Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Catfish disappeared after Frances

I had approximately 30, five to seven pound channel catfish that would come up to feed in my 2 acre pond before a rain storm after Hurricane Frances raised the pond level 3 or 4 feet (for about two days). I had some water go over the spillway, but there is no evidence that any fish went over the spillway; there are a lot of trees, limbs, etc. that would have trapped some fish. Now, all of the catfish have completely disappeared --- not even one comes up for food! Any ideas?

Thanks,
Leonard

Leonard, I am just south of you in Putnam County. It is possible you lost your cats but I doubt it. After the storm came through we got our first cold snap, I have already noticed my cats feeding less. Also after a rain and my pond is muddy it seems the cats feed quit eating feed for a while.

Is any other fish feeding or do you just have catfish?

Love Greensboro, neat town

Leonard,
Don't know anything about your pond but if fish get stressed they will stop feeding.
If your pond is'nt aerated the cool water from the storm could have turned it over causing low DO & stressed your fish. The cool water alone may have put them off the feed.

The majority stuck to birds feathers and got carried off. A few probably were trapped in the kelp attached to turtles backs and were carried to Ohio. Approximately 10% were sucked up by the hurricane and deposited in Cecil Baird's trout pond way up North. At least one got ate by a walking imported catfish. But the good news is that if you wait for a week or two, El Nino will reverse itself and wash some grass carp into your pond. Be sure to fill out a permit for them.

Seriously, Im afraid a lot of your fish got swept over the dam. They tend to like to swim off with moving water. I have harvested many fish from the pasture after a large rain and re-deposited them into my pond.

..."shucks officer, had you been here five minutes ago you would have seen the catfish while they were still in the pond."