Pond Boss Forums POND CONSTRUCTION Selecting a site starting the dream

Been awhile. I apologize for no new pictures, I left the camera at home. Things are moving ever so slowly but most of the time they are at least moving in the right direction.

Next week I finish the crayfish pond. It is a small pond for crayfish population to get started then move them to the SMB pond as they become established.

SMB, WE and CC are doing well. I need to harvest 30 or so cats this summer. I just finished building a fish cleaning station so very soon the fun will begin.

As long as I have you here, quick question.

May 2014 I stocked 50 3-5" and 25 5-7" yellow perch into the perch pond. The pond is not large, 1/4 acre, max depth 8 ft. It is aerated. 1 year earlier the pond was stocked with fatheads and golden shiners. When the perch were stocked and even to this day, there are a lot of minnows running around the pond as well as all the other insect complements.

Here is the question and concern,

The first year we did not fish the perch pond at all, just allowing perch to be, but this spring I started trying to catch some perch to check on sizes and health. For 2 months (may and june)I caught nothing. I tried beetle spins, jigs, worms and minnows. Eventually, I started getting nibbles on the worms. I caught a couple of shiners (I remember Mark's article 'The Glory Hour') and then I finally caught 1 perch about 7 inches long.

Questions...
1. Is there just so much natural forage that the perch are hard to catch?

2. Is it possible that the pond is too small and the perch winterkilled? I have not seen over the year any signs of winterkill.


thanks