I HAVE BEEN A LONG TIME FAN OF THIS SITE AND HAVE LEARNED A LOT FROM USING IT. ITHOUGHT IT WAS ABOUT TIME TO SHARE A FEW LESSONS I HAVE LEARNED. I PURCHASED A FARM IN 1999 CLOSE TO DESDEMONA TEXAS. TENTMAKER FARM HAS SEVEN PONDS WHICH I BEGAN TO MANAGE IN 2000. THE LARGEST POND IS 18 ACRES WITH A MAXIMUM DEPTH OF 23'. THE POND WAS BUILT IN THE MID 70'S. A GILL NET SURVEY SHOWED THE POND TO CONTAIN GAR; CARP; CHANNEL CAT; YELLOW CAT; CRAPPIE ANG LARGE GIZZARD SHAD. THE PONS STAYS MUDDY DUE TO THE CARP. FISHING PRODUCED A FEW LMB. THE DAM HAD A LEAK AND ONE OF THE LARGER FINGERS WAS ABOUT FILLED IN. THE POND WAS LOW IN 2000 - TEXAS SODIUM BENTONITE APPLIED 16 1/2 TONS OF BENTONITE AT THE SUSPECTED LEAK--COST $3000--THE POND HAS BEEN FULL FOR SOMETIME NOW AND THE LEAK IS GREATLY REDUCED. A LOCAL CONTRACTOR SPENT 57 HRS WITH A DOZER AND 52 HRS WITH AN EXCAVATOR TO CLEAN OUT THE FINGER--COST $9400. I DISCOVERED THAT DURING HEAVY RAINS MY NEIGHBORS 20 ACRE POND OVERFLOWS INTO A GULLY THAT FEEDS MY POND. DECIDED IT WAS NOT PRACTICAL TO ELIMINATE THE ROUGH FISH. ADDED 3 CATFISH BREEDING BARRELS AND CRAPPIE CONDOS. POLE FISHING FOR CRAPPIE AND CHANNEL CAT IS GOOD. TROUT LINE IS GOOD FOR CHANNEL AND YELLOW CAT. CARP AND GAR HUNTING IS EXCELLENT. ALSO REMOVED TREES FROM DAM.

TWO SPRING FED PONDS (1 1/4 ACRE) HAD AN EXISTING POPULATION OF LMB. CRAPPIE AND CHANNEL CAT. BEGAN A FERTILIZATION PROGRAM ON BOTH PONDS THAT PROVED TO BE A DISASTER AFTER TWO YEARS, I HAD SPENT $2250 ON CHEMICALS AND $975 ON GRASS CARP (13 IN 1 ACRE & 65 IN 5 ACRE PURCHASED FROM ARMS BAIT COMPANY.) I STILL HAD A MASSIVE WEED PROBLEM. I STOPPED FERTILIZATION AND STARTED A BLUEGILL NURSERY POND. SOME COMMENTS ON CHEMICALS-A GOOD PLACE TO PURCHASE MOST CHEMICALS IS ESTES--THE BEST WAY TO APPLY IS WITH PTO DRIVEN PUMP ON A TRACTOR--ALGAE--CUTRINE WORKS GREAT ($20.73/GAL @ESTES) 2 GAL. PER SURFACE ACRE COPPER SULFATE WORKS OK ($28/50#) BUT YOU CANNONT SPRAY IT BECAUSE IT WILL DESTROY THE PUMP--10# PER SURFACE ACRE-COONTAIL--AMINE-2-4-D (TRACTOR SUPPLY $38/2.5 GAL.)-10 GAL. PER SURFACE ACRE-NEVER SPRAY MORE THAN 1/3 OF POND AT A TIME-HAVE PROTEIN FEEDERS ON BOTH PONDS-REMOVE ALL CRAPPIE AND CATFISH CAUGHT-CATFISH WILL COME TO FEEDERS AND CAN BE HARVESTED WITH A .22-REMOVED TREES FROM DAM.
LMB CATCH LOG 1 1/4 ACRE--2001-14 DAYS FISHED-< 12"-14;12"TO15"-9;>15"-0-2002-11 DAYS FISHED-<12"-6;12"TO15"-6; >15"-4 ADDED 90 BLUEGILL-2003-29 DAYS FISHED-<12"-34;12"TO15"-19;>15"-18 ADDED 125 BLUEGILL-2004-30 DAYS FISHED-<12"62-12"TO15"
13;->15"-22 200 BLUEGILL ADDED--LMB CATCH LOG 5 ACRE-2001-14 DAYS FISHED <12"-7; 12"TO 15" 53; >15" 21-2002-12 DAYS FISHED <12"-6; 12"TO15"-6;>15"-15 ADDED 250 BLUEGILL-2003 <12"-30; 12"TO15"-20;>15"-27 ADDED 365 BLUEGILL-2004 34 DAYS FISHED <12"-42; 12"TO15"-61; >15"65 ADDED 645 BLUEGILL. MOST DAYS TWO PEOPLE FISHING--MUST CHANGE LURES AND TACTICS-KEEP MOST FISK IN THE 12" TO 15" SIZE-TRY TO TAKE OUT 25# PER ACRE PER YEAY--WILL ADD AERATOR TO 1 1/4 ACRE THIS YEAR-TRAPPED BEAVERS CONIBEAR #330 (BUCKSHOT'S $17.50@) WILL ADD TILAPIA THIS YEAR.

