Gene - Do you have any brush or branches along the shoreline down to 2-3 ft deep?. How clear is the water? Can you see down 3 ft into the water so eggs can be seen easily?. I've found that y.perch (YP) can prefer to lay eggs on one directional shoreline compared to the others. Place a small branch or clump of branches on each directional shoreline- N,E,W,S to improve chances of success. Expect the egg laying to continue until the water gets 56F-60F in the shallows -at 3ft deep. In my area once the toads start laying eggs the YP egg laying has mostly ended. If there are structures deep in the pond YP will also lay eggs there, but instinct tells them to put eggs shallower where warmer water will hatch eggs sooner.
Once you find eggs gently move them into a bucket with water. Make the transfer and wrap eggs around some submerged branch/es in the new location. If new location has a full community of fish with largemouth bass and lower than abundant dense cover don't expect a high percentage of survival of YP fry to 8" sizes.
Last edited by Bill Cody; 04/06/08 06:40 PM.
