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#496735 09/22/18 06:43 PM
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I am starting this post for a place to keep updates on my little pond. I had it built over 20 yrs ago. It started out about 1/2 acre and now I have got it up to an acre. I have added to the levee over the yrs with my Ford 1720 tractor, dirt scoop and a box blade. Where I live in east central Ark. we have good red clay soil under the topsoil. The watershed is about 20 acres out of a rice/soybean field plus whatever comes down the 5 acres of old pasture that the pond is on. The pond was built after all the cows were gone. I have let of go for years and it has got grown up with willow and other trees around it that I plan on removing as I can. I built a fish dock about 4 yrs ago and catch some fish from it.I just bucket stocked it over the yrs with BG, GSF, BH, CC, LMB and crappie. We have caught some crappie over the yrs but haven't caught any the past couple yrs. I have never caught a BH but have caught some nice BG, CC, GSF and LMB. My goals are just for a place to fish and catch fish especially since we have some grandkids. I am not trying to make it a big LMB or BG pond, just somewhere I can go and catch some fish. About 5 yrs ago I started working on it and fishing it more and that's when I realized that it was LMB overpopulated cause I caught a lot of skinny LMB and not any small BG or GSF. Also in yrs past while I would be bushhogging around the pond I would kill some of those horseflies bitting me and I would toss them in the pond to watch the little fish gobble em up. Well the past several yrs I noticed that there was not any little fish coming up the gobble those things up so I figured something was out of wack. Done a lot of reading and come to the conclusion that my pond must be LMB overpopulated by what was being caught. We have for the past couple yrs started taking out LMB and adding BG, GSF, BH and some more CC. I know that a lot of people don't like the bullheads or GSF but for my goals I think they will be just fine. I have eat BH before and they were just fine. I just do as the fish farmers do and put them in a vat for a day or so to purge the muddy taste out. One other fish I want to add is RES. I have noticed some mussel shells around the pond plus I would like to see some of those get on my hook. I will probably have to actually purchase the RES as I haven't found anywhere around here that I have caught any. I have made some pretty good brushpiles the past few yrs to help the small fish survive but I have started trying to clean up all the dead junk floating around the pond. I only want brush piles that I have made in there. I have made some spawning buckets for the CC and plan to make some more out of old tires. I plan on posting up some pictures of my pond and projects there as I figure out how and get some pictures of it.


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


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I'm glad someone besides me enjoys a pond full of mutts. Keep working on reducing those LMB numbers! It takes time but you'll be pleased to see your hard work come to fruition. You may try setting some traps somewhere to catch some RES to bucket stock.


.10 surface acre pond, 10.5 foot deep. SW LA. The epitome of a mutt pond. BG, LMB, GSF, RES, BH, Warmouth, Longear Sunfish, Gambusia,Mud Minnows, Crappie, and now shiners!!...I subscribe!!
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Thanks Mike. I just have to figure out which of my neighbors has some RES in their ponds and a way to sneak in there and get some. But seriously I just like to have a place to go and fish close to home. I have also been taking out all the GSF big enough to eat. And for me that doesn't have to be too big. I have caught some GSF BG crosses which is pretty neat. The past few yrs I have really enjoyed working on the pond to make it bigger. I was able about 4 yrs ago to build my fishing dock when the water level got pretty low. I also done some real digging making some deep places and adding to the levee. I come up with a way to make brush piles so they would stay put. I had trimmed some limbs around the pond and just stuck them in the ground at the waters edge to make a fence and then filled in with the rest of what I had. I have plenty of trees on this ole 10 acre pasture my father inlaw had. It has grown up over the years and we do some deer hunting there now. It's located next to a bayou and woodlands. I have a big number of cedar trees that I plan to use in the brushpiles. When I first had the pond built I dragged a big cedar tree to a deep part of the pond. We used to catch a lot of BCP around that ole cedar. Sorry for being so long winded. I will get some pictures of my pond up as soon as I can get them and figure out how to post them. I really like this forum and have found a lot of ideas on here. I will share some of what I come up with also.


