Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Reputable Fish Sources by State

I think its a bad idea to have reviews. To many legal problems and to time consuming to oversee. It's just to easy for anyone to write a bad comment about a business, and some would do it just out of spite.

That leaves just a list. I recently found a list of fish hatcheries/farms that was provided by my state. I thought I would give some of them a call, trying to find a few things. Boy, was that scary and a waste of time. Very un-business like. I could write paragraphs about the different bad things that they said or how things could go extremely wrong for someone who just wouldn't know. So, this left me with a bad feeling about "lists" and also how they get outdated.

I still feel it would be nice to have a list that an interested party can go to. Why? because many times someone wants to know right away of a place to go. That is the times we live in. They can't and don't want to wait for responses to a post. How many times has someone asked for a pond builders/fish suppliers in an area, with no real good reply or it takes a long time for someone that lives in their same area to even log on to the forum to see the request.

So, how about the list be the resource guide that is already here and available? If you like a fish hatchery, tell them about PondBoss forum and get them interested in being on that list. I would not think that it's expensive to just be on the list, and I would assume that the banner ads are an extra cost if they want it. It would also keep the list current. A business that's gone isn't going to keep paying to be on the list. We just all need to be a little more proactive in getting them onboard. Perhaps we need to look at/discuss ways to make more of this to happen.

With regards to any list, the person contacting them has to be savvy to "good and bad". Perhaps there could be some kind of thread (archives)for referral to newbies that may handle this.

The last time I asked our county agent for information about fish ponds, a list of suppliers was included in the information. It's possible that a list of suppliers is available through the county agents in many states.
The stumbling block in some of the county agents offices is the secretary. For example, to renew a pesticide applicators permit, the permit holder has to attend a meeting every three or four years, and the secretary is responsible for notifying the permit holders of the date, time and place of that meeting. For whatever reason, the secretary can decide to send your notice after the meeting has been held, and you lose your permit.

Some States have listings. Here is the current list for Michigan: MI Fish Farms (this opens a PDF)
If your state requires registration, then you may be able to get a list online from the gub.

You also have Aquaculture associations which are an asset, and then you have regional Aquaculture like NCRAC...

I know that two from MI advertise here, but they also market pond supplies and equipment.

I've talked to a number of them and all seems cool. I doubt they will offer any stocking advice tho. This should be your educated decision.

Things should go really smooth if you are educated and prepared for the fish delivery.

Walmartians seem to be a growing populous these days

Got my first trout and other fish from one of the advertisers here -- Stoney Creek, in Grant, Michigan. Also my cage material when I started out. Always great dealing with them. The original owners Steve Owingo and his wife who are retired now are what my brother-in-law calls "Good people." I've talked to Steve at Michigan aquaculture meetings and always came away impressed by his generosity.

To show you how stupid government can be Steve was telling me at a MAA meeting where his zoning board was not allowing him to expand. They are out in the middle of the country in an agricultural area for God's sake! This isn't the first time I've heard of government stifling expansion of a business that would be a win/win for both the busines and the tax base. Not sure if he got the O.K. to expand as I hadn't talked to him since.

Another example: down here the now biggest perch farm in the world that employs a slew of people, originally was going to start out in some old abandoned buildings in Ft. Wayne, IN. Town council said no way, no livestock within city limits. The farm went somewhere else. Soon after that the economy tanked. I'll bet they wished they had said yes. Dumb, dumb, dumb!

Sorry I hope I didn't sidetrack the thread but my head explodes when I think if the dumb decisions some folks in government make!

All I'm saying is a list of fish suppliers with people's experience would be a good idea, like I said before I know a couple good suppliers and a couple bad.. Too me it seems like we're over complicating this? Somebody talk to lusk about this at the get-to-gether.. I mean it really makes me no difference I know where to get my fish or who to contact to find what I can't.. But it'd be nice to have that info easier to obtain when I first joined the site..

So, do your fish suppliers that you like the most know about this forum and the resource list? That's the part I'm getting at. Seems that they would jump at the chance to be included on a list for a moderate fee.

