Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Evaluating and adjusting fish populations Pond Update, and new question,

I posted a few weeks ago as I was going through a fish kill. I got with cleanponds and got an aerator setup and it looks like I've passed that barrier. Aerator is running 24/7 and haven't seen a dead fish in over a week. But that's also my question,

I haven't caught/netted/seen a fish since then. I know I lost all my trout, was getting too warm for them anyways, but I kept tabs on each fish that I found floating and it wasn't a huge hit. But why haven't I seen a fish? Not even a fhm, which I use to see everywhere. So I guess my question is if this is normal or should I be concerned. Don't see them feeding or anything.

Here is what I originally stocked in December

50 LMB - lost 10
50 HSB - lost 4
65 CC - lost 10
65 BC - lost 6
100 CNBG lost 15
50 RE - lost 6

Also had about 25 trout and a bunch of FHM, up until the fish kill I saw them all the time, more once the oxygen levels started dropping. But I can't see a fish one! Should I be concerned, do I need to get the snorkel gear out? Lol

It's rare for a dead trout to float, and with the other fish, not all dead ones float. What's your water clarity? They could be off the feed because they were stressed a lot too.

Have you tried fishing with live bait and small hook, trapping or trying to feed the fish even if it is bread crumbs?. Minnows should eat bread crumbs. Since you are in TX the water should be warm enough (maybe 60F+) that there would be some fish response to one of the above methods.

Yeah, I put a couple tiny hooks out with worms overnight and had no bites.

Yeah that's my big fear that the last fish kill got them all and they are just laying at the bottom. I've tried a cast net with no luck as well.

Ok, any other thoughts?

I've spent a couple hours the last few days with a cast net and not a thing. I set out 3 small hooks with worms/hot dog/chicken liver and nothing touched any of it for 3 days straight now. I have not seen a single fish or minnow dead or alive. Is there any other suggestions y'all have to see if there is anything there. Just seems like there is no explanation for the fish not being there. I don't know what else to do, I can't start over if I don't know what's left. The water is not quite clear enough to see if I take a dive IMO.
It just seems like for as many fish that were stocked it would be impossible for them all to be gone with no trace. This is only a 1/4 to 1/3 acre pond.

Especially with the warm weather. Before the fish kill I could snag the baby LMB and HSB on a fly or even a spoon, and you could walk the ponds edges and see huge pods of fhm. And now that I'm back to having a healthy aerated pond, they are all gone?

I am scared of those numbers for a pond that size. Basically you have 1.5 predators for 1 prey.

Yeah I stocked it a tad heavy before I found this site lol. I was planning on dumping some adult CNBG in soon and culling out the catfish. But I'm at the point now where I just need to know if I have fish. Any methods out there y'all suggest to determine this?

You could try a seine net or a fish trap, this would tell you if some of your smaller fish survived or not.

I put a minnow trap out with bread and nothing. I could understand the fhm being gone with the predators feeding on them, but nothing else makes sense. If they are gone, where did they go? They can't just disappear? And even if all the forage is gone, wouldn't all those predators be a little hungry?

If you feed in your pond, use some of the floating food in the minnow trap. Place it parallel to shore, in about 24" of water. If nothing is in the trap in a few hours, move the trap and try again. I've put minnow traps in a pond with 0 results, but moved it to the other side of the pond and had 20+ fish in it.

Ok, I will try that this afternoon, thanks

I went back and looked at your initial post and found that your pond is 1/3 to 1/2 acre. But how much water is in it? Lots of us in the West Texas area haven't been blessed with rain. I think you may have overstocked it. If you have had a total kill, which I doubt, it's time to rethink your stocking strategy.

BTW, I have also had a fish kill in my 1.3 acre pond that is now about 1/4 acre of muddy water.

We had fish kills in 2 acre pond too.

Yeah pond would be dry if I was waiting in rain. This pond is fed with well water, I keep it pretty close to full.

I put two fish traps on both sides of the pond and had nothing in the last 24 hrs. I actually swam around a little this evening seeing if I could stir something or maybe surface some dead fish if they were on the bottom. I could understand a total fish kill, but can't understand where the dead fish would have gone. I've stopped feeding this week in hopes to try to get a line bite. I'm keeping worms out 24/7 and I haven't had anything touch them. I wish I had access to some minnows I could try, but just not sure what else to do. Might try some sort of chicken liver or catfish bait next.

I know I had this thing overstocked and I won't make that mistake again if I have to start over, but I'm just trying to figure out where I'm at so I can make my next move.

No minner stands in the area? I have never seen a total fish kill if any water is left. Fry always get in the skinny water that still has some oxygen. But with traps and lines not getting any, you may have done it.

