Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Evaluating and adjusting fish populations Harvesting channel cats CC

We have lots of 1-2# CC in the main pond that will be ideal harvest size by this fall. We have caught and filleted 44 to date this calendar year (more after this morning). Seems like when we are fishing for BG I catch more CC than when I am fishing for CC.

This fall we will need to harvest a bunch of them to reduce the bio-load on the pond to make room for other fish. Anyone have good ideas for harvesting them other than hook and line? I have thought of a drop net and feed above it. I have thought of a barrel with holes and a trap door with a feed pipe that I could funnel feed down into the trap barrel. Get them used to eating out of the barrel then trip a trap door. Thought about just a big fish trap (minnow trap on steroids).

Seems like when we don't care if we catch them or not, we catch CC. But if we go out there on a mission to catch a mess to clean, they are not biting.

Would just like to come up with a more consistent way of harvesting them when the time comes we want them removed.

I have tried everything in my pond and always revert back to hook and line. I’m up to 2,800 cc out of my pond this year. You cc average size seem to be larger than mine. I bought a trap from Memphis net and twine but the gaps in netting were to big for the juvenile catfish. Something like that baited with fish food in a sock might work. I believe it was under $100 bucks with shipping.

I feed mine cut up cheap hot dogs they get used to it really quick. Then when you want some toss some in to get them started then bait up and catch what you want