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Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 150
Lunker
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OP
Lunker
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 150 |
Haven't posted in a while. I was at a pond in the California foothills that I help out on and noticed some CC sitting on beds in the shallows. I planted 50 CC last year in this 3 acre pond and they were in the 7" range. Today I observed 5 CC's attempting to spawn in different areas around the pond. They were just sitting on small finned out areas in about 2 feet of water. Do you think anything will come of it or are they just wasting their time? Thanks for the advice.
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 16,069 Likes: 280
Moderator Lunker
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Moderator Lunker
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 16,069 Likes: 280 |
It kinda depends on what else is in there. Bluegills and other sunfish do a pretty thorough job of eliminating CC fry.
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
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Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 417
Lunker
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Lunker
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 417 |
Are you sure they are channels? Channel catfish don't spawn in nests like many other fish do. They want a rock or log to get in/under. Bullheads spawn in fanned out nests.
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Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 914
Lunker
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Lunker
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 914 |
CC's prefer a hole, a cave or a log. A one way entrance place they can back into and guard facing out. That's where the noodler's get a lot of them. They will swim around the shallows and maybe even nest there is nothing else is suitable, but that just does not work well with them. Odds are bad for many reasons if they lay eggs there.
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Joined: May 2009
Posts: 177 Likes: 17
Lunker
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Lunker
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 177 Likes: 17 |
I would look into those fish closer. Both yellow and brown bullheads will spawn in depressions, while CC usually use bank holes and other hide-type nests. Catch one of the fish and accurately ID it to make sure you don't have a bullhead problem.
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Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 150
Lunker
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OP
Lunker
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 150 |
You guys are probable right. That is why I asked because I didn't think they would spawn like that. My guess is they are bullheads that were in the pond already or came from the pond on the property above.
When I saw them I noticed they were darker than the channels in my pond and they were also smaller than they should have been. After looking up my records I realized they wre planted in 2008 at 7" and these were only about 12" long. If the channels grow in that pond like everywhere else we put them they should be easily 3 pounds by now. We caught one a couple months ago that went 5 pounds that was planted in another pond at the same time.
Thanks for the help guys. Not what I wanted to hear but the truth hurts some times.
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Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 10,458 Likes: 2
Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame Lunker
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Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame Lunker
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 10,458 Likes: 2 |
It's not the end of the world... If you have a healthy bass population, they should help manage your bullheads. Larger CC are also nasty bullheads predators. Using traps can also help you keep the bullhead numbers under control...
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BG sex?
by Bill Cody - 05/16/24 08:50 PM
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