Pond Boss Magazine
https://www.pondboss.com/images/userfiles/image/20130301193901_6_150by50orangewhyshouldsubscribejpeg.jpg
Advertisment
Newest Members
Shotgun01, Dan H, Stipker, LunkerHunt23, Jeanjules
18,451 Registered Users
Forum Statistics
Forums36
Topics40,899
Posts557,051
Members18,451
Most Online3,612
Jan 10th, 2023
Top Posters
esshup 28,407
ewest 21,474
Cecil Baird1 20,043
Bill Cody 15,110
Who's Online Now
3 members (Layne, Angler8689, anthropic), 616 guests, and 135 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Page 1 of 2 1 2
#177898 08/08/09 05:55 PM
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 271
S
Lunker
OP Offline
Lunker
S
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 271
I remember when I lived in CT, I would fish a nearby NY stream for trout with a JB pattern, that I developed.

Walking around the pond today I came across an abundance of JBs.
I harvested the a handful and thruogh them into the pond. The PS ate them and one of my trout sunk in to grab one. I don't feed my fish except for an occassional worm or hopper.

It was nice to see they like bettles.

Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 10,458
Likes: 2
C
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Hall of Fame
Lunker
Offline
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Hall of Fame
Lunker
C
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 10,458
Likes: 2
Your PS must be less picky than Adirondack Pond's... His spit the Japanese Beetles out! I've caught quite a few trout on Japanese beetle patterns along with many sunfish and rock bass.

Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 271
S
Lunker
OP Offline
Lunker
S
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 271
Ad ponds feeds his fish, I don't, except for an occasional worm or insect I throw in the pond. I did notice a few didn't come back for more after tasting them.

My beetle pattern worked great on the NY trout stream as long as it floated in the surface flim. Caught and released a bunch of bows and browns when the mayflies weren't active.


Last edited by scruffy_fish; 08/09/09 08:34 AM.
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 1,654
Likes: 1
B
Ambassador
Hall of Fame 2014
Lunker
Offline
Ambassador
Hall of Fame 2014
Lunker
B
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 1,654
Likes: 1
If you want to feed JBs big time check this out:

http://www.pondboss.com/forums/ubbthread...ite_id=1#import


Redfishman
Lunker


Registered: August 06, 2003
Posts: 25 Time to deploy my floating Japanese Beetle traps. They worked really well last year. Thousands of beetles came and were gobbled up by schools of bluegills and LMB's. At times there were carpets of beetles with 50+ fish feeding. I don't know if they effectively put weight on the fish (I think they do) but it is fun to watch the fish feed. build one yourself and see:

Cut the bottom from a plastic water jug from the office or Home Depot. file and tape the sharp edge I used automotive weather stripping.

Get an inner tube from truckers Supply size 400/480-8 Part # LTT-400

order beetle trap (top only)
http://www.snow-pond.com/TrapLure/traplure.html
roughen up surface of jug and glue on with goop

Anchor where you can watch Finished product:




"I love living. I have some problems with my life, but living is the best thing they've come up with so far." � Neil Simon,
Bing #178022 08/09/09 01:33 PM
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 271
S
Lunker
OP Offline
Lunker
S
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 271
Nice idea.

I would get way to many beetles for my small pond for the fish to keep up with. I'm kind of training them by hand feeding, so they get used to seeing me and expecting a treat.

Joined: May 2009
Posts: 5,714
Likes: 281
R
RAH Offline
Lunker
Offline
Lunker
R
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 5,714
Likes: 281
We normally catch lots of Japanese beetles to our fish, but there were very few beetles this year.

RAH #178131 08/09/09 11:50 PM
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 888
H
Lunker
Offline
Lunker
H
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 888
Okay, I have heard that the Japanese beetles have a smell to them when they are smashed. Has anybody noticed a difference in taste between panfish that have been around the beetle traps and fish that have not (as in bitter to regular taste)?

Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 271
S
Lunker
OP Offline
Lunker
S
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 271
Personally I don't smash the beetles. I throw them in the water with some force so they are stunded and have a hard time flying off. Some do get airbourn before they hit the water. I haven't noticed any smell.

You are what you eat, so I'd expect a heavy diet of beetles may make them taste difffernt. I know I wouldn't eat a sea duck if you gave it to me.

Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 10,458
Likes: 2
C
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Hall of Fame
Lunker
Offline
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Hall of Fame
Lunker
C
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 10,458
Likes: 2
Sea duck jerky... Or dog food!

Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 888
H
Lunker
Offline
Lunker
H
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 888
scruffy_fish, I'm talking about a time period of eating them steadily. Now I have not tried talipia yet,I've seen enough Discovery Channel shows to see what a lot of what these fish are raised on. Sea duck might look like a better alternative.

Apparently talipia are able to keep the taste out of their meat being mass farm raised. I'm just curious about other fish such as BG,BC and YP.

Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 271
S
Lunker
OP Offline
Lunker
S
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 271
Well I got creative myself. I found a JB trap that I stored in the shed and decided to make a feeder. To my astonishment, the PS started feeding right away. They would follow the anchorhed trap as it swong around the pond.

We had a huge rain rainfall this evening, and after it was over, the trap was empty of beetles, but it worked. Thanks for the Idea.


Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 3,135
A
Ambassador
Lunker
Offline
Ambassador
Lunker
A
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 3,135
Scruffy, thats great your beetle feeder gives them free protein, and your PS's aren't picky.
Mine still won't touch them, but they sure love the crickets and grasshoppers I collect, my wife helps me and we can collect about 50 in 15min. next to the garage.



Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 11
M
Lunker
Offline
Lunker
M
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 11
This is a great idea which which could be expanded to say, fly traps? Reminds me of an idea my friend had but never implemented. He thought to hang a wire basket of some kind within which one would place "road kill". Obviously the flies would swarm this and then the larvae would fall through the wire into the water. Is this totally crazy or genius? Anybody want to give it a try?

Joined: May 2004
Posts: 13,938
Likes: 268
Moderator
Lunker
Offline
Moderator
Lunker
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 13,938
Likes: 268
The old "Maggot Box" idea. It's been done, by a few PMs who have either a pond far downwind of their domecile or no sense of smell


"Live like you'll die tomorrow, but manage your grass like you'll live forever."
-S. M. Stirling
[Linked Image from i.pinimg.com]
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 3,135
A
Ambassador
Lunker
Offline
Ambassador
Lunker
A
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 3,135



Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 11
M
Lunker
Offline
Lunker
M
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 11
Just got back to the forum, thanks for the "maggot box" link! My pond is 300 feet away from the house with 60-70 feet elevation differential (pond below) so the smell shouldn't be a problem. MAGGOTS, YUMMY!

Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 16,025
Likes: 274
D
Moderator
Lunker
Offline
Moderator
Lunker
D
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 16,025
Likes: 274
Matt, I first saw that idea many years ago in Mother Earth News. It should give the fish some nutrition and the smell shouldn't be a problem as long as you never want to go around the pond. It also ought to keep poachers away.


It's not about the fish. It's about the pond. Take care of the pond and the fish will be fine. PB subscriber since before it was in color.

Without a sense of urgency, Nothing ever gets done.

Boy, if I say "sic em", you'd better look for something to bite. Sam Shelley Rancher and Farmer Muleshoe Texas 1892-1985 RIP
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 271
S
Lunker
OP Offline
Lunker
S
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 271
If I used the road kill option, I'd have every coyote in the area at the pond. We have had a lot of coyotes around and have recently lost two cats to them. I'd rader stick to the JBs, Thanks.

Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 3,135
A
Ambassador
Lunker
Offline
Ambassador
Lunker
A
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 3,135
After collecting about 600 crickets & grasshoppers the past few weeks, it's getting harder to find them (insect genocide) for the PS's in the mini pond, so I tried feeding them JB's, which they wouldn't touch 2 weeks ago, and they devoured them today, go figure, atleast I'll have plenty of them for awhile. \:D

PS. I wonder if the JB's are softer now cause when I got them 3 weeks ago they wouldn't fly, they just plopped into the cup, now they try to fly when I collect them, any resident Entomologist have an explination?

