Pond Boss Magazine
https://www.pondboss.com/images/userfiles/image/20130301193901_6_150by50orangewhyshouldsubscribejpeg.jpg
Advertisment
Newest Members
Shotgun01, Dan H, Stipker, LunkerHunt23, Jeanjules
18,451 Registered Users
Forum Statistics
Forums36
Topics40,899
Posts557,050
Members18,451
Most Online3,612
Jan 10th, 2023
Top Posters
esshup 28,407
ewest 21,474
Cecil Baird1 20,043
Bill Cody 15,110
Who's Online Now
2 members (Rainman, Bobbss), 284 guests, and 147 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Page 22 of 27 1 2 20 21 22 23 24 26 27
Bill D. #489413 05/01/18 09:13 PM
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 6,080
Likes: 1
Bill D. Offline OP
OP Offline
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 6,080
Likes: 1
Originally Posted By: Bill D.
Another update on the flashing yellow lights....

Since that one occurrence of geese on the pond at day break, no more have spent the night on the pond. Perhaps the lights are working or at least helping.

The lights do nothing of course with respect to geese dropping by during the day. Those leave right away though when my old dog 410 barks at them. grin


Update....

We are into May and I have seen a definite drop in geese on the pond. Still an occasional " drop in" during the day but no over night guests. Interestingly, no GBH on the pond at dawn this year as well. I have decided the generic solar flashing yellow lights definitely help. At $40 a light, money well spent, even if the batteries are not replaceable. I will spend the bucks every few years for replacements.

Last edited by Bill D.; 05/01/18 09:15 PM.

[Linked Image]
Be Brave Enough to Suck at Something New!
Bill D. #489414 05/01/18 09:16 PM
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 2,892
Likes: 144
C
Offline
C
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 2,892
Likes: 144
all batteries are replaceable... there are two wires... you know the rest.

Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 6,080
Likes: 1
Bill D. Offline OP
OP Offline
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 6,080
Likes: 1
Originally Posted By: canyoncreek
all batteries are replaceable... there are two wires... you know the rest.


Problem with these lights is the case is fabricated such that you can't access the battery without destroying the light.

Edit: I just realized I never posted a pic of the lights. I will post some in the next couple of days. Supposed to storm here for the next few days and I'm keeping my fingers crossed it is too wet to take pics for a while! smile

Last edited by Bill D.; 05/01/18 09:23 PM.

[Linked Image]
Be Brave Enough to Suck at Something New!
Bill D. #491583 06/10/18 04:09 PM
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 6,080
Likes: 1
Bill D. Offline OP
OP Offline
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 6,080
Likes: 1
Here's a pic of one of the lights. Cast aluminum frame. They come with a detachable mount so I just stuck the hubs into some 2 foot sections of PVC I had around as the posts. This one has been out there thru the winter just to see how they would hold up. No problem. Still going strong.


Attached Images
Flashing Light.jpg
Last edited by Bill D.; 06/10/18 08:06 PM.

[Linked Image]
Be Brave Enough to Suck at Something New!
Bill D. #491598 06/10/18 08:14 PM
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 6,080
Likes: 1
Bill D. Offline OP
OP Offline
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 6,080
Likes: 1
Time to close the loop on my little experiment with the flashing lights. After having three different pairs of geese come wandering out of the brush herding their brood for this year to the pond....

My Conclusions:

My lights that flash at night did nothing to keep geese from showing up in the morning and spending the day.

They did not prevent geese from trying to raise their brood on my pond

Maybe the lights designed specifically as geese deterrents do better...not in my budget to find out but if anyone has tried them, please post your experience.




Last edited by Bill D.; 06/10/18 08:18 PM.

[Linked Image]
Be Brave Enough to Suck at Something New!
Bill D. #491601 06/10/18 09:27 PM
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 1,903
Likes: 109
Offline
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 1,903
Likes: 109
Thanks Bill. I’m not at my pond often enough to keep geese away. I’m just lucky so far, that they have decided to stay away.


9 yr old pond, 1 ac, 15' deep.
RES, YP, GS, FHM (no longer), HBG (going away), SMB, and HSB (only one seen in 5 yrs) Restocked HSB (2020) Have seen one of these.
I think that's about all I should put in my little pond.
Otter attack in 2023
Bill D. #491604 06/10/18 11:00 PM
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 3,861
Likes: 298
A
Offline
A
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 3,861
Likes: 298
I found that scare-eye balloons seemed to deter GBH, but not geese. Also, holographic bird scare tape put on favorite perches was useful against water turkeys, but again not geese.

The only thing that seemed to bother the geese was when the raccoons swam to the island and raided their nests. A couple of weeks after that they left.


7ac 2015 CNBG RES FHM 2016 TP FLMB 2017 NLMB GSH L 2018 TP & 70 HSB PK 2019 TP RBT 2020 TFS TP 25 HSB 250 F1,L,RBT -206 2021 TFS TP GSH L,-312 2022 GSH TP CR TFS RBT -234, 2023 BG TP TFS NLMB, -160




Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 6,080
Likes: 1
Bill D. Offline OP
OP Offline
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 6,080
Likes: 1
Guys,

I've been pondering a question that has perhaps baffled pondmiesters for years...are geese so smart that they are not fooled by our feeble attempts to scare them away or are they...just too STUPID to be afraid!! crazy

Last edited by Bill D.; 06/11/18 09:28 PM. Reason: Typo

[Linked Image]
Be Brave Enough to Suck at Something New!
Bill D. #491667 06/12/18 06:29 AM
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 3,668
Likes: 57
T
Offline
T
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 3,668
Likes: 57
I have spent a lot of my life outdoors and have come to believe most all of Gods creatures are pretty smart. If they weren't man would have killed them all by now.


Do not judge me by the politicians in my City, State or Federal Government.


Tracy
Bill D. #491672 06/12/18 08:10 AM
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 5,714
Likes: 281
R
RAH Offline
Lunker
Offline
Lunker
R
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 5,714
Likes: 281
Man has actually done a pretty good job at causing widespread extinction of many species. I often consider the difference between survival instinct and intelligence. It does not take much intelligence to avoid places where you are shot at. As a biologist, I attribute a lot of survival skills among wildlife and people to basic instinct. Those with these inclinations tend to be the ones passing on their genes. Not to be political, but this selection pressure may no longer apply to humans in developed countries.

Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 6,080
Likes: 1
Bill D. Offline OP
OP Offline
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 6,080
Likes: 1
A couple of pics of CC we've caught this summer. The little guy is one size class of recruits we've seen. We've also caught smaller.


These two ladies, one 5 lb+ and 1 6 lb+, have an interesting color pattern that I don't ever recall seeing before. Anybody seen CC with this "camo" pattern?

Attached Images
CC Recruit 6-18.jpg CC 2018.jpg
Last edited by Bill D.; 08/03/18 02:37 PM.

[Linked Image]
Be Brave Enough to Suck at Something New!
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 3,861
Likes: 298
A
Offline
A
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 3,861
Likes: 298
Nice fish with rather unusual coloration.

Bill, how long does it take to grow a 4 to 6 inch CC into 18 - 21 inches, assuming they are fed adequately? I'm considering doing that in my 1/10 acre forage pond.


7ac 2015 CNBG RES FHM 2016 TP FLMB 2017 NLMB GSH L 2018 TP & 70 HSB PK 2019 TP RBT 2020 TFS TP 25 HSB 250 F1,L,RBT -206 2021 TFS TP GSH L,-312 2022 GSH TP CR TFS RBT -234, 2023 BG TP TFS NLMB, -160




Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 6,080
Likes: 1
Bill D. Offline OP
OP Offline
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 6,080
Likes: 1
Originally Posted By: anthropic
Nice fish with rather unusual coloration.

Bill, how long does it take to grow a 4 to 6 inch CC into 18 - 21 inches, assuming they are fed adequately? I'm considering doing that in my 1/10 acre forage pond.


In my pond, 18 to 21 inch CC would weigh probably 2 to 3 lb+.

If I stocked 4 to 6 inch CC spring 2019, I would expect to harvest 18 to 21 inch fish fall of 2020. My growing season is shorter than yours though so I would expect yours to grow faster.


[Linked Image]
Be Brave Enough to Suck at Something New!
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 6,080
Likes: 1
Bill D. Offline OP
OP Offline
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 6,080
Likes: 1
Although we never see egg ribbons in the spring, apparently, our YP do successfully spawn. We accidentally caught three this size and slightly smaller yesterday while fishing for BG. I hate catching this cool water species when it is this hot as they seem to easily stress. One of the ones we caught did not make it.




