I have some additional information as requested by members. First, the sketch test, as expected did not produce very good results. I used the lid of a five pound can, painted it white, and lost sight of it a mere 8 to 10 inches down. I have done similar tests in years past, all with the same results, not any worse, not any better, with the exception of winter. And the first few days after adding 300,000 thousand gallons of water, there is slight improvement.
Also, I have attached, well, assuming I have done this correctly, a few pics that show one of the BG that was caught a few weeks ago. The fish is actually significantly larger than the photo can do justice, as this guy is 6'6" tall and has the hands of a creature to be feared! As for the CC, they are the average size of what I call our "middle class" of cats, they are about 50% of the population, with the rest a combination of assorted smaller CC of all sizes, and perhaps 5 that I can identify that have been in the pond since day one ( and perhaps before that, the older pond I am thinking, since it had CC in it before I dug the new pond ) that may be another 40% larger than these. However, given the size of the ponds and the fact that due to the feeders which attract every fish in the pond with the exception of the bass, I am able to get a pretty good count on the population. After reading everything in these posts, forum articles as well as PB articles, combined with the fact I have left this pond on its own with nearly no help in the way of stocking its entire life save for a few very small plants, I am quite confident the pond is far from overpopulated.
That is good news. And, more good news is that we catch all the fish in all sizes, from as small as possible that can get on a hook, to very large, so there appears to always be some type of spawn occurring. I also contacted the state Conservation Dept for help, and they will do an on site visit the 23rd, although based on the comments I got from Shawn I am not to sure that those good folk are all that comfortable with pond management, as I was instructed to do something that would have proven to be a disaster. I cannot fault them, as it was pointed out to me, which I was well aware of, they have to wear many hats, and just can't be on top of everything.
Speaking of Shawn, I contact him as instructed, and like an idiot, sent the request for help and THEN discovered he had just suffered a terrible loss. My attempt to send an immediate apology and request to ignore my plea for help was to late, a testament perhaps to the kind of guy he is, he had already taken the time to provide a detailed answer to my questions despite his own personal issues and helped me avert a possible further mess based on instructions I got from the MDOC.
The picture of the bass will show what has happened to them. Bass have been in the ponds for years, even before the new pond was dug, but they are never any bigger than this. Before I managed to turn the water so dark it is hard to see your own hands in the water when you swim, I was told that larger bass were caught out of the much smaller pond years before, of course, that pond was very clear as compared to what they are now. I have read many articles over the years in PB that states that in very murky/unclear water bass, and other predators that rely on sight can have a tough time earning a living, and often come up on the lean side. Some articles are focused on the LMB, and the low body weight associated with this problem. I may well be wrong, but I think that the water in my pond is so very green and difficult to see in, I believe it is just to hard for the bass to find enough of the many forage fish available to them of all sizes to earn a respectable living. I know that bass have more tool in their arsenal than just eyesight alone, but I think perhaps it may not be quite enough. However, this is just my best guess based on all that I have been able to research over the years and what I have observed in the pond, I defer to you folks for a far more educated opinion than my own.
Shawn was able to connect me to a place that I think I can finally get the water tested. That has proven to be a bigger challenge than I ever thought it would be, I was wondering if it is just me ( almost certainty is
or if anyone else has had some trouble in my area. I mean, yea, I can get a simple water test with pool testing equipment, but nearly all the links I follow for a complete water analysis prove to be dirt testing, not water. When I asked the MDOC for any help in locating sources for testing my pond water, it was met with a very surprised "WHY"? Not only did they not have any ideas on where I could send my water, they had never heard of such a thing, had no idea why or for what I would even be testing the water, and could only suggest that if I really insisted on doing so ( which clearly they felt was ludicrous, a waste of time and money, and would prove of no value ) I should just buy a pool test kit.
I do not judge them for such a response, as I stated earlier, both Shawn and I agree that with all they have on their plate, they cannot be experts on all subjects, and this is just one representative of their department. However, this is the same person that will do the on site visit on the 23RD and has already advised me to dose the pond with copper sulfate, a potentially big mistake, inviting a fish kill as my pond is to green, and the water is to hot, as Shawn noted. So I fear that perhaps this person may not be to familiar with the subject. Still, I am glad they have taken enough of an interest that they want to come out on site to review it further.
I have shut the feeder off as Shawn has advised for now.
I have tried to follow up on everything everyone has suggested so far, I will come back with the water sample results when they are available. I want to thank everyone again for everything, I appreciate it so very much. A special thanks to Shawn, who took the effort to help me at a very difficult time in his life. Hats off!
