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Here is our stocking plan which would not have been possible without Bill Cody, thank you again my friend! Will add pics as we go.

Goal: Looking for a balanced fishery with some variety and average catch rates on .8176 acre pond.

Spring 2015
1000 Fathead Minnows (Pimephales promelas)
30 Lake Chubsucker (Erimyzon sucetta)
200 Papershell Crayfish (Orconectes immunis)
200 Glass Shrimp (Palaemonetes kadiakensis)
150 Redear Sunfish (Lepomis microlophus) (2-4 inches)

Summer 2015 (seined/trapped from local streams)
Blackstripe Topminnow (Fundulus notatus)
Bluntnose Minnow (Pimephales notatus)
Steelcolor Shiner (Cyprinella whipplei)
Scarlet Shiner (Lythrurus fasciolaris)
Spotfin Shiners (Cyprinella spiloptera)
Central Stoneroller (Campostoma anomalum)

Fall 2015 (Was supposed to be Spring but ran into issues)
100 Yellow Perch (Perca flavescens) (4-6 inches)

Fall 2016 (After first YP spawn and ladder stock)
10 Hybrid Striped Bass (5-7 inches)
6 Walleye (Sander vitreus) (5-7 inches)

Fall 2017 (Fish out by Spring, adjust numbers based on observations)
10 Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) (10-12 inches)
5 Brown Trout (Salmo trutta) (10-12 inches)



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Fathead Stocking 03/28/2015

Getting ready to sort FHM





Kids thought sorting was a blast, even the baby









Releasing them to the pond




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Papershell Stocking 06/09/2015

Ordered from Smith Creek Farms in NY. Kids really had fun with these guys once they were released, it was funny to watch them.

Packaging




200 Crayfish








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Ben, looks like Dr Perca gave ya the under the wing course as he did for me. He is one good dude! I'm sure that your BOW will turn out fine. Speakin of fine, that's an impressive crew ya got helpin ya. I bet they will enjoy the pond more than you. Good job including them in the project. Nice pics by the way.


Do nature a favor, spay/neuter your pets and any weird friends or relatives.
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Thanks Bob. Yes, he (Cody) is such an invaluable asset. The kids are quite lively but they sure make this whole process 100x more fun, I love the excitement. Although, when the 7 year old started talking about adequate amounts of DO in bags of fish my wife accused us of being obsessed. Maybe she is right but everybody needs a hobby!



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Not obsessed, just educated. Tell your wife you'de rather have them ask about that rather than what is your high score on Grand theft auto.


Do nature a favor, spay/neuter your pets and any weird friends or relatives.
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Looks like only a couple did not make it. Ought to make a good forage base for you.

I would like to do the same but hate to think I need to get them from New York. Surely there is a source closer to Kansas. With all the fish farms in Arkansas I would think there should be something closer, but I never see any of the fish farms advertise crayfish.

My youngest group of grandkids, a little older than your kids, make it to the pond I refurbished for them on their farm almost daily.


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Redear Stocking 06/26/2015





Floating Bags


Releasing





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Ben, awesome posts and awesome pictures.
Curious, where did you source the RES? Any mortalities?

Have you spotted any of your crayfish or ghost shrimp after stocking?

SNRUB, New York is a hike to get crayfish, but shipping is affordable. Actually free if you place a $100 order. By the time you get 100-200 crayfish and maybe a few sunfish or some fish food you can hit $100 order pretty easily. Free shipping is great and having them show up in good condition on your doorstep is even better yet smile

I also put in about the same amount of LCS and RES as you did about this time last year and am anxious to see how they are doing.

I'm looking at adding some pumpkinseed (for their cool colors!) and papershell crayfish this year for forage diversity.

I see you hoped to do perch this spring. I was fortunate with the help of PB members to arrange for perch this spring and they are hoping that the crayfish show up soon!

You should see FHM spawn soon or by now?

What success have you had in trapping the local shiners/topminnow etc this summer?

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crayfish are interesting I didn't think I had anything like that until I started to rake out some funk in the shore of my pond with a hard garden rake. As I pulled up some of the funk and mud on the shore I was finding them all over the place! They sure hide good though.

