Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Blocking Net for Trout Pond?

O.K. gonna put in a blocking net in the trout pond. Need to separate the more agressive browns from the brooks. I think the browns which are growing faster (even though they were planted at the same size) are running the brooks around the pond, and if that is the case they are stressing them and could effect growth and health. I had two brooks up on the bank this fall and I believe they probably jumped out and got stranded. I surmise they were being chased by the bigger browns.

Pond width is 40 ft. and max depth is 7 1/2 feet. Deeper end (pond slopes a little for seining) would be brooks and other side browns. I'm thinking 1 1/4 inch mesh. Any suggestions on those of you that have done this. I know there was an article in Pond Boss but since I give all my issues away to recruit potential subsribers is there anything I should know.

I'm thinking I can use floats on the top and attach a chain on the bottom for weight (Happen to have 125 feet of # 2 chain in the garage.

Only thing that concerns me is algae will probably build up on it so I need to have the blocking net with the largest mesh possible to keep the fish in and not gill net them!

I do have a pier I could put in across the pond that was given to me I could attach the blocking net to. This would facilitate cleaning it with a push broom with an extendable handle like I do my cages.

Gonna call a few net manufacturers and see what they have to say.

Thoughts?



Here's the pond from a lengthwise shot. Notice the I removed the snow in rows to let light in for photosynthesis. I allow my trout pond to freeze in for the winter and it doesn't hurt the trout even though I don't feed them. Ice at this point is 4 to 5 inches.

I measured the pond with a measuring wheel at 87 feet long and 40 feet wide at the widest point. Thought the pond was 90 by 45. My bad.

Cecil,
I noticed when I had the brook and brown trout in my little pond they would chase each other around. I actually would see the browns bite the fins on the brook trout. They hated each other from what I saw. I read something somewhere that they dont get along together in the same environment.

Cecil check your mail for a draft of the article.

Cecil, I also sent you a separate email with my thoughts about your blocking net. B.Cody

Thank you all!

I studied stream trout interactons in experimental streams with the MI DNR, and these seem to be qualified theories. Decades-old data sets show that browns (as well as rainbows) will push Brookies out of a stream bed. Though the browns and rainbows seemed to cohabitat somewhat civally.

I know that the Lake Superior State University Aquatic Research Labratory installed a blocker net to create a rainbow trout kids fishing pond. I helped pull it out a couple of times, i believe it was a fairly stock net (floating line on top, lead core on bottom). You can contact them there at the lab- http://www.lssu.edu/arl for the specifics.

JMAC,

Thanks! Now I'm really brainstorming! I've got two marine net catalogs and it looks like the 1 1/2 and 2 inch polypropelene bird netting may be the ticket. Not only is it the correct height but it's sold in lengths that are just right. The decription says it's used in aquaculture and it has to be soft for use with birds. The manufacturer says it should have a long life undewater. I guess as long as it doesn't end up being an unintended gill net I may be in business, as it's a cheaper alternative to other netting. They're going to send me a 1 1/2 inch and 2 inch sample so I can decide if it's what I want to use.

Like Bill Cody suggested in an email, why not stake it across the trout pond instead of floating it? That precludes the cost of floats etc. And I've got all the chain I need on a roll to attach to the bottom to keep it on the bottom. It would also be advantageous to stake it a couple of feet above the water line anyway as a jumping trout could end up on the wrong side. (I see them jumping all the time in open water).

But now I'm really thinking... I've got a .62 acre pond (138 feet by 190 feet) that has a 70 foot pier across it in the center, and another 48 feet of pier to install on the ice that will darn near get me all the way across. (Both piers were given to me). I can always add the few extra feet to cross the pond completely, and from this I could hang a blocking net off the pier all the way accross the pond to divide the pond in half.

Now why would I want to do this you ask? Well Bass Pro Shops wants smallmouth bass along with the yellow perch I sell them. Problem is when I've had feed trained largemouth bass in the pond before, when feeding time came the yellow perch and bluegill were pushed out of the way and intimidated by the bass. So the feeding was not optimum. So optimally a pond for male only bluegill and female only perch, and a pond for smallmouth would be the way to go. Trouble is I'm out of ponds. See where I'm going to?

I'm getting up to 500 seven inch feed trained yellow perch this spring for that big pond. Trouble is, I want big mesh up to 2 inchs to keep net clogging down from aglae, and I was worried the perch would get through the mesh which they would. Then it hit me... It doesn't matter if the perch can get through the net as long as they are big enough not to be forage for the smallmouth. It's the smallmouth I want to keep out of the panfish feeding area so they feed optimually. So bigger mesh is fine! Perch can can utilize the entire pond if they wish but can freely move back and forth until they get to large to fit though the mesh. Of course once the perch get big enough not to be able to get through, and some are on the wrong side I can just catch them and move them to the other side of the net. (With friends I've been able to move over 90 percent of 10 inch plus perch by angling. Not exactly a tough fish to catch.

So this is what I do in my spare time and why I love ponds so much. This is more fun than solving algebraic equations and story problems which I use to relax before going to bed at night!

Hey I better take pictures. This might be of interest to our readers!

BTW I can get feed trained smallmouth in the fall and get them up to good size by the following fall in a cage. Then release them into the pond on one side of the net. Done that for several years.

Cecil Baird, Fish Landlord and Developer, subdivides a pond.

