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
6 members (catscratch, Brandon Larson, Layne, Dave Davidson1, Blestfarmpond, Angler8689), 638 guests, and 166 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Page 2 of 2 1 2
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 27
T
Lunker
Offline
Lunker
T
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 27
I've found that maintaining a lake can get very expensive. Paid $1600.00 last year to kill grass, not to mention the cost to build it. So I'm thinking about letting some people in on a fee per trip. How much fishing can a 25 acre lake stand? In both my smaller ponds the fishing has gotten really bad. I'm friends with a guy that does some guiding and the claims that they don't have much of a memory. I've seen that not to be true. Seem pertly smart to me.

Joined: May 2002
Posts: 3,973
G
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Lunker
Offline
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Lunker
G
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 3,973
Ted yes bass tend to get lure shy. If you charged right amount basically use smaller pond as put and take scenario. We can load you up with cats in the summer and trout in the winter. I look at it as cash flow and would charge a membership fee instead of daily fishing rate cater to higher end say $200-$500/year for a family. This would make it easeir on you and with higher end clietn probably not be taking fish anyways unless you told them to do so. WIth just 10 members you could have good income to offset the mgmt cost. Again we go past you to Hamilton once a month if a consultant is needed.


Greg Grimes
www.lakework.com
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 271
T
Lunker
Offline
Lunker
T
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 271
 Originally Posted By: jimmyt
I have bought a farm with a 2 acre pond on it about 1 1/2 years ago. The farm has a house on it that I rent out to some folks sort of in a caretaker status. My question is how much fishing can the pond handle without getting to the point that it is difficult to catch fish. The renter fishes it quite a bit, but keeps only the cc which I want removed. He throws back everything else. Another fellow who works for me on the farm fishes a good bit also and I have noticed a few friends of theirs fishing there also. I get to fish there maybe once a week. Without being a hard ass, how many folks can fish there without getting the fish "gun shy?" I know this is a rather nebulous question,but whatever help you can give canhelp. jimmyt


That's a bad situation... the fact that they're inviting friends over to fish it without your permission is worrisome.

My thought is that if a pond owner is going to let anyone outside of their own immediate family fish the pond it should be by written permission only, with signs stating this posted at the pond. The written permission should spell out terms such as acceptable keeping of fish, barbless hooks, not bringing in minnows, not stocking fish, cleaning up trash, when the permission to fish expires, and not bringing friends.

In your situation, it sounds as if the pond might already be messed up. And as long as you're not there, these people might keep fishing it, regardless of what you say. Your best bet is probably to just let them fish the piss out of it (perhaps without friends), but charge them to cover the cost of you stocking some fish for them to catch in a put-and-take fashion: maybe CC, HBG, and HSB, possibly RBT in the winter? If they're going to fish the pond to hell, you may as well break close to even financially and be relatively assured that they're not dumping in crappie or using goldfish as bait. If they're paying for fish to go in, even if not full cost, I bet that the number of friends they bring over will hit zero rapidly.

I don't know what it is with ponds, but people seem to think they're an unlimited resource and that pond owners are jerks if they don't let people fish. I wouldn't expect a rancher to let me go mess with his cattle or take some without paying for them.


Ponds in TX, lake place in WI, me in CA
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 914
T
Lunker
Offline
Lunker
T
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 914
LMB have a lure memory. I fish one of the ponds I manage in a gated community heavily. First year I caught 5 fish limit over 30 lbs. Lots of fish over 5 lbs. Soon it was a rarity, after a few years it was luck getting one per day. The water is crystal clear so I can see the fish investigate the lure, and turn away. I'll rotate through different lures to whatever they happen to hit on then. Sometimes it's seasonal. But through management I boosted the numbers of fish. Where I was really working to catch 30 lmb and release them, last year I set a record for that pond for myself with 60 c and r lmb to 3 lbs. The bg and res are even worse. Before I'd catch 15-20 per day. Now sometimes none. But I don't fish for them either has they tend to take the bait too deep and I just don't want to injure them.

