I agree with teehjaeh on the trapping of tadpoles. I use the cylindrical 1/4 inch hardware cloth traps with a fistful of pellets - the same technique I use for the fathead minnows. The other method I have used is: I throw a small quantity of floating pellets on the water, then quickly drop my square drop net on top of them. The tadpoles swim on top of the net then I just quickly pick the net up - it is attached to a long pole so I can stay back from the water.
My #2 pond is about four feet higher than number three (the source of the bluegills. Unfortunately, while there is a drain pipe in #2, I can't drain it completely by gravity. I may try renting a pump from our local rental center and try to pump it dry. I really liked the perch better than the bluegills and would like to start them again.
Have never really taken any pictures of the ponds, but they are available on google chrome. If anyone is interested, I will supply long. and lat.
I am eager to start the rearing of the bluegills, but there was still over a foot of ice on the pond. I checked it yesterday when I put the spent Christmas trees on the ice. I wire them to a cement block to sink them.
