Pond Boss

Any given day, I could catch as many trophy CNBG, several trophy class HSB and a couple of nice Florida LMB that I wanted to fish for …… .
Until MOTHER NATURE took over management of our pond.

I had the 2 acre pond in perfect balance, stocked to the max with preferred species to achieve my goals, when a couple of years of record breaking drought and hot weather shrunk the 2 acre pond to 1 acre and had a partial fish kill June of last year – a record breaking month of consecutive 100+ degree days.

Never saw so many 5-8lb LMB and HSB floaters I my life.
Started putting my thoughts and options together and first was how to design an aeration system that could survive record heat and drought conditions.
We had a “state of “art” bottom diffuser aeration system but obviously not capable of handle current conditions

I discussed current situation with Todd Overton and his key question was – “George do you want to continue fishing of throw in the towel?” Those of you that know me know my obvious answer.

Due to old bones and extreme health conditions and the frustration of not being able do what I had always done for myself, I turned over pond management program to Todd as my primary consultant.

It worked!
Photos below

Program Plan and Implementation:

Phase 1 - Install surface aerator to assist bottom diffuser system.

Phase 2 – Control Invasive Aquatic Vegetation:
Control massive invasion of water primrose, algae and duckweed.
October 2011 – Stocked 20 Grass Carp
April 2012 - Stocked 20lbs Mozambique Tilapia.
Program currently successful.

Phase 3 – Restocking program implemented:
October 2011 – Stocked 100 8-10 HSB and 20 Florida LMB.
No CNBG at this time due to good numbers of large Survivors.

Phase 4 – Future restocking plan.
Fall 2012 – Stock 100 adult mostly male OTS CNBG – my great – great – great grandbaby CNBG, to take advantage of Overton selective breeding program.
Stock 100 additional 8-10 inch HSB and an additional dozen or so adult pure Florida LMB for son Jeff.

Yeah, I know I push the envelope –but that’s just me.
I want to credit three outstanding PondBoss professional fisheries biologist friends for my successful past program.
Bob Lusk of PondBoss fame, who first advised on correction of my error in stocking fingerling forage fish that turned into expensive fish food, after stocking adult LMB from a neighbor’s pond.

Bob Waldrop of Tyler Fish Farms for impressing me on the importance of good fish genetics.

Todd Overton of Overton Fisheries, who was willing to take the financial risk of purchasing fingerling HSB to grow out adult stockers, not knowing whether there would be a market or not – turned out there was!

Many other PondBosser friends that helped me out along the way, to which I owe a huge sense of gratitude - thanks to all!

Overton has become my primary fisheries consultant and now manager, not only because of his TAMU fisheries graduate education as well as extensive experience, but because he has the resources of hatchery facility and 30 brood/grow-out ponds, in addition to a couple of large ponds, to be able to implement some of my hair–brained ideas..

We “photo-shocked” yesterday – no nets used to eliminate risk of stress on fish with 93.8 near surface water temperature and 99 degree air. Observation was more fish kill survivors than expected.
Photos below of activities:

continued...

I help George most of all because he is a dear friend. I want to see him fishing. Its what helps keep him motivated.

George, the place looks good.

Todd, thank you!

Thanks for the pictures, George! Great to see them. I liked your (Todd's?) technique of not dipping fish in that hot water. You can tell a LOT from standing on the front of an electrofishing boat. :-)

Yep, it brings out the kid in all of us.

Looks awesome George, I can't wait to get back out there and learn fly fishing again!!

It was indeed a fun learning experience Dave - you should have seen Todd and my reaction when a ~30lb grass carp almost jumped into the boat.. it's a blast learning new stuff - I am a lucky guy to have freinds like you guys.

Conditions were less than ideal for shocking as you can well imagine, but we could extrapolate results against known hook and line surveys.
In addition to excess heat and fish being spooked from outboard dmotor noise installing new surface aerator, the pond had filled with 15 inches of spring rain in a weeks time.
Hardness of rainwater is what - 0? Effectivee conductivity?

Fun day - who else but PB freinds would help an old duffer like me in and out of a boat for a classic "photoshock" survey.

Hope you are doing well!
George

Thanks Brian, can't wait for you to catch a big bucketmouth out of your lake on a new innovative deer hair bass bug a friend tied for me.
George

Great story, good information for us all, and I encourage you to push the envelope, George!

Beautiful looking pond, too.

Yes, that spring rain is very fresh. Only "additives" would be what is picked up in the watershed.

Yes, doing very well. Remember your responsibilities as role model. :-)

I think the surface aerator is a great addition. I know someone who has both a bottom diffuser and surface aerator on a smaller pond, their results are very good. I wish there was more information on using this combination.

Good luck, your pond looks great!!!

George thanks for sharing the story and pictures. Looks like a great place you have. You are an inspiration to us guys a few years younger. I had Todd'd folks deliver fish to my place for the first time a couple of months ago and I was very impressed with the quality of Todd's fish. Sounds like you are on the path to pond recovery.

George's pond is just as nice as I imagined. I hope I have a 10th of the dedication he has had.

Thanks guys – y’all shoulda seen it a few weeks ago – it was a mess!!!
Don’t ever let anyone tell you that Grass Carp doesn’t eat Water Primrose – don’t know whether GC, Tilapia or both put the hurt on the Duckweed!
Biological Aquatic weed control…

Couple of more weeks and the little dug-out sediment pond” will be clean as whistle..


Before - 06-20-12


After - 07-12-12



Before - 06-20-12


After - 07-12-12

Nice sediment ponds George. You had shown me a picture of their re-construction and clean out in another thread. Just found this one with picture before clean out. You should add the clean out picture here.

Wait a minute. I'm confused. Are these later pictures after the construction of the sediment pond when they became choked with weeds? Or before they were cleaned out?

Snrub, those last pictures were before and after stocking tilapia and GC. They did a good job but we continue to have fertility problems due to runoff from up old up-stream cattle lots.

We are in the process of getting solar components together for spring installation of a solar system for Kasco 12 volt surface aerator.
Thanks to Brian (Highflier) for putting the system together for us, based on his topia prototype.

Excited about solar aeration project to reclaim a great little pond!
George

Amazing......good job!!!

I need to get me some Tilapia come this spring to take care of my FA problem. In your pictures, only a month and they did significant improvement.

Up-Date....moving ahead on solar Kasco 12 volt surface aerator.
I have followed closely Highflyer's solar programs, following him around like a pet dog, so decided to "bite the bullet".
Had to keep progress quite until Brian's solar presentation - couple of weeks ago son Jeff and I installed the surface unit and soon Brian will have the panels and electrnics to complete the system.....I know...who needs aeration right now with ice and sleet on the ground..... I

Pictures tell the story:









Had a really good visit with the Kasco rep at the Confererence.
George

I really like the two land piers providing midlake casting access. Good idea on those, and also allows for sediment dredging with excavator down the road.

...and long jump competitions...

George 1, Thanks for telling your story, sorry I did not get to meet u @ the conference. HBD from another Oil field guy.
Tracy

That unit will add some air to the area and should improve water quality.