Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Corrective stocking managing bullheads

I got a soft spot in my heart for the little fellers too. Only "catfish" fishing available within bicycle distance when I was growing up. I think I must have cleaned and eaten thousands of them over the years!

Before the major catfish species were introduced into the eastern part of the United States, as in most of the Atlantic drainages, bullheads were the only species found along with white catfish, which are more bullhead like.

Yep, cleaned my share of "yellow bellies" also. I miss that old creek than ran through the pasture when I was a kid.

Nate -- if I didn't know and trust you like nearly all PB forum members do, I'd have questioned the intentional planting of that many pounds of bullheads -- actually any bullheads.

I too like bullheads as game fish and for lunch., but I don't think I'd want any in my ponds.

I find it almost overwhelming to control my beloved/hated channel cats that I continue to re-plant every year at 4 inches. We take a number of them around 30 inches each season -- and a heck of a lot of them from 18-22 inches.

I've also got crappies in my lower 0.7 acre pond, and they are actually a treat this time of year. They have never been a problem, but I also would not recommend them in ponds the sizes of mine.

I know you and your family are incredibly busy, but a short article in PB magazine about why and what you did with those bullheads would be great.

It may be time that we need to re-think what we are stocking in our ponds.

Regards,
Ken

Here is a post that helps explain how you best control bullheads.
"Got another survey in Oct 2014 and got this girl (LMB), 8.5lbs and just under 22 inch. To be fair she did have about a 1/2lb bullhead half down her gullet." From this thread:
http://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=405499#Post405499