Very nice setup, Cecil.
I'm interested to hear how you go about this process. What all do you have to do to get the perch production pond ready?
I need to remove all the trout from the pond that will be the perch production pond to their new home pond that will have a blocking net down the center. It's easier to just move them to another pond vs. holding them in tanks or whatever, as one drains their pond and puts in a blocking net. The blocking net will already be installed in the other pond and the pond filled when I start moving the trout. I am trying to kill two birds with one stone here as the brown trout need to be seperated from the brook trout, which are a little smaller, hence, moving them to another pond with the blocking net installed. The browns are growing faster and are chasing the brooks around stressing them. I thought I would be fine as I planted them the same size but since the browns are now bigger... Live and learn.
Once I get the trout out and the pond drained,let it dry a little to kill any filamentous algae and then add 25 lbs. of cottonseed meal to the bottom and refill (250 pounds per acre and the pond is 1/10th acre. I may use a liquid fertilizer instead, as I've noticed the cottonseed meal is hard to find. Then add a small quantity of fertilizer per week (I have to look at my notes from my perch supplier Bill Lynch of Marysville, Ohio, Mill Creek Perch Farm.)
