Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Starting a pond management business

I'd spot treat slowly especially the floaters. I would not, I repeat would not Fluridone the entire pond with that much infestation late in the Summer. Too much vegatative die off in warm water temps is the recipe for a major crash.

You are right, too much vegetation will stunt some LMB from lack of forage because sight feeding is so poor. I'd spray the surface plants, show some improvement, at all costs avoid a crash and hit it hard with Fluridone in the Spring timed with new emergence. Way better safe than sorry here. The action plan completely changes with desirable fish, better do a risk assessment here.

Long term wise sounds like age has contributed for muck. Plus continual nutrient reloading from plant cycles. Would be nice to get some gravel in there, some aeration for the beneficial bacteria to stick and reproduce. Long term you should knock the muck back and get the nutrients down with competition. Another concern is opening up the window for algae. And duckweed, watermeal since they will be the last plants standing. You let the pond get covered with that it is all she wrote for the fish. I'd attack the floaters first.