Not sure how bass even have a chance at eating one as they seem very evasive.

RC


The only difference between a rut and a Grave is the depth. So get up get out of that rut and get moving!! Time to work!!
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Canyoncreek, Is the free shipping from smith creek? They quoted me $80 for overnight shipping on 100 crayfish so I held off. If I up my order to over $100 and get free shipping that would be a deal!

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Nerve mind! Just went to the website and saw the banner ad. Looks like I'm getting some crayfish! Thanks for the heads up!

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Thanks for the info guys. I am dropping a lot of crayfish habitat in the form of broken up concrete chunks from the failed patio this weekend, weather permitting. I will give it a month or so to "settle in" and then order the papershells!

Bill D.

Last edited by Bill D.; 07/02/15 09:17 PM. Reason: Typo

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Canyoncreek, I purchased the RES from Freshwater Fish Farm in Urbana, OH. Nice people, haven't had any issues. Here is a link to my RES stocking issue. More than confident issue was NOT due to the farm, I will be returning there to get more fish at some point. They are also my supplier for the annual rainbow and brown stockings starting in 2017.

RES Stocking Problems

We have seen a few of the crayfish. I gathered up the dead RES and put them in a minnow trap to see what my crayfish population looks like. I will post what I find in the next few days. The few we did see looked really good.

We haven't seen any fatheads yet but from a previous post it is not uncommon to not see them in a large empty pond.

I don't recall seeing that Free Shipping banner back in March when I ordered my crayfish. What a great deal, something tells me Smith Creek is going to have a run on their crayfish!!! If it was there then I am an idiot.



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Ben

Keep your eyes in the shallows for yoy fhm esp during high sun - you'll see swarms of them soon if you don't already. A few pellets or some bread on surface should lure them in - they'll swarm it and allow you a very close up view of them. The sheer numbers will likely baffle you.


Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after. ~ Henry David Thoreau

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Thanks for the tip, I will try it this weekend. I hope it does baffle me!! Have a good 4th, wishing you safe explosions and no trips to the ER. Although you could get one of those fancy gowns everyone has been strutting around in.



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TJ,
We took your advice and I was amazed at what you can see when the sun is high vs looking in the evening. We saw the RES cruising the shoreline in about 2 feet of water, the LCS but in much shallower water right up against the vegetation, and I think a couple of FHM. Next sunny day we are going out again around noon for another check. Caught one of my Papershells in a trap today, I am amazed at the growth, estimating about double in size. Wife was getting a little dismayed on not seeing anything so Sunday was quite enjoyable, thanks again.



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Ben,

I agree. For the first time today I saw some of my SMB. I was walking by the pond in bright sun and saw a small school of fish shadowing me. A closer look revealed 5 or 6 SMB 10 to 12 inches long apparently hunting in a pack. I suspect they wanted me to throw a few pellets to draw out some prey. Incredible to see!

Everytime you spend some quiet time at the pond there is something new to see!

Bill D.


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Stocked 100 yellow perch (8-10") from Brehm's Perch Farm in West Liberty, OH. Absolutely wonderful family, kids had a blast helping load them and playing with Matt Brehm's kids. Used a 45 gallon trash can with a live well aerator, Matt added salt which was great. Took about 45 minutes to get them to the pond and spent another 20 minutes acclimating as temps and PH were really close. Forgot pictures (stupid me) but got the one below from 1 dead one found this morning, 4 days after stocking. It measured 10" and was nice and fat.

Note: Thank you Bill Cody for putting me on to Brehm's, absolutely wonderful experience and very nice fat perch!


Last edited by Ben Adducchio; 10/13/15 11:16 AM. Reason: Added Note


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So our management strategy needs to change. Last fall we fished out roughly 20 LMB that either washed in or someone stocked a few that spawned. We fished until no more LMB were caught for several weeks, however, it was unsuccessful. This Spring we have sighted roughly 15 more LMB cruising the banks and now setting up on beds. Working on fishing them out but our tactics (nightcrawler nose hooked w/ small weight) from the fall are not as successful. So the questions I have:

1) What approach should I take on LMB, ie harvest all LMB caught, only take a specific slot, etc.?