Keep in mind that a thin dia plastic 2" mesh could have a small amount of stretch and give, esp. on the diagonal. With a 2" mesh you could be gill netting some of the perch as they grow to larger sizes. A smaller mesh size may be a better choice for the larger pond. Water flow between the two larger ponds is not a big requirement.

Thank you oh Great one Dr. Perca! As a matter of fact I've been thinking of just that. I sure don't want to put in a gill net!

I suggest you get a small net size 1/4 in - why - because it allows you to do whatever you want later. What if 2 years from now you want to growout 2in CSBG on one side and feed trained 1 lb SMB on the other. More options later.

Good idea!

Be aware that the 1/4" mesh after a few weeks to a month the mesh will likely get completely grown closed or clogged with attached algae growth esp the top illuminated portion. The deeper portion that receives little sunlight should remain still be algae free. Water clarity will be obviously be important with algae colonization depth. In my pond I can get a bryozoan that looks like an encrusted brown growth that will easily clog 1/4" mesh. You might want to compromise and use 1/2" or 3/4" mesh. As you know, filamentous algae can also easily clog 1/2"-3/4" mesh on fish cages. In pond sections where water flow across the divider net is not important the algae clogging may not be a big problem, although in some instances the added weight factor may be a concern.

Bill I don't have a problem with algae in a 1/4 in mesh. About once a week max I take a plastic house broom and just run it over the mesh to about 4 ft. Enough comes off to avoid flow through or weighting problems. You can also grab the top and give it a few shakes back and forth and that will also help. Our ponds have plankton blooms and algae is not that big of a problem. If Cecil's ponds have algae problems then it may be more of a problem for him.

Guys,

I thought of dying the pond heavy. That would help wouldn't it? Since all the fish will be feed trained and fed pellets, and there will be no reproduction from the yellow perch and bluegills, a bloom will not be necessary. I've had good blooms in the past but once the chara takes hold the bloom disappears. I've never had much reproducton from the smallmouth in the pond.

The pond has been flow through in the past but I was planning on bypassing it.

I actually would like some flow through the divider net. One thing I have going for me as I can stand on the pier and brush the netting with my push broom and extendable handle.

Dye at high density may suppress most, but maybe not all FA. It depends.
I think cleaning-brushing the divider netting suspended or floated across a span of 80-100 ft will be a difficult task. Net will probably not be taught enough to adequately dislodge tight actively growing and adhearing FA. I foresee the divider net will be more difficult to clean than a cage. This project of yours will be interesting to watch how it progresses.

OTOH, Bill, will cleaning the dividing net be as important as cage cleaning? If Cecil has aeration on both sides of the net, would any water exchange be necessary for fish health?

Theo, No. As I eluded to earlier, water flow between ponds would probably not be real improtant, unless heavy algae grow caused a weight problem. I've had floating cages practically sink if algae was not removed. The stuff can get really thick and heavy. A big factor in this whole discussion is the type or species of algae present. Some are much more problematic than others; it all depends on the species present.

I wish it was only 80 to 100 feet. Try 138 feet!

Cecil mine is 65 ft. You have the article for info. Since mine is suspended between poles as per the article it will not sink. It does float very well when not tied to the posts (no pic though).


Up



Down

Ewest,

I sure do have the article and I appreciate it. Still mulling all this over. I do know algae builds up on my cages in no time. And I have that brown stuff Bill is referring to.

I'm also waiting for a former commerical fisherman that is now a trout farmer to weigh in the net types.

What exactly was the net you use made of and who did you get it from Ewest?

Look at this thread. The people Bruce and I bought from "know nets" - they make them for several G&F agencies and commercial fishermen and offshore fishermen.

He’s buying a seine thread.

http://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Main=2094&Number=22417#Post22417



http://www.brunsonnet.com/


Bruce's





Bruce Condello
Lunker


Registered: August 01, 2004
Posts: 4616
Loc: Upper Central Midwestern Great...
(24.27.134.92) The mission:

Purchase a seine that is 100 feet long by 10 feet deep with 1/4 inch mesh, mudline, floats every eighteen inches and specially coated for scaled fish.

First call was made to Brunson Net Company. The call was made to toll free 1-800-211-0518. Talked to "Steve".

Rating of person's politeness and knowledge: A+
Quote given: $580

Second call was made to Memphis Net Company. The call was made to toll free 1-888-674-7638 extension 1124. Talked to "Judy".

Rating of person's politeness and knowledge: A+
Quote given: $780.30
_________________________

I would be interested to see how the perch react to having a choice between SMB and panfish to cohabitate with... Would the habitat be relatively similar between the ponds? It would be cool if you could rule out habitat selectivity and water chemistry to let them decide who they would rather "hang" with. Keep us updated!

This is probably the kind of thinking that gets a young guy without a pond in trouble with his wife that already knows he's got too many big ideas for the "pond that ain't there yet" to start in on another tangent

It might be interesting but I've decided I will keep them seperate. The bird netting in the 2 inch size looks like a perfect gill net which I don't want. It's just stretchy enough to allow a fish to get in to just behind the gills and not be able to go farther forward or back out! I'm crazy about the 'diagonal' shape for the same reason. I may actually use the same material I use for my cages which will be expensive but I know it's stiff enought to brush off and I know it will last indefinitely.