Alligator: (“Assumming we receive rain between now and spring”)
With 8.5 acres and only one acre under water, it a tough call….!
How deep is the remaining water?
If you are four feet low, as we are, you will have 7+ acres with four feet of water – hardly enough to survive another drought of this magnitude.
The last bad drought in the 50‘s lasted three years, so we’re not out of the woods yet…
Do I understand correctly that you have two separate ponds presently that will become one when full? How deep?
I would call 8.5 acres a lake if it were mine
I believe I would consult with a fisheries professional as to whether to completely eliminate all fish and start over. It would be tempting to save the 4 to 5 lb bass and transfer to separate pond if deep enough.
It would be a good opportunity to deepen the exposed drought portion of your pond – that way you would have three ponds during low water periods?
We deepened the shallow end of our pond first of the year, making two ponds presently, and connected if and when we get some decent rain in N.E. Texas.
http://www.pondboss.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=20;t=002266 My “balanced pond” would consist of LMB and HSB as primary predators, with CNBG and Tilapia for forage – supplemented with a good feeding program of high protein feed.
I would only stock ADULT fish – no fingerlings unless starting over, and “kick start” with all adults if no budget constraints.
If CC are desired, I would stock only the numbers I plan to harvest, and supplement on an annual basis.
If overstocked – as we did – they are nuisance and will eat you out of house and home.
It would be a tough decision for me to completely drain a pond and start over unless a very old silted in pond – or a pond full of “trash” fish – BUT - as I have learned on this forum – one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.
Our ponds are down about four feet and luckily deep enough to survive the drought so far – but if it continues we all are going to be in bad trouble.
Good Luck.
George Glazener