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


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We do like pictures. I used Google pictures to exit and post. It's really pretty easy to attach a link to them.


.10 surface acre pond, 10.5 foot deep. SW LA. The epitome of a mutt pond. BG, LMB, GSF, RES, BH, Warmouth, Longear Sunfish, Gambusia,Mud Minnows, Crappie, and now shiners!!...I subscribe!!
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I think I will be able to get some pictures up later this week. Just got to get down there and take some. We have been rainy all weekend.


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


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Posts: 157
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Here are some pictures of the pond about 4 yrs ago when it got low and I did a lot of digging and built my fishing dock.

Attached Images
pond 1.jpg pond 2.jpg pond 3.jpg pond 4.jpg pond 5.jpg pond 6.jpg pond 7.jpg
Last edited by bigpullerman; 09/24/18 09:55 AM.

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


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Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 157
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Just found a overhead picture of my pond. This had to be a few yrs ago cause of the field across the road is now grown up with small trees.

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pond satilite.jpg

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


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Glad to read your posts, big! Keep up the good work, I can tell you have the passion for it.


Fish on!,
Noel
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Adding new fish to a pond with hungry bass is what I call a character builder.


It's not about the fish. It's about the pond. Take care of the pond and the fish will be fine. PB subscriber since before it was in color.

Without a sense of urgency, Nothing ever gets done.

Boy, if I say "sic em", you'd better look for something to bite. Sam Shelley Rancher and Farmer Muleshoe Texas 1892-1985 RIP
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Thanks Quarter Acre, I am very into my pond. Like I told my wife, that pond is my legacy to my grandkids along with the old pasture we use for deer hunting.
You are right Dave about putting small RES into a pond full of hungry LMB. We have been trying to catch out a lot of LMB and the big CC to give the small fish a fighting chance. That is why I have made several brushpiles and made some shallow areas for the smaller fish. But I would really want to catch some adult RES or buy some really big RES to stock. One other thing I want to do is get some more LMB to put in from somewhere else of buy them just for some different genetics. Don't know if that would make any difference or not but I figured that it couldn't hurt.


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


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Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 157
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After more reading I have decided to start and keep a record book on my pond. I need to get a better idea what I catch out and put in. It't only family who fishes it anyway so I don't think it will be too hard to keep up with. Everything that I have been reading tells me that I have not been taking enough LMB out for what I have seen with the fish I catch. We have been taking all LMB out the past few yrs but I don't fish it enough I believe to make a big difference. We also have been taking out all the CC that we have been catching but that has only been about 10 this yr. Maybe a lbs or 2 each, just good eating size. I guess I need to buy some scales so I can keep track.


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


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Originally Posted By: bigpullerman
After more reading I have decided to start and keep a record book on my pond. I need to get a better idea what I catch out and put in. It't only family who fishes it anyway so I don't think it will be too hard to keep up with. Everything that I have been reading tells me that I have not been taking enough LMB out for what I have seen with the fish I catch. We have been taking all LMB out the past few yrs but I don't fish it enough I believe to make a big difference. We also have been taking out all the CC that we have been catching but that has only been about 10 this yr. Maybe a lbs or 2 each, just good eating size. I guess I need to buy some scales so I can keep track.


Try to get both lengths and weights for a few sessions. Having both measurements really helps track fish condition.

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Yes I really need the weights cause I really think that the LMB we have been catching are skinny.


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


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Is this enough info for my fish catch report?

FISH CATCH AND STOCKING REPORT

DATE QTY MODEL ET(LENGTH) MPH(WEIGHT) COMMENTS


Last edited by bigpullerman; 09/27/18 05:20 PM.

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


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Likes: 274
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Your links aren't working. I agree that you need to stock big/bigger fish to avoid predation. Bass in one acre are tough to manage.


It's not about the fish. It's about the pond. Take care of the pond and the fish will be fine. PB subscriber since before it was in color.

