Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Types of fish to choose Advice on DNR fingerlings Vs. stocking larger fish

One thing I might add... IDNR indicated that since lake entirely on my property, I could utilize any means of harvesting the fish up to - but not including dynamite.

Regardless of what the Regs in any state are at the time you receive stock, my biggest fear is the regs can be changed at any time. Rarely is it ever for the better!

Per ifishillinois.org: Do I need a fishing license to fish my private pond located entirely on my property?
Owners or tenants (if they reside on the land) may fish in waters on or flowing over their lands without a license. This exemption does not apply to club and organizational lakes or lake developments. Guests must have a fishing license to fish the lake unless they meet any of the requirements exempting persons from needing a license - such as being under age 16, Illinois residents who are disabled or blind, or Illinois residents on leave from active duty in the Armed Forces.

Can I catch and take as many fish as I want from my lake?
A privately owned and stocked/maintained lake is still covered by Illinois statewide sportfishing regulations. These regulations can be found in our "2006 Illinois Fishing Information" booklet which can be found anywhere licenses are sold as well as on our DNR homepage. The statewide regulations are on page 8 of the booklet while the information regarding licensing requirements is on page 3.

Needless to say, I'm going to manage my lake however I see fit. But if you transport a cooler full of undersized bass fillets after a cull, and you get checked...it doesn't matter where they came from.

Thanks for sharing this Shorty - and that's great advice regarding preserving one's stocking receipts. Although I have no inflow issues, almost every pond with a spillway technically has outflow issues, right? I also am not stocking LMB and won't be harvesting any. However, it's amazing to me the state feels they have the right or ability to extend their regulations to privately owned waters. I'm certain there's logic in this new regulation, but it's not immediately dawning on me. I don't count myself as one of them - yet I'd love to see the state try and enforce that regulation on some good ol NE boys I know with ponds. Funny.

So if a friend comes over to fish your pond theoretically they must have a fishing license? Am I reading that correctly? Jeez I'm glad I'm on active duty in the GSA Royal Air Force (well that and I could probably qualify under a mental disability clause).

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Ewest makes an excellent post (of course), why correct a genetics problem down the road. You spend a lot of hard earned money creating and managing a pond and IMHO the difference in a few hundred dollars during stocking is not worth all of the downsides to stocking fish with unknown genetics. If I was starting with a clean slate pond I'd want to start with the best of the best. A well known & well respected private fish supplier is going to be actively monitoring genetics to ensure the best quality of end product - I highly doubt most government agencies will do this.

Greg, I need some advice and information about my rights and responsibilties in taking care of my pond( GA Harris Co.). It's actually own partly by home owners around the pond. Right now there are only four houses around this 2.5 acres pond including me. I have seen people fish in their boat or on the bank that don't live in those houses. I would like to take care of this lake but would also like to have a little bit of control to maitain it. What are my rights?

Thanks
bman

Good luck in that endeavor! My parents' old neighborhood has several ponds ranging in size from 1/5 acre up to 5 acres. Most people in the neighborhood didn't fish so they really had no interest in what went into the ponds and then the rest who did fish were not interested in managing them properly.

Perhaps with a smaller group of home owners you'll have more luck. I believe they ended up posted signs similar to " Fish and Boating for Residents and Their Guests, All Others Will Be Prosecuted for Trespassing" It seemed to work at keeping some non residents from fishing the pond. But most of the management was done by just a couple interested people at their expense for others who didn't want to chip in to enjoy...

I think I would approach the other homeowners and discuss the liability involved by others who aren't owners.

bman it is on case by case basis. Many of our HOA lakes have two thigns basically the lkae is in the neighborhood and owned byt the surrounding homes or it is in the bylaws it is common property and anyone that lives there can fish it.

Common property is good if wanting more money to help manage bad if wanting more exclusive rights. If owned by neighbors you can set rights and write up some bylaws to go by. And yes signs help keep out unwanted visitors. However if only one guy says I own it and I can let anyone i want to fish it he is propbably correct.

Thanks Greg! I'll find me some signs to post around the lake.

bman

Thanks Dave, I'll do that!

bman

Thanks for the advice CJ. That is what I feel right now since mostly my neighbors don't fish. I'll purchase some signs.

bman