivors are better than none.

Bob:

You sure you aren't getting any YP reproduction? Maybe the fish are eating the majority of the YP YOY?

Seems overloaded to me Bob. Too many perch for one thing.

Cecil, I'm not 100% sure but the only YP caught that were under 9-10" are ones I cage raised and released last August at around 8"s. My friends and I fish it pretty regularly.

So you don't think you have 100 perch in the pond?

Cecil, I don't think we're on the same page. I meant that I am not for sure about any reproduction. I put in 48 last August around 8"s and am sure there were more than 50 in there prior to that release.
OK, that's what I was going to post cause I was answering Scotts ? to you. Just got my wires crossed. Think that is the first time I've messed up in maybe 2 or 3 minutes. Might wanna archive this one.
Actually my original ? was posted cause I'm concerned that my nice WE, HSB and SMB might need some larger forage to continue growing. I do try to put and take on the YP and think they are staying pretty fat. I feed them every evening and the Spotfins seem to stay even or actually increase each yr.
Bill, thanks for your advice but I'm kinda like a pumpkin grower that would rather have 4 100 lb pumpkins vs 20 5 lb pumpkins. Also, last yr when I was at your place one of your buddies brought you some new breeding structure that he made out of DVDs. I recall he used 3/16" O rings for the spacers but what did he use for the spine/center going through the hole in the DVD? If I recall the whole thing was like a large Slinky. Might wanna post a pic of that thing for anyone needing breeding facilities for FHM and SFS.

If you are needing more forage species for WE then consider golden shiners (GSH). I will get you a bunch of small GSF if you want them. Have you tried setting some minnow traps to see more about what the numbers of the small fish are in your pond? One of your problems for recruitment of YP is you may have too few male YP for good fertilization of the perch eggs. Most all your YP I suspect are females based on where, when, and what types of YP that were your stockers.

Bill, I have been considering GSH for a couple of yrs and will call ya in regard to getting some. As usual you're right there ready to help and as usual I appreciate your sharing of time, knowledge and resources. If I get some GSH should I leave my Curly pond weed alone till the Eel grass matures to the point of giving good protection for them? The CLPW covers about 10-15% of the pond and the Eel Grass inhabits about 20%. Also what type of spawning structure will the need to reproduce? Thanks and talk to ya soon.

When established the curly-leaf pond weed after a few seasons will spread very quickly. I would treat it next year and not let it populate more of the pond bottom. Be prepared to treat it a few years in a row since you now have a bottom area covered with winter buds (turions) that do not all sprout the same year.

GSH have most successful spawns when they can lay eggs in very shallow water on fuzzy weeds, flooded grass, or shag carpet can be used next to the shoreline.

Bill, I've sprayed it the last two yrs and figure it to be an annual ordeal. Just wondered if it would provide a bit of protection for the GSH. Why don't ya just go ahead and get me a bunch. That will give you and the Korn King a reason to come visit. As it looks now I'm gonna target the 23rd to get home but could be a week earlier.

I don't have access to golden shiners. Not a lot of fish farms sell them due to the care they need to be kept alive. FHM are tuff or durable, common to obtain and just about anyone without a lot of fish handling knowledge can make a profit selling them. FHM rarely survive more than a year due to predation and customers keep coming back for more FHM to feed their fish. A money maker for fish farms. We can discuss your options.

How do the bait shops do things to keep the GSH alive?

Bill, my mistake, I've been making arrangements for a guy to get me some from Meyers near Angola and confused you two. You and Korn King are still invited for a visit before he has ta start planting. Maybe a grill out with some good Hoosier venison.

We really need an Indiana get together!

RAH, I agree, don't know that I can wait for Essups. You are VERY centrally located, why don't you consider putting yourself out several hundred dollars and dozens of hrs of prep to entertain all of us? I'm sure Cecil, Cody, Scott, Sparkplug and myself would show up. There are quite a few members from Oh Mi Il In You could call it Best of the Midwest road trip. Heck, doesn't Mellencamp live somewhere down there?

Mellencamp is a jerk in person. He's right up there with Ted Nugent. Don't ask me how I know.

Gotta ask the obvious Cecil. How "do" you know?

I may just have a barbecue for those that can make it this summer. But other than beer, I am not sure how much entertainment I can provide. I do have a hundred acres to romp on though. I would consider it a pretty cheap way to get some great advice on future projects and meet some pretty nice folks!

I P.M.'d you.

I met Mellencamp a few years ago, and thought he was a pretty nice guy. He was married to Elaine Irwin at the time, and she seemed like a real sweetheart.

But that was just a one time meeting....maybe I caught him on a really good day?

I don't know Mellenchamp but have hunted with sweaty Teddy a couple a times and he thinks I'm a jerk.
Cecil has a tendentcy to bring out not only the best genes in fish but also personalities in folks. Can't imagine him lockin horns with ANYone. Well maybe the INDNR, the feds, the mods over a funny picture of mice, BC about the shape of cages, and just maybe one particular fish farm in Ohio. Hell, I call him Dr Perca nality(sorry Bill). Ooops better be carefull, he's promised me some of his unused male YP. Also I would love to see that pm.
RAH, you name a date and throw open the gates to your place and I assure you the entertainment will supply itself. Come on some of you other Hoosiers, Buckeyes ets etc lets talk Rah into a mid June "BBQ"

Sounds good to me! I have some things going on with the family that won't leave me enough free time to plan one this year. Gotta sleep sometime!

OK RAH, Essup has obviously left the ball in your court. Any others for a little pressure?

I have a gathering each year at my place for my work group. Adding another one for folks that like wildlife habitat would be great. I am really not very good at social things, but I am willing to try. The biggest thing is to get nice weather, because our house is very small.

RAH, just jerkin yer chain, it's a lot of work to put together a get together. The weather is always a foe and maybe just a few individual visits would work better. Hint: I'll be coming north on 69 in a week or two and Indy is only 3 hrs south of my place plus I've got a place to crash in Ft Wayne. Maybe an hr visit some PM?

Just name the date and time.

Thank you, I'm not that organized yet but will give ya a couple a days notice. Be prepared, I'm not your ordinary flatland hilljack.

Bob's an extraordinary flatland hilljack.