Without a sense of urgency, Nothing ever gets done.

Boy, if I say "sic em", you'd better look for something to bite. Sam Shelley Rancher and Farmer Muleshoe Texas 1892-1985 RIP
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What links are not working? If you are talking bout the one yesterday I came back and edited the post cause I seen that it didn't work. That is why I just copied and pasted what I came up with for a catch and stocking report. I was having a little fun with it with the ET and MPH cause I also do some drag racing and I have a log book to keep up with all my passes down the strip. I known that I need to fish the LMB out a lot more than I have.


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


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Posts: 157
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Worked around the pond this weekend and took a few pictures.

Attached Images
pond 18.jpg pond 11.jpg pond 8.jpg pond 20.jpg pond 26.jpg pond 23.jpg

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: Dec 2015
Posts: 157
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Posts: 157
Started my pond journal this morning. Writing down all my thoughts and observations over the years, plans and so forth. After a lot of reading about BCP and how they would take over a pond, I have not caught any in a couple yrs. We used to catch them but when I started back fishing about 5 yrs ago I only caught a few but they were some nice ones. Now not catching any. What happened? Did the LMB just take over and take out all of the little ones? I have some pretty nice CC in there also and did they help take em out? I also don't catch many small BG 5" and below. I was reading on here about how BCP can be kinda hit or miss on spawning. Just curious about what yall think might of happened.


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


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Been moving some dirt this week and will be this weekend. Just me and my ole trusty Ford tractor, a box blade and dirt scoop.

Attached Images
ford 1720 my tractor box blade.jpg dirt scoop.jpg

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


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In todays world you might be viewed as crazy for trying to move any significant dirt with a tractor that size. But I have often thought about that when viewing some large project such as an earthen dam or the horse dug strip pits in our area that were acomplished with horses and a drag type "slip".

Had those old timers with draft horses and mules had something like your tractor, they would have thought they had the world by the tail.

Last edited by snrub; 10/04/18 01:03 PM.

John

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Originally Posted By: bigpullerman
Started my pond journal this morning. Writing down all my thoughts and observations over the years, plans and so forth. After a lot of reading about BCP and how they would take over a pond, I have not caught any in a couple yrs. We used to catch them but when I started back fishing about 5 yrs ago I only caught a few but they were some nice ones. Now not catching any. What happened? Did the LMB just take over and take out all of the little ones? I have some pretty nice CC in there also and did they help take em out? I also don't catch many small BG 5" and below. I was reading on here about how BCP can be kinda hit or miss on spawning. Just curious about what yall think might of happened.


Do you catch lots of LMB? If you are bass heavy they may have taken over. Large CC are also apex predators.

Last edited by snrub; 10/04/18 01:11 PM.

John

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Yes John I do catch mainly LMB on minnows when I fish but this year I have been catching some nice CC. We have tried to fish for the CC with chicken liver and worms but it's hit or miss. But by catching the CC on minnows it looks like they have got to the point to where they are after fish. As for my tractor and scoop, there is no telling how much dirt I have moved over the years. It's just about keep making laps. About 20 yrs ago I built up the area where I built my 30x40 shop bout 2-3 foot. My ground is red clay so it works pretty go for fill. My main objective now is to build up my levee on the west side since I have upped my spillway. I will be cutting out a lot of trees on the east side before the water comes back up. I hope to take out most of the trees around the pond over the next few yrs.

Last edited by bigpullerman; 10/07/18 06:02 AM.

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


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Posts: 157
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Did some more dirt work over the weekend. You would not believe how much dirt you can move with a tractor and dirt scoop. Digging it bigger and adding to the levee.

Attached Images
ford tractor dirt scoop full.jpg

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


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Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 157
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Going through some old pictures on this rainy day and found one that shows one of the stunted small LMB that we have been catching. This was July of 2016

Attached Images
fish.jpg

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


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That one does not look stunted to me. Just a young one. Maybe 6-8 months old.


John

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