Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Saving Fish While Draining Pond

There were approximately 15 - 4lb. LMB in the pond from my original stocking of 200 fry in Sept '05. I thought that was a bit low. We could have lost fish because we started the drawdown and the pond froze for a few weeks and the guy I hired to do it started draining the water off the top and not the bottom. I feel like he drained alot of the oxygenated top layer off and left the fissh with less oxygenated water to live in. All with a slid layer of ice on top.

There were only 3 of 8 grass carp left from the original 8 i stocked in '07 I think. they were impressive. From 8" to 3' in that short of time. that is why i suspect i may of had some fish kill this winter during the drawdown.

I didn't know the contractor had started the drawdown or i would have had him at least until the ice melted. catching and moving those fish using feed buckets and Rhinos was like a Chineese fire drill. Unless someone can tell me a better way it will be really hard to catch, weigh, measure and move them again without significant mortality.