Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Evaluating and adjusting fish populations Kill and start over or just leave what is in there

Ok its been a while since i have posted. But we had a pond built a couple of years ago. I stocked it with LMB, BG, and CC. It was not even close to being enough for the pond and i cant remember how munch of each that I put in but i know for a fact it was less than a hundred all together. Now that i did the numbers right and got the correct numbers for fish. Which is 1,145 BG, 225 CC, and 225 LMB. My question is should i go ahead and kill the pond and start over or should i put in the amount that I have calculated? We have fished the pond and gotten several good size bluegill and bass but I have caught any catfish yet. Thanks!!!

I would suggest finding out what's in there with a survey or intensive fishing before you make any drastic changes. Even though your initial stocking may have been low it could just take longer to get the population you want.

How big is the pond?

ic cecil how would i survey?

A survey is usually done with a transit and lots of flagging tape.

Maybe on land, but in the water it could be done with an electro-shock boat, Fyke net (with the exception of LMB), or via angling. It's hard to pound stakes in when under water.

I haven't had good luck catching CC in ponds. Maybe one or two, but they shut off pretty quick. I'd try using a trot line and leave it in the pond for a week or 2, checking and rebaiting every day. If there's a bait on the hook, leave it as I've caught CC on a piece of hotdog thats been on the hook for a week.

Here are a few other threads about Justin's pond and his goals.

http://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Main=15883&Number=200936#Post200936

http://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Main=15920&Number=201970#Post201970

http://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Main=21931&Number=277913#Post277913

Smart ass.

lol i got a good laugh out of that one. Well I called a local fish hatchery and from what he told me the biggest trouble i am going to have is with the bass. Boy I just feel like I have really screwed this up i am leaning more and more toward killing the pond. Wont take long to kill but might be expensive.

Ok just asking at this point? In another post bassman said his pond was about 1.5 acres. With that said are the numbers above for fish accurate? Just asking is all because if it is I also waaaay under stocked my 1 acre pond as well. Especailly when it comes to BG and CNBG?

RC

Justin has confirmed that his pond is approximately 2.2 acres. Yes, those numbers are correct. He drastically understocked his pond before he discovered Pond Boss.

Justin, I don't think you're completely screwed. I just think the fishing will be very hit and miss for a while. What you do catch should be pretty nice though. I would expect your bluegills to get ahead of your bass in the future and that will be the point you can start considering a plan to get your fishery in balance. At this point, I think just let them continue to spawn and grow and just keep very close tabs on things (lots of fishing).

This is if you don't want to pay for a kill or a survey.

Oh ok I saw in one of the other links I think it said it was 1.5 but if it's 2.2 that's sounds better. Thanks Omaha,

Yeah, forgot to share that. Officially 2.29 acres.

Hey Omaha thank you for your help. I have called around to some fish hatcheries told them what was going on they have told me just to leave it alone for a couple more years and to see whats going to happen. So anyway kinda goin in a different direction I have not put in the fish attactors its either been to muddy or the crops have been too tall to get back to the pond. So do you want to put them in standing up or lay them on its side?

Depending on what they are, I like them standing up if possible.

If you haven't tried Rob Hofpar with Nebraska Lake Management. He's in Valparaiso. (402) 784-6005 or (888) 850-2460

Here they are what you think? Try to get them to stand of possible?

Hey bassman that's funny as I just went to home depot today and bought my some stuff to make the very same thing. They should stand for you unless your area where your going to put them in on to much of an angle. My pond does not slope to fast so I don't think I will have a problem. How much concrete did you put in each bucket?

RC

I filled the buckets about half full

I filled mine almost to the top. Don't make that mistake. Very heavy.

lol omaha

You probably only need 3-4" of concrete in the bucket to make it sink and stay put.

Thats what I did heavy enough to sink but light enough to pick up with both hands

RC51: Regarding fish in the pond. 50-100 LMB/ac, 20-30 BG per LMB. All depending on your goals. Big BG? More LMB. Bigger LMB? Less LMB.

Why couldn't bassman stock some F1's, and additonal BG?

He's heavy on LMB now or just right depending on his goals. To stock BG, you should stock them at a size that is larger than the LMB can eat, which is roughly 1/3 their body length. Gets expensive with larger BG, and expensive with smaller ones because a lot will get eaten quickly.

BM67 sez: Thats what I did heavy enough to sink but light enough to pick up with both hands........ What else you got?