Forums36
Topics40,899
Posts557,083
Members18,451
|
Most Online3,612 Jan 10th, 2023
|
|
9 members (Sunil, Requa, Jason D, Jared015, Freg, Justin W, LeighAnn, Donatello, Theo Gallus),
768
guests, and
250
robots. |
Key:
Admin,
Global Mod,
Mod
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 38
Lunker
|
OP
Lunker
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 38 |
I am raising shiners and fatheads in a 1/4 acre pond for later transfer into main pond. Since built it has been very turbid. I cleaned it up with alum once but returned to mud color by next day. While seining it this summer we discovered that the fish? have dug one to two feet back and 10 inches down under ground all the way around the pond. Just this week part of my garden on one side of the pond collapsed 10 inches into the pond. The other side is lawn. Standing on the grass at edge of pond is really standing over underground cavern. I do have crayfish in there as well which I am trying to catch out. Has any one ever heard of these baitfish burrowing around like this?
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 6,080 Likes: 1
|
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 6,080 Likes: 1 |
I am not a pro but IMHO it is not the fish.
Do you have subsurface water entering the pond in the eroded areas? This might cause the undercuts as well as the turbidity. Do you have a high water table, spring, etc in that area?
What kind of crawfish do you have? A burrowing species?
Last edited by Bill D.; 10/16/15 05:17 PM. Reason: Clarification
Be Brave Enough to Suck at Something New!
|
|
|
|
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 15,110 Likes: 478
Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
|
Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 15,110 Likes: 478 |
Crayfish can do some digging into the banks which may cause sloughing of the sides. It would take a huge number of crayfish to do that much digging. Are the banks not well compacted and soil fairly loose? The minnows/shiners are definitely not responsible for the digging.
Last edited by Bill Cody; 10/16/15 08:08 PM.
aka Pond Doctor & Dr. Perca Read Pond Boss Magazine - America's Journal of Pond Management
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 165
|
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 165 |
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 6,080 Likes: 1
|
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 6,080 Likes: 1 |
I was leaning crawfish just because, if the forage is there, their numbers might explode with no predators present. My thought was Redfishman may not see that many during the day if they are up in the undercuts.
Last edited by Bill D.; 10/16/15 08:30 PM. Reason: Clarification
Be Brave Enough to Suck at Something New!
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 28,414 Likes: 792
Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
|
Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 28,414 Likes: 792 |
Redfishman, are there any other fish in the pond besides the FHM and the shiners?
How steep are the banks of the pond?
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 38
Lunker
|
OP
Lunker
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 38 |
The only other fish in the pond are six tiger muskies about 15". I don't knoqw what kind of crayfish they are , they have yellow streaks on their bellies. The water table is not particularly high , their is a spring but very small , few gallons a minute. The banks are pretty steep. Thanks for all your replies. I think I will draw pond down a few feet before next seining Will get some pics then
|
|
|
Moderated by Bill Cody, Bruce Condello, catmandoo, Chris Steelman, Dave Davidson1, esshup, ewest, FireIsHot, Omaha, Sunil, teehjaeh57
|
|