Pond Boss Forums POND CONSