Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Evaluating and adjusting fish populations restoration-restocking of strip pit

Good morning all. I am possibly going to purchase our family cabin in southern Indiana that is located on old strip mining pit and need guidance and suggestions on maybe how to approach bringing this back to what it used to be. Background: guessing about 20 acres of water surface. If anyone knows pits, they drop off 8 feet from the edge to 25-30 feet. The pit in the 70's had (2) state record LMB (12 lbs ? ozs) removed while keeping quiet, with routine 8-9 pounders caught and kept. NOW: There are 13 cabins on it with 8 living there full time. The water is very clear. Through the years people have added fish through minnow dumps, "home stocking" and purchased stocking. The most notable change has came when some grass carp were added in the 90's early 2000's. They helped with the weeds, then all the weeds disappeared. To the point there is no vegetation. We have seen carp swimming into to fish beds to eat the eggs in the BG beds.
I can not "kill" the lake and start over due to other cabin owners. We have started bow fishing, with limited success.
Does anyone have some thoughts as I move forward?
Thanks,
Mike

If I were you I wouldn't buy it. If it has sentimental value though the money for fixing the pond would be worth it.

First off tell all other people to stop stocking! This will ensure no more future problems. Second, kill the carp. Either get a fish to do it, bowfish, or net them out. Kill the grass carp just the same, they aren't helping the lake. Flathead catfish or muskie/ tiger muskie will eat the carp but also other fish so maybe take most of them out when the carp are gone. Leave 1-5 muskie just for the fun of it.

Just my 2 cents, I'm no expert.
Also you should figure out what else is in the pond. Try to fish or net out some fish to see what's in there.

Mike:

What's your work schedule? LMK when you have some free time and I'll come over to talk.

I looked at it from a satellite. His 20 acre guesstimate is pretty close when you consider all the fingers of the strips.

There is a LOT of shoreline cover in the form of dead trees, but I don't know how much shallow cover there is for YOY fish.

Bow fishing the carp as much as possible, removing as many bass as you can and possibly adding BG at a later date is what I can recommend from here.

I would get a water test done to test the basics, alkalinity, pH and hardness.

If Triploid Grass Carp were stocked in 2000, then they are approaching the end of their life, so maybe the weeds might start showing back up as they die off. But I'd get the water tested, and if the alkalinity is low, talk to the other owners to see about adding agricultural lime, then maybe some fertilizer to get a bloom going. Before adding fertilizer, get the water test done to see where you stand.