Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Evaluating and adjusting fish populations Oh the Horror of it all! (JHAP, don't look)

Dave:

Thanks for the specs on the net. Any tips on placement? How deep (water depth) should the trap end be placed? I tied a cinderblock to a rope, tied a loop about 18" up and then tied a decoy to the end of the rope so I could find it. The catch end of the fyke net is tied off to the loop in the rope. I staked the lead to the shore, and backed out with the trolling motor. Once the whole net was in the water I grabbed the decoy end of the rope, holding the anchor up off of the bottom and reversed the motor to get the net as tight as I could. Then I let go, hoping that the weight would hold it in place.

I moved the trap end deeper, into about 7' of water, (where it's shown in the picture) and caught roughly the same number of RES and YP, plus one GSH, but less (and smaller) GSF. The net was roughly 20 feet further to the right (in that picture) for the first night, and it was in about 2' shallower water. All the GSF were in the 3" range. I also caught a painted turtle that was roughly 8" across and 10" long. It was still alive, so back it went.

I won't be able to check the net for 4 days, so I pulled it out.

On another note the Gams that were so plentiful in the pond last year are starting to make a comeback. I saw quite a few fat females each being followed by 5-10 males. They made it thru the winter.

That sized net is a PITA to get the fish out of by yourself, especially from a small boat! They all don't seem to know that they're supposed to swim to the furthest end of the net.