Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Evaluating and adjusting fish populations Checking your fish population?

What is the best method when checking your fish population in the spring? Last Sept. through Nov. I applied a number of catfish, bluegil and bass in a 3/4 acre pond. I'm sure the blue heron help hiself to it. I'm not sure what I will have in the spring. Blue Heron is gone, gone.

Probably the best method is electroshocking. The next best method would be using a large net and the aid of a few people to work it properly. However, it isn't a reliable method to survey large fish and some smaller species. The next step down is what I've done- fish the pond using many different methods, depths, and baits. If it's early spring try a minnow or nightcrawler pieces in deeper water. If the bass and other species are in the shallows warming up try working a spinner bait real slow. Mix it up and try various depths and baits to get as broad an overview of the different species as you can. Even if you do well fishing you'll still probably want to net various depths and shallows to get a better picture of the fingerling and forage numbers. Keep a record of the number of fish, sizes, and weights that you caught and you'll be on your way to drawing conclusions.

Here's another idea, Tony. Start feeding the fish once water temps rise to the upper 50's, probably the second or third week of March where you live. Catfish and bluegill will come to the feed. It may take a week or two to get much response, but if fish numbers are high, competition will be high, too.
A survey tells the tale, but as I recall, your pond is new.
Try feeding floating fish food in March. Use Purina Game Fish Chow for now.