Last edited by adirondack pond; 08/17/09 03:09 PM.


Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 10,458
Likes: 2
C
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Hall of Fame
Lunker
Offline
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Hall of Fame
Lunker
C
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 10,458
Likes: 2
Interesting observation AP... Not sure on the explanation though. If anything I would think they would get harder as they aged, not softer.

Joined: May 2009
Posts: 5,714
Likes: 281
R
RAH Offline
Lunker
Offline
Lunker
R
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 5,714
Likes: 281
Your fish are hungrier now.

Sincerely,

M.S. Entomologist

RAH #179311 08/17/09 03:41 PM
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 3,135
A
Ambassador
Lunker
Offline
Ambassador
Lunker
A
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 3,135
I love those scientific explanations. \:D



Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 16,025
Likes: 274
D
Moderator
Lunker
Offline
Moderator
Lunker
D
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 16,025
Likes: 274
DUH!


It's not about the fish. It's about the pond. Take care of the pond and the fish will be fine. PB subscriber since before it was in color.

Without a sense of urgency, Nothing ever gets done.

Boy, if I say "sic em", you'd better look for something to bite. Sam Shelley Rancher and Farmer Muleshoe Texas 1892-1985 RIP
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 271
S
Lunker
OP Offline
Lunker
S
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 271
Well, my PS still eat as many as I can find to toss into the pond. Tossed one at a trout this evening and it turned up it's nose at it.

Pond is dropping since the hot weather hit. Down about 8 inches in as many days. Hopefully only one more day of the record heat, keeping my fingers crossed, I don't lose my three trout this year. I love watching them prowel around the pond looking for food in the evening and early morning.

Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 3,135
A
Ambassador
Lunker
Offline
Ambassador
Lunker
A
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 3,135
scruffy, I can't figure out why the PS's all of a sudden will eat the JB's, they are well fed but their turning into little pigs.
We should get the cold front thru here Tuesday eve, and you should get it by Wed. night, hopefully with some rain.



Page 1 of 2 1 2

Link Copied to Clipboard
Today's Birthdays
Bob Lusk, GaryK, GrizzFan, PhotographerDave
Recent Posts
Happy Birthday Bob Lusk!!
by Rainman - 03/28/24 02:53 AM
Relative weight charts in Excel ? Calculations?
by Mark Dyer - 03/27/24 10:18 PM
Reducing fish biomass
by esshup - 03/27/24 06:17 PM
New 2 acre pond stocking plan
by esshup - 03/27/24 06:05 PM
1 year after stocking question
by esshup - 03/27/24 06:02 PM
Questions and Feedback on SMB
by Donatello - 03/27/24 03:10 PM
Paper-shell crayfish and Japanese snails
by Bill Cody - 03/27/24 10:18 AM
Brooder Shiners and Fry, What to do??
by esshup - 03/27/24 08:47 AM
2024 North Texas Optimal BG food Group Buy
by Dave Davidson1 - 03/27/24 08:15 AM
Dewatering bags seeded to form berms?
by esshup - 03/26/24 10:00 PM
Freeze Danger? - Electric Diaphragm Pump
by esshup - 03/26/24 09:47 PM
Newly Uploaded Images
Eagles Over The Pond Yesterday
Eagles Over The Pond Yesterday
by Tbar, December 10
Deer at Theo's 2023
Deer at Theo's 2023
by Theo Gallus, November 13
Minnow identification
Minnow identification
by Mike Troyer, October 6
Sharing the Food
Sharing the Food
by FishinRod, September 9
Nice BGxRES
Nice BGxRES
by Theo Gallus, July 28
Snake Identification
Snake Identification
by Rangersedge, July 12

� 2014 POND BOSS INC. all rights reserved USA and Worldwide

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5