Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Catfish!

Good morning,
Well I fished my pond earlier this week and I was a bit surprised both in good ways and bad. We shall start with good news first! I caught a few HSB and they were very good size for only a year old. The biggest was 17.5" and weighed a little less than 3 lbs. Average was probably around 15". Now for the bad news. I caught a catfish and immediately made it supper. The only problem is that I checked on my pond this morning and saw a bunch of fingerling catfish! My goal is to raise nice size HSB and Black Crappie. I saw several small catfish. I bought a seine a few days ago and I am going to try to get some of them out asap! The only thing is that they seem very paranoid. Any comments or suggestions? Thanks for letting me vent! Until next time.
Frank
P.S. I am going to try to post some pics later today.

I asked the same question about catching catfish fry a while back and didnt get any sugestions.However,seining was out for me.Good luck

I can't think of any way to catch catfish fingerlings other than a sein or maybe a minnow trap.

What all predators (type, numbers - includes bream for catfish consumption purposes) do you have in the pond? Catfish babies fair very poorly in the face of BG, LMB, etc. consumption.

Originally I stocked 50 HSB but I know that at least 10 have died. Also, LMB were accidentally stocked by the fish farm. I am guessing they got mixed in with the catfish and fish. I stocked a total of about 700 panfish along with 100 Black Crappie. I am hoping that they will eliminate the catfish but I am not sure. I put out a minnow trap this morning to see if I can catch any. Also, what are the odds of more adult size catfish being in the pond? I figure, it takes two, right? I got one of them, going for the others this evening. Thanks guys.

OK, do the fingerling catfish have forked tails < or blocked tails ] ? That will tell you what type of spawn you have. If they are channel cats with a forked tail, a heavy predator base will usually control their numbers, along with canabalism. If they are Mudcats with a blocked tail, you are in for a fight. One of our ponds experienced mudcats several years ago, we introduced "yellow cats" i.e. flathead catfish (eating machines), and caught them out with trot lines when they finished the job...it took 2 years to clear the mudcats out...but, they do not exist anymore.

At the show, I met Eastland's dad (he was also at last years show).

Man, talk about busting out laughing hearing his dad take a shotgun to clouds of bullhead fry!!!!!

LOL Sunil, It's one of the funniest stories ever told!!! BULLHEAD RAGE !!!!

My dad and I blast them with shotguns on a regular basis. Vile, vile critters they are...

12ga. skeet choke and #9 shot works best for me. Not UNcommon to get 40+.

Shame on you Davatsa and Ahvatsa. The very least you could have done is post photos of this, video would have be preferred, but at least photos.

Jeff, the carnage is not suitable for this forum, it would be sensored ! hahahaha, just imagine a loud BANG, followed by bloody rainfall and walking away smelling like fish!!!! It's a mini fish kill !!!