Attached Images
YP2018YOY.jpg
Last edited by Bill D.; 10/26/18 05:31 PM. Reason: Typo

[Linked Image]
Be Brave Enough to Suck at Something New!
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 1,903
Likes: 109
Offline
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 1,903
Likes: 109
Nice pic. I’ve turned into a big YP fan in the last few years. I’ve caught a few smaller ones lately, but not many.


9 yr old pond, 1 ac, 15' deep.
RES, YP, GS, FHM (no longer), HBG (going away), SMB, and HSB (only one seen in 5 yrs) Restocked HSB (2020) Have seen one of these.
I think that's about all I should put in my little pond.
Otter attack in 2023
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 6,080
Likes: 1
Bill D. Offline OP
OP Offline
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 6,080
Likes: 1
I am very pleased with the walleye fishing this year in our little puddle. The ones we caught/harvested were in the 20 to 21 inch range. If all that I stocked survived, there should still be 9 more in there. The plan is to ladder stock some more next spring. They seem to be really helping control the number of YOY LMB. Here is a typical WE from this year. (It is dead and a little stiff in the pic as it was in an ice water bath just prior to the photo.)




Attached Images
Walleye92518.jpg
Last edited by Bill D.; 09/29/18 06:12 PM.

[Linked Image]
Be Brave Enough to Suck at Something New!
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 1,596
Likes: 28
F
Offline
F
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 1,596
Likes: 28
Bill D, I have only seen catfish look those colors after they had been dead for awhile. I'm being serious. I assume those fish are still alive in that photo? They look to be. I had a retail fish dealers license many years ago and bought catfish from huge lakes and private commercial ponds all over Texas.Don't recall ever seeing LIVE channel cats look exactly like that.


Dear Alcohol, We had a deal where you would make me funnier, smarter, and a better dancer... I saw the video... We need to talk.
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 6,080
Likes: 1
Bill D. Offline OP
OP Offline
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 6,080
Likes: 1
Originally Posted By: Flame
Bill D, I have only seen catfish look those colors after they had been dead for awhile. I'm being serious. I assume those fish are still alive in that photo? They look to be. I had a retail fish dealers license many years ago and bought catfish from huge lakes and private commercial ponds all over Texas.Don't recall ever seeing LIVE channel cats look exactly like that.


Yep, those girls are alive in the pic. That was their coloring as we pulled them from the pond. Only thing I can figure is that we had had quite a bit of rain that raised the pond 4 feet or so. Maybe they were changing color to adjust to the change in water color/visibility? They tasted great! smile

Last edited by Bill D.; 09/29/18 07:57 PM.

[Linked Image]
Be Brave Enough to Suck at Something New!
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 6,086
Likes: 93
S
Offline
S
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 6,086
Likes: 93
Originally Posted By: Bill D.
A couple of pics of CC we've caught this summer. The little guy is one size class of recruits we've seen. We've also caught smaller.


These two ladies, one 5 lb+ and 1 6 lb+, have an interesting color pattern that I don't ever recall seeing before. Anybody seen CC with this "camo" pattern?


If we put CC in our holding pen and leave them a few days they will get that pale coloration I think from rubbing themselves on the plastic mesh and fighting. We have learned we can leave BG in the cage for quite some time with no ill effects but the CC over a couple days and they will get skin damage with eventual bacterial infection and die. We try not to leave CC longer than over night and clean them by no later than the next day because of this.

But to get to my point, by looking at the date posted, I wonder if the fish could have been nesting and getting the same type of skin coloration because of abrasion like I see when we have them in the cage. I do not know this to be the case, just an idea that might fit the time of year.

Last edited by snrub; 09/30/18 11:30 AM.

John

I subscribe to Pond Boss Magazine
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 6,080
Likes: 1
Bill D. Offline OP
OP Offline
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 6,080
Likes: 1
Thanks for the input John!

Interesting point. You may be on to something. One was full of eggs and the other had apparently just spawned (no eggs).


[Linked Image]
Be Brave Enough to Suck at Something New!
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 157
B
Offline
B
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 157
I have started reading through this thread about your "Mutt Pond" I also have a pond with just bucket stocked fish. It's all about the fun of fishing at your own fishing hole and see what you can catch.