Maybe someone will start up something sort of like "Angies List" (which I've never used) and we could post a link to it here? Just throwing ideas out.........

Esshup, or anyone that knows the inside workings of PondBoss. When a business wants to advertise in the resources list, does one fee cover multiple areas? I notice that there is only one supplier in "fish stockers" and many in "fish consulting services" Some of those must sell fish too, don't they? Why aren't they listed under fish stockers?

Is the resource list only a by-product of advertising in the magazine? Meaning, they have to advertise there first? I know, I'm probably asking to much inside info, just can't figure out why more don't want to be in the resource list.

I don't know the complete picture. But as an advertiser, we had the choice to be listed in the resources guide (electronic and print) in one catagory, or multiple catagories, depending on the advertising package that we purchased.

But, it's not as simple as "send in your money and get listed". Pond Boss takes a look at what you are offering, and makes sure that you're a good guy. For instance, I feel confident in saying that Pond Boss wouldn't allow advertising from Rex Allen Curtis. (NO relation to Rex - Rainman).

I deal with most of the fish farms and producers in WV. Last January, I was fortunate enough to get Bob Lusk as one of our key speakers for a two-state (WV and PA), two-day conference of fish farmers, producers, and suppliers, users, and buyers. I haven't been able to squeeze out one single advertisement from any of them. For the most part, I can't even get them to look at the forum!

One in particular looks at me whenever I show up to buy fish for stocking in my ponds or other ponds -- and every time, he gives me the "you from the guvment, and I know you come to help me again! Ain't ja?" He bends my ear about how we are trying to put him out of business. I get my fish, and I drive off.

It is only because I am a WV Aquaculture Association member/officer, and I volunteer with the WV Aquaculture Extension Service that I get this treatment.

But, he is far from untypical. Advertising to these guys is not even in their vocabulary.

I've got a lot more stories about those dealers that spot me in a WVAA hat, Pond Boss hat, etc.

The two advertisers from MI. I've never seen them on the forum.

Yes some knew about it before me and I've informed everyone I've ever met that has anything todo with fishing, ponds, fish about the forum not so much the magazine..
Also the guy I like the most doesn't advertise at all and seems like he's never even been on a computer but said he's been on the forum many times..

Doing this by state makes no sense as many hatcheries go across many states. If done it should be done on other criteria.

Scott, developing an online web app to do this is fairly simple. Just have to deal with increased hosting costs do to adding server technology, ability to identify unique users, and ROI. How would make enough money to warrant the work?

Kinda the same thing with lake management software. I've been playing with development of an iPad app that requires no internet connection to log data. Fun for my place, but not worth the time or money to take it public.



Eric, my thoughts exactly. I'm thinking it should be drilled down by fish species, shipping/delivery region, state, then services provided. A lot of this info would have to be entered and guesstimated by the end buyers, so there could be potential issues with keeping that data accurate.

Yes and No.

I would certainly check out my local sources first. As the saying goes, "Buy Locally". I live fairly close to state lines, so I would also check into those states too if a local source wasn't available.

Secondly, I was thinking of keeping it as simple as possible, and by state seems one of the simplest ways to go, but it could be categorized by some other main way too. It would be absolutely better to have some other options ( like types of fish, nearest to zipcode, etc) but then you get into search type scenarios, and I would think that throws a lot more work on somebody to take care of.

Could it be kept so simple that it can be accomplished similar to a topic in the archives. No added cost, but time for someone to update it. An average user could not edit it to mess up data or add trivial comments. This then would minimize wrong info put in by any random person.

Side thought--
The problem that I see with just a list, supplied over a long period of time by forum members, is that some will no longer exist and be dead ends to the consumer. If there was just a very small annual fee to be included, that might help keep the list fresher. I belong to a magazine (and advertise in) that once a year lists all suppliers free of charge. It is up to each advertiser to send in their current info ( or just say repeat my add) by a deadline each year to be included for the next time. This is just one way to keep it a fresh list.

-- I am just throwing out ideas, not meant to sound meddling. As always, easier said than done.