Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Evaluating and adjusting fish populations Harvesting

I was wondering what everyone did with the fish they harvest?

I plan on one day having a 8-10 acre pond. I know that a day will come when I will also have to begin harvesting some smaller fish and introduce a slot limit. However, with a pond this size it will be impossible to fillet and eat all the fish that are harvested. I don't want to just waste the fish by throwing them over a hill to die. I figure the smell would be awful after awhile.

Anyways, I came up with one solution, tell me what you think, as well as what you do. I also plan to build a catfish only pond, with the exception of some BG and fatheads. I plan on stocking mainly channels, maybe a couple blues, and the big WHAT IF - flatheads. I know it's not recommended but just take this into consideration. If I had only two or three flatheads and they reached a good size (10lb), then they would start eating some pretty good size meals. What if I took my harvested bass and threw them into this pond. The blues or flatheads would gobble them up as well as put on some serious weight. So I figure it benifits me too ways. Bigger bass in the bass pond, and bigger catfish in the other pond without the scare of the flatheads eating every living thing.

Chris

I would think that some of these larger Bass would survive and would become competition for your other fish for forage base.

We eat fish once a week all year long and have lots of fish fry's with friends.
I love to cook.
I fry, bake, grill and one of my favorite is
Italian style.
Try this sometime....
chop up garlic, green onion, red bell pepper, mushrooms. pine nuts
heat skillet with extra virgin olive oil, roast the garlic and pine nuts a few minutes then throw in the rest. A few minutes later place your fish filets in the skillet. (fish filets have been sitting in a bowl where I squeezed lemon and seasoned them with OLD BAY)
Cook the fish about 5 or 6 minutes on each side.
While this was cooking, make you a big pot of angel hair pasta. Have the wife making a salad and throw some garlic bread in the oven.

When you put the fish and sauce on top of the angel hair, add some fresh grated parmansan cheese and fresh cracked black pepper just before eating and if you really wanna kick it up a notch then grate some pepper jack cheese on top of that.

The OLD BAY seasoning mentioned above is great stuff with seafoods. It's a must. If you don't have any and can't find it in your area then they have a website you can order from. (no it's not my company) I just like to fish and cook and I don't mind sharing what I have learned.

Ooop's I got in a hurry. After you have roasted the garlic and pine nuts a few minutes and your ready to throw in the other stuff, drop in a stick of real butter and when it melts then drop in the onion, red bell pepper and mushrooms.

Sorry about that...

David,

I might have to invite you down if you cook like that. I like you eat a lot of the fish that I catch. Thanks for the new dish.

tritonvt,
I like your idea & if as Brian suggested a bass or 2 did survive to grow huge, what's the harm? If you wanted you could catch him out & put in your bass pond.
But another perspective .. Personally I don't think the fish you throw over the hill are wasted. Many a small animal will feast on those fish!

David,
I printed that recipe & am going to try it .. Thanks!
How about repeating it in Questions & Observations .. Start a new post titled Fish recipe's or something like that & let's see what's out there! I have one I like I'll find & post.

Ric, I will do that. I'm still looking for a good blackend fish recipe. I've tried many but just haven't found the perfect one.

For those who wish to stock flathead catfish. They are not selective what to eat. I have found giant flatheads with giant bass tucked neatly into a giant stomach, ruminating.
If a flathead is hungry, it eats. If a fish comes into a flathead's territory, it kills. If hungry, it eats.
Flathead's mean.
If that's okay with you, it's okay with me.