Due to the pond size, consider Hybrid bluegills and hybrid stripers with a feeder. Restock as necessary. You'll have a ball with that combo.

So to summarize

Fish kill ~ 4 weeks ago

Absolutely no fish activity on surface, in traps, or by baited hook left in water

The problem now seems to be that you have no idea what is left

If you try to restock with baitfish and follow recommended stocking rates/ times even a few left over predators would destroy that plan

In my mind its rotenone and start over time

I would think along the same lines of gallop, with a twist.

I would pump the pond down, since the size is smaller. If you start seeing fish of sizes that should be there, fill it back up. If no fish, pump down more and start over.

Still seems odd that they are all gone. Makes you wonder what may be wrong that it will happen again.

Edit- or hire a pro for a fish survey.

Yeah I could understand them all dying. Had a bad algae bloom with a couple hit days and then a cold one. Had no aeration and the well water just wasn't enough. But I can't understand where the fish went if they did die, I kept tabs on each fish I recovered.

There sitting on the bottom with a turtle having a buffet

Actually, very few fish float when dead.

That's what I'm thinking so j went swimming yesterday trying to drag the bottom a little bit to see if I could get them to surface,but nothing. But I do have a lot of mud and chara so they could be down in there?

Well I guess my next plan is to restock, just going to stock forage this trip, thinking

200 Res 2-3"
200 CNBG 5-6"
10 lbs FHM

Going to monitor these throughout the year continue to check on the potential of any other survivors and cull any remaining predators I might catch. Wish I would of taken this approach from day 1, along with getting this vortex going earlier. From the couple guys I've spoke with, my fish problems should be behind me now that the aerator is blowing and going 24/7.

Hard to hold off on some HSB or LMB but I will try and wait! Plus I want to make sure I can keep these guys going strong before spending anymore

I'm not a fan of BG or LMB in a 1/2 acre. Something always gets out of whack and it's generally bass getting over crowded and not biting. The average Texas pond is bass heavy.

If it were me, and it's not, I would go with hybrid bluegills and hybrid stripers with aeration and a feeder. Both can easily be restocked. HSB can easily out fight a LMB and they don't cause problems.

What is the advantage of a Hybrid bluegill over a CNBG?

Im kind of leaning to leaving the lmb out of the picture for now and going with the HSB for the time being. I have 3 small kids so my main goal is lots of healthy catchable fish. Id love to have a 8 lb bass to catch, but nothing is more exciting than watching a 5 yr old catch a fish.

So what kind of numbers would you suggest if I go that route. I was basing my cnbg numbers off what most people suggested for a trophy lmb pond. I dont mind either the hybrid bluegill or the CNBG, just didnt know the advantage to one over the other. Should i still stock the RES and FHM along with the HBG

Sry, one more question, should i stock the bluegill now and wait and stock the HSB at a later time. Also how many of the HSB should I stock initially? Really appreciate your help. Trying to not make another mistake, as the wife is already a litle upset about 600 bucks of fish that are no longer around, lol

The advantage of HBG is that spawn very little. The problem with BG in a Texas pond is that they spawn enough to get out of control. The only thing that can keep them under control is largemouth bass. But then nothing keeps bass from over spawning. The normal Texas pond under a couple of acres is loaded with runt bass that are hook shy. We call it bass heavy and they eat all of the bluegills that will fit in their mouths.


That's why I like the idea of HBG and HSB with a feeder. Both of them love pellets and grow well. Your chances of a crash is almost nil if they stocked in the correct numbers and ratio. You will never have runt fish. You and the kids will love catching the BG's and the HSB's.

The whole concept is an in balance pond.

I think I'll give it a go. Been bouncing back and forth between the hbg and the CNBG. So what numbers would you start with, 500 hbg and 20 HSB? Or could I do more?

Really want a full pond of fish for the kids to catch every other day or so

I think that number is OK; maybe a little heavy on the HBG. Maybe do 300 HBG and 100 Res with the 20 or maybe 25 HSB.

Thanks, can always add more hbg down the road. Now would you just stock the HBG for now and then add HSB later or can I add them all at the same time. I dont want the HSB to wipe out the HBG before they get going. I guess I can always get larger HBG to start off with. maybe 300 4-6" HBG and 25 6-8" HSB.

Yeah, wait a couple of months before adding the stripers. Give the BG's a lot of food. BTW, RES don't eat fish feed. Stock 3 or 4 pounds of fathead minnows with the sunfish.

Be careufly you don't give the HBG too big a head start though. You don't want them spawning with no predators with a mouth large enough to effectively feed on the young they produce...

I wonder what pure HBG offspring look like. I expect they would look like groceries.

Scooby snacks with gills.