I have a strict code of ethics, my kids only. I have seen too many people just ruin ponds because they just don't care. I saw a guy catch a nice 3 lber, and yell to his kids while he threw it about 50 feet in the air back in the pond. They leave trash everywhere. They put bad fish in, take good fish out. To be honest, they make the ponds unmanagable. I'll catch fish with giant 3/0 hooks broke off inside thier throats. I get out the hemostats and gently remove them. I've found bass dead on floating plastic bottles rigged with hooks. It just sickens me.

No matter what you do, charge as a pay per play or an annual membership those people will feel entitled to act like fools. And if you charge by pound you have to live there and watch them. I'd kick them all out. Close the fishing totally. Let the fishery recover and then and only then let people back in with very strict rules. Or not at all. People just take advantage of good natured guys.

Last edited by The Pond Frog; 02/16/10 10:24 AM.
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 8
B
Fingerling
Offline
Fingerling
B
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 8
I have noticed first hand of what you are worried about. The pond I manage for my friend had amazing fishing for the first 3 years until he started letting people fish it too often. I knew the fish where still there I would see huge bass, crappie, and bluegill, but they became much harder for people to catch. I told him to not let so many people fish there as I knew this was hurting the 2 acre pond. We'll have to see how the fishing is in the spring to see if it helped any.

Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 771
R
Lunker
Offline
Lunker
R
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 771
Jimmy, the kind of guy your farmhand is kind of irks me. He invites his buddies, without asking you, to come and help themselves. Next, the buddies will invite their buddies. It is a vicious cycle. I would let the renter keep fishing with one caveat. He has to keep others out. If you want to let the farmhand fish, that is OK too, but NOT his buddes. Personally, I wouldn't let somebody who thinks like the farmhand ever fish again. He should have asked before letting others fish. They will sue your A$$ off at their first opportunity, if something happens. You owe his buddies fishing rights, so you owe them other things if something happens.

As far as the pressure goes, it all depends on the lake and your fishing ability. They can handle a lot of pressure, if the pond/lake is fertile. In some ways, on a bass pond, I consider pressure good and I prefer it on my father's pond. These catfish guys and fishing idiots aren't going to catch many bass on there zebco 33's and ultralights, if there is some pressure. Therefore, they won't be hauling out many 5-8 lbers on rooster tails and beetle spins. If you are a moderate to good bass fisherman, you'll still catch plenty, but they won't jump in your boat.

Sorry to chime in so late. Just catching up a bit.

Last edited by Robinson; 03/30/10 11:14 AM.

Robinson, PI (Politically Incorrect, of Course)
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 13,685
Likes: 281
Moderator
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Hall of Fame 2014
Lunker
Offline
Moderator
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Hall of Fame 2014
Lunker
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 13,685
Likes: 281
Where've you been, Robinson?

Glad you found your way back.


Excerpt from Robert Crais' "The Monkey's Raincoat:"
"She took another microscopic bite of her sandwich, then pushed it away. Maybe she absorbed nutrients from her surroundings."

Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 147
R
Lunker
Offline
Lunker
R
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 147
I'm kind of waiting for a similar situation to occur with my pond. It's going to be the first spring it is full and stocked. I have had a couple of friends mention wanting to fish, etc... I've been pretty much upfront about it with them that I am spending some decent money to stock and maintain it, and that it is pretty much a family destination at this point.

I think I am going to pretty much hold to that point with just about most folks so it isn't abused and overfished. I've got some large farmers around me and some have young kids. I am willing to work with them for some hunting privileges if they want to "Swap".

For the most part, I think folks understand if you explain it to them. I've got about 13k invested in mine at the moment with construction, windmill, fish, and letting just anyone fish defeats the purpose. There are plenty of public waters if they are that hard up.

I'm with the others that honesty is the best policy on it.


I subscribe!

1/3 Acre pond - Central, OH
Deepest point 11 ft.
Stocked with:
Hybrid Bluegill, Bluegill, Yellow Perch, Largemouth Bass, White Amur.
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 16,025
Likes: 274
D
Moderator
Lunker
Online Content
Moderator
Lunker
D
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 16,025
Likes: 274
I agree with you. To keep the fish from becoming conditioned, I limit my own fishing.


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: 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
It doesn't take long for most species of fish to get conditioned... Particularly in ponds under 5 acres.

Page 2 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