Natural balance - 11/20/04 04:44 PM
I have a 12 acre lake that is over 50 years old. It was built as a flood control lake by the state on private land. The concrete riser pipe has a 1 sq. ft. drain hole 8 feet down from the top of the riser with a 24 inch concrete exit pipe. 11 years ago the lower drain opening on the spillway was plugged by beavers (according to the previous owner) raising the level of water 8 feet. Raising the water to 13 feet at the deepest. The lake still has a freeboard of 10 feet with an emergency grass spillway 100 feet wide and 3 feet higher than the riser. The new level flooded about 6 acres of timber. I bought this property in October of 2001. I was told that the lake was stocked from traps from local waters. They said before they stocked the water was full of minnows as the water was only 5 feet deep. Other than stocking 11 yrs. ago, there wasn't any management by the previous owner, only limited fishing by the owner and his family. By fishing I have sampled the fish. LMB of all sizes with 4-6 lbs. not uncommon with a couple 7-10 lbs. White Crappie all sizes with 8-11 inches very common, and a few 14 - 15 inches. A lot of RE all sizes with the biggest 11.25 inches. BG all sizes with 7.5 - 9.5 very common with the biggest 11.25 inches. I have seen Green Sunfish at night at the edges but have only caught one. Bullhead Catfish are abundant all sizes. The only management I do is remove mud and sticks from the drain as the beavers try to dam it up. There are a lot of steep hills in the watershed with a lot of sediment coming in with heavy rains. The water is always muddy. If I trap the beavers the Watershed Board will clean out the lower drain lowering my lake back down. (so they have told me)
The excess nutrient from the rotting trees in the lake and leaves from the completely wooded watershed are causing pondweed problems. The pondweed covers maybe 25% to 30% in the summer and expanding each year. If I treat the pondweed the chemicals will most likely be washed downstream. I can't change any physical features without the permission of the Watershed Board.
Right now the fishing meets my goals other than the bullhead.
If I do nothing but fish, how long do you think before the balance changes for the worse?
A flathead fisherman told me that bullhead was the preferred food for flathead Catfish. If I were to stock flathead or channel catfish what would you think would happen to the existing population? and how many should I stock?
The excess nutrient from the rotting trees in the lake and leaves from the completely wooded watershed are causing pondweed problems. The pondweed covers maybe 25% to 30% in the summer and expanding each year. If I treat the pondweed the chemicals will most likely be washed downstream. I can't change any physical features without the permission of the Watershed Board.
Right now the fishing meets my goals other than the bullhead.
If I do nothing but fish, how long do you think before the balance changes for the worse?
A flathead fisherman told me that bullhead was the preferred food for flathead Catfish. If I were to stock flathead or channel catfish what would you think would happen to the existing population? and how many should I stock?