Nothing like seeing your bobber bobbing.
1 acre pond with LMB BG GSF BH CC and whatever else I can find
Not after trophies I just like catching and eating fish
Buddy R Hill


I Subscribe
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 6,080
Likes: 1
Bill D. Offline OP
OP Offline
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 6,080
Likes: 1
Originally Posted By: bigpullerman
I have started reading through this thread about your "Mutt Pond" I also have a pond with just bucket stocked fish. It's all about the fun of fishing at your own fishing hole and see what you can catch.


Hope you enjoy the read Buddy. Sounds like we have similar goals. This year was our 5th summer since digging the pond. I am happy to report that it has exceeded our expectations. You never know what you might catch when fishing in our pond and we have feasted several times on nice size BG, HBG, PS, YP, LMB, SMB, WE and CC. I wish you similar or better results with your Mutt Pond!

Bill D.

Last edited by Bill D.; 10/11/18 05:57 AM.

[Linked Image]
Be Brave Enough to Suck at Something New!
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 6,080
Likes: 1
Bill D. Offline OP
OP Offline
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 6,080
Likes: 1
Caught and released our one and only GSF tonight. Fat little fella. 7.5 inches. I stocked it a few years back to see if I could get a few HBG recruits. I don't know whether it is male or female but we do occasionally catch a HBG of various sizes so the plan is apparently working at least to some extent.




Attached Images
GSF102218.jpg
Last edited by Bill D.; 10/23/18 07:17 AM.

[Linked Image]
Be Brave Enough to Suck at Something New!
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 6,080
Likes: 1
Bill D. Offline OP
OP Offline
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 6,080
Likes: 1
Originally Posted By: Bill D.
Although we never see egg ribbons in the spring, apparently, our YP do successfully spawn. We accidentally caught three this size and slightly smaller yesterday while fishing for BG. I hate catching this cool water species when it is this hot as they seem to easily stress. One of the ones we caught did not make it.





Just realized I did not post a pic of a typical YP that we harvested this year so I snapped this shot a couple days ago. This one was 11+ inches. There is a also a 8.5 inch BG in the shot.






Attached Images
YP102318.jpg
Last edited by Bill D.; 10/26/18 05:30 PM. Reason: Typo

[Linked Image]
Be Brave Enough to Suck at Something New!
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 6,086
Likes: 93
S
Offline
S
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 6,086
Likes: 93
I know nothing about YP, but they look good to me Bill.


John

I subscribe to Pond Boss Magazine
Page 22 of 27 1 2 20 21 22 23 24 26 27

Link Copied to Clipboard
Today's Birthdays
Bob Lusk, GaryK, GrizzFan, PhotographerDave
Recent Posts
Happy Birthday Bob Lusk!!
by Rainman - 03/28/24 02:53 AM
Relative weight charts in Excel ? Calculations?
by Mark Dyer - 03/27/24 10:18 PM
Reducing fish biomass
by esshup - 03/27/24 06:17 PM
New 2 acre pond stocking plan
by esshup - 03/27/24 06:05 PM
1 year after stocking question
by esshup - 03/27/24 06:02 PM
Questions and Feedback on SMB
by Donatello - 03/27/24 03:10 PM
Paper-shell crayfish and Japanese snails
by Bill Cody - 03/27/24 10:18 AM
Brooder Shiners and Fry, What to do??
by esshup - 03/27/24 08:47 AM
2024 North Texas Optimal BG food Group Buy
by Dave Davidson1 - 03/27/24 08:15 AM
Dewatering bags seeded to form berms?
by esshup - 03/26/24 10:00 PM
Freeze Danger? - Electric Diaphragm Pump
by esshup - 03/26/24 09:47 PM
Newly Uploaded Images
Eagles Over The Pond Yesterday
Eagles Over The Pond Yesterday
by Tbar, December 10
Deer at Theo's 2023
Deer at Theo's 2023
by Theo Gallus, November 13
Minnow identification
Minnow identification
by Mike Troyer, October 6
Sharing the Food
Sharing the Food
by FishinRod, September 9
Nice BGxRES
Nice BGxRES
by Theo Gallus, July 28
Snake Identification
Snake Identification
by Rangersedge, July 12

� 2014 POND BOSS INC. all rights reserved USA and Worldwide

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5