2) Is it still feasible to stock HSB and WE this fall, or is that going to ask too much out of the forage base? Willing to dump WE and only go HSB.

3) Is it worth the effort to seine the LMB fry off of the beds close to shore? What size mesh is needed?

4) Better tactics for fishing out spawning LMB? (Side note, bird shot from 12 gauge doesn't work even when they are only in a few inches of water. It is fun though!)

5) Will supplemental stockings of YP be needed in the future? I understand this will need to be determined by catch logs but is it a definite or will heavy management of LMB allow YP to maintain numbers? I do have access to 8-10" YP at a great price.

I think that covers my questions, am I missing something? Thanks guys.



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Use high brass turkey loads with 2 or 4 shot and don't forget to aim low to compensate for light refraction.

Here is the 10-4 rule on gauging just how low to aim....

The 10-4 rule:

If the fish is 10 feet (3 meters) away and 1 foot (30 centimeters) below the surface, then aim 4 inches (10 centimeters) low.

If you double either the 10 or the one, then double the four.
For example, you would aim 8 inches (20 centimeters) low for a fish that's either 20 feet (6 meters) away and 1 foot deep or 10 feet away and 2 feet (60 centimeters) deep.

At 15 feet, Aim about 6 inches (15 centimeters) low for every 1 foot of depth.

At 25 feet, Look at the fish and aim 10 inches (25 centimeters) low.

Last edited by Rainman; 04/27/16 04:38 PM.


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If you want to keep trying to angle them out, we were successful removing some recently using the Bill Cody recommended "minnow under a cork" method. We caught fish on both GSH and larger FHM. It helps if you eyeball where the fish seem to be hanging out first and then fishing early morning or right before dark.

Good Luck!


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I'm not a good angler so this recommendation comes from a friend that is.

When he can see them on the nest, he tries to physically knock them off by dragging his lure across them. Then the next cast they are pissed and attack the lure defensively (as opposed to going after something to eat).

Just passing along what he said. Have no idea if he is full of it.

Last edited by snrub; 04/27/16 07:02 PM.

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Snrub,

That reminds me. A buddy told me to drag an artificial salamander thru the nest as the LMB see that as a natural egg predator. Apparently, they more attack it than try to eat it. I've never tried it though.


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Originally Posted By: Rainman
Use high brass turkey loads with 2 or 4 shot and don't forget to aim low to compensate for light refraction.

Here is the 10-4 rule on gauging just how low to aim....

Rex, genius, pure genius. Thanks.

Originally Posted By: Bill D.
If you want to keep trying to angle them out, we were successful removing some recently using the Bill Cody recommended "minnow under a cork" method. We caught fish on both GSH and larger FHM. It helps if you eyeball where the fish seem to be hanging out first and then fishing early morning or right before dark.

Good Luck!


I read your post when you were trying to angle your LMB. I am trying to avoid introduction of GSH so I decided against using them as bait. I did not think about using large FHM, will give it a try this weekend.

Originally Posted By: snrub
I'm not a good angler so this recommendation comes from a friend that is.

When he can see them on the nest, he tries to physically knock them off by dragging his lure across them. Then the next cast they are pissed and attack the lure defensively (as opposed to going after something to eat).

Just passing along what he said. Have no idea if he is full of it.


I have read this a few different places, guys talking about physically hitting the bass a few times before they could get a reaction bite. Attempted it a late last week with no luck, the LMB are now quite jumpy after trying to shoot them so I have to keep my distance now. Probably going to give it another go, they also say slow down and pause for more time over the nest. Thanks.

Originally Posted By: Bill D.
Snrub,

That reminds me. A buddy told me to drag an artificial salamander thru the nest as the LMB see that as a natural egg predator. Apparently, they more attack it than try to eat it. I've never tried it though.


Interesting, need to get some salamanders. We will find out if there is something to it, thanks again Bill.



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