1/3 ACRE NUSERY POND #1-SEPT 2000 ROTENONE-JAN 2001 STOCK 25 COPPERNOSE BLUEGILL-APRIL O2 ADDED FEEDER-PEARCH REMOVED-02-366;03-509;04-1182-POND TOO DEEP TO SEIN MUST USE PERCH TRAPS (ACADEMY) AND FISH CAKE (DILLARDS FEED) FOR BAIT

CATFISH POND 1/3 ACRE-ROTENONE MAY 03-ADDED 250 6"CATFISH AND 1# FATHEAD MINNOWS JULY 03 ADDED FEEDER MARCH 04--CAUGHT SEVERAL 8" TO 14" SUMMER 04--LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS YEAR.

NURSERY/CATFISH POND#2 - 1/3 ACRE--ROTENONE NOV 03--ADDED 117 COPPERNOSE IN 04--ADDED FEEDER JULY 04--ADDED 250 6" CATFISH & 2#FATHEAD MINNOWS OCT 04.

1 ACRE POND BUILT IN 60'S--FILLED IN AVERAGE DEPTH 2FT.--MAY 04 POND DREDGED AND SHAPED BY HUGHES EXCAVATION--COST $24,000--ADDED STRUCTURE--NEW 2 ACRE POND FULL IN SEPT.--ADDED 200 COPPERNOSE & 2# FATHEAD MINNOWS--SEEDED DAM WITH RYEGRASS--APPLIED 2000# GYPSUM (BUILT AIR EJECTOR POWERED BY A BACK BLOWER TO APPLY)-HELPED BUT DID NOT COMPLETELY CLEAR-BOUGHT 500# ALUMINUM SULFATE (ESTES $LL.25/50#)HAVE NOT APPLIED YET--OCT 04 ADDED 250 HSB 5"-7" (OVERTON FISHERIES @ $1.95.) ADDED 2 FEEDERS--LOOKING FORWARD TO 06

FISH FEEDERS-BUILT MY OWN--PURCHASE A DIGITAL DEER FEEDER CONTROLLER FROM ACADEMY USE A 1/4" COUPLING DRILL A SMALL HOLE CLOSE TO ONE END INSTALL A HITCH PIN--SCREW THE COUPLING ON THE TOP OF THE FEEDER SHAFT--THIS WILL FIT UP INSIDE THE FUNNEL TO PREVENT JAMS--USE A 10 GAL.GALVANIZED TRASH CAN (HOME DEPOT) INSTALL CONTROLLER AND FUNNEL--USING GALVANIZED CHAIN LINK FENCE PARTS--ONE 10'-2 1/2" DIA POST AND THREE 8'--1 1/2 DIA POST AND 2 SET GAT BRACKET--BUILD BOOM WITH 1 1/2" POST--ONE POST VERTICAL--6" FROM ONE END WELD ONE POST HORIZONTAL--WELD THIRD POST ON A DIAGONAL 6" FROM END OF VERTICAL AND HORIZONAL--WEL 3/8" NUT ON TOPOF HORIZONTAL PIPE 2" FROM END (KEEPS TRASH CAN FROM SLIDING OFF) SET 2 1/2" POST--INSTALL GATE BRACKETS AND BOOM--WITH THE BOOM STRAIGHT OUT OVER THE WATER DRILL 1/2" HOLE THRU PIPE AND BOOM VERTICAL--USE SPIKE NAIL THRU HOLE TO KEEP FROM ROTATING--INTALL ROOF FLASHING 6" WIDTH AROUND BACK SIDE OF TRASH CAN (TO KEEP ALL FEED IN THE WATER)-ROTATE FEEDER TO FILL--I ALSO USE A SOLAR CHARGER--TOTAL COST ABOUT $125-FISH FEED NUTRISOURCE CATFISH (TRACTOR SUPPLY $11.28/50#.)

GET YOUR PRIVATE PESTICIDE APPLICATOR LICENSE-CONTACT LOCAL COUNTY EXTENSION AGENT.

GO TO ONE OF THE BASS 101 SCHOOLS PUT ON MY TEXAS COOPERATIVE EXTENSION.

GOOD SOURCE FOR NETS--TRAPS--NYLON NET COMANY.

GOOD AERATOR LINE WEIGHTS--DUCK DECOY LEAD WEIGHTS--1/2" X 6"--WRAP AROUND LINE.

HOPE SOME OF THIS INFORMATION IS USEFUL-FISH WHEN YOU CAN AND DO NOT TOTAL THE COST.

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