Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Water chemistry Fish safe to eat?

We bought our Missouri property 2 years ago and it has two ponds. One is 1/3 acre the other is 1/4 acre. The water seems to be in good shape and has American pondweed around the shoreline. The 1/3 acre pond was stocked with CC and BG. The 1/4 acre pond has BG. I have caught a lot of nice CC from the 1/3 acre pond that are around 24". Also there are a lot of small 3"-6" CC so I know they are breeding. I think the large CC are eating all the BG in the pond. Years ago they ran some cattle on the property. So I have two questions. The first one is should I remove the large CC from the pond (I will eventually stock a few LMB)? The second is can I send the fish somewhere to determine if they are safe to eat (will a water sample tell me that)?

Welcome to Pond Boss.

As for the safety of the fish -- the fish should be tested, not the water. The water in a small body will keep changing. The reason to test the fish is because they will have slowly absorbed what is in the water. One of the larger catfish would be best, as it will have been in the pond the longest.

Hopefully somebody from Missouri will pop in to suggest where you can get such testing done. Maybe Rainman - Rex. We unfortunately lost our aquacutlure extension service here is WV, along with our pathologist due to budget cuts. Hopefully, MO has better sense.

As for getting the big catfish out of the pond absolutely! Catfish become hook shy very quickly. I've been through it more than once when I can't get them out. I don't throw any catfish back that over about 16 to 18 inches. I don't remember how big the big ones got, but I know that a number of them made it to about 14 pounds. At that size they eat a lot. They dig holes in the sides of your ponds to make spawning holes.

There is nothing wrong with having channel cats in the pond, but they shouldn't be over stocked. I wouldn't put more than about 15 per year into a 1/3 acre pond. Once they get to a pound or two, they start harvesting your bluegill, and bass if they are stocked.

Ken

2blade, welcome to the forum! What part of MO are you in???

Lincoln University or MU both have fisheries departments that I am sure could test your fish, though it would probably be pretty pricey. I can't imagine anything on a typical MO farm that ran cattle having anything to cause a health concern if eaten. Even the worst parts of the Missouri and Mississippi rivers are not a problem unless you consume about 2000# of CC annually...

If you want to change what fish are in the ponds, at the sizes you have, complete draining and renovation would be quick and reasonable in price.

Thanks. I plan on culling all the larger CC out and replace with a balanced BG/LMG population. Gallatin, Mo

2blade, you may want to have Shawn Banks of Midwest Lake Management pay you a visit. They are based in Polo, Mo, very near you.

Rex, have Shawn what??

If eating fish from ponds that have had cattle watering from them and pooping in the water. Most all the fishermen I know would be dead.
In saying that for your peace of mind have them tested.
I am originally from Tebbetts Mo. down river from Jeff. Lived in Okie land 35 years now but still go home to Mo. a lot.
Sure do miss fishing on the big rivers though.
Dale

My concern was that since I just bought the property I don't know what chemicals and cattle can transmit to the water. It looks like a healthy pond. Lots of frogs, birds etc. As soon as the water warms up a little and the larger catfish get to biting I will cull them. Lots of little catfish though. I haven't seen a bluegill yet so I'm afraid they ate them all over the winter.