Rod, I've found rock crevice type structure in 0-1.5' water provides ample reproduction. If you have control of pond level then this type habitat is not a problem for seining.
Kenny, I love the threads on PB where people are experimenting to find the optimal spawning structure for some of the "pickier" forage fish. I like your plan to to provide specific spawning structure as needed to supplement whatever natural niches are found in the forage pond.
Also, if fertilizing, a pound of FHM adults turns into billions in one full summer and it's very important that you pull large quantities of minnows to allow room for continued reproduction. You almost can't fertilize enough to support the shear numbers produced without removing poundage.
Your comment about shear numbers produced leads to another question. I am not going to be able to intensively manage my ponds - like many of the experts on Pond Boss.
Instead of seining and transferring forage fish, should I just build a monk water control structure and create a controllable connection between the forage pond and the main pond? (In practice, it would be like raising fish in a cove behind a blocking net, and then removing the net when desired.)
It would be much less work to have the forage pond come to maturity and then pull the two panels out of the monk and let the pond populations mix. After a week of slaughter, I could then re-seal the concrete divider, pump out the forage pond and let dry, and then start another cycle.
That would certainly be more work during the construction phase, but much less work to transfer copious amounts of forage fish!
Has anyone on the forum tried that type of system? I would appreciate any advice that would help me avoid some obvious mistakes.
