Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Evaluating and adjusting fish populations Draining a Hole on Creek?

If all goes well I will have a pond constructed on creek this summer. However, upstream from pond is a hole that doesn't go dry, and is full of mudcats and some bream, mostly Green Sunfish.
Assume I must drain this hole and kill all the fish in it lest I see them or their progeny multipying in the pond? Any suggestions? A net with bread catches handfuls of baby mudcats.
Am on the upper end of the watershed of this creek, don't think there are any other holes that hold water year-round directly on it. There are however 2 "tanks" above but not directly on this creek.

Scot,where in Texas are you?
Pumping the hole dry may not solve your problem as the cats may bury themselves in the mud and survive.Can you remove them with a cast net?What are your goals for your pond?Would the sunfish be benificial to your goals?Just a few things for you to think about.

The hole is about 10' wide, 3-4' deep and maybe 50' long, formed by scouring of water at highway thru 2 box culverts. Fence crosses it and there are tree limbs, cast net would be difficult to use. Am near Waco, Tx.
Will probably put a metal tank in the back of pick-up to save some fish of interest, if I run across any. The mud-cats however are the species I most want to prevent from entering pond.

Scott,sending you a PM Tom

Scot, I would try to eliminate them. It ain't easy and pumping it dry in July and letting it sit during August is the best bet. Or, pump it now and be prepared to pump it again if you get rain prior to impounding for your pond.

After pumping it, you could spread a layer of hydrated lime to 'boil' the fish and the unwanted vegetation seeds, roots, etc. The lime will raise the ph quickly and kill the fish and vegetation. ph will drop back after a couple wks. I would first rotenone to kill the fish. I wouldnt save any fish for stocking. They are too cheap to buy known pure varieties.

Guess I'd better talk to the landowners above me to see if by any chance they have mudcats in their ponds or if they have any "holes" on creek that hold water and fish.
I've actually put bass, warmouth, and bluegill into the creek "hole". Never seen any of them again, but you never know.
Actually will be rather interesting to drain the thing just to see what's in it. Will plan for pumping in late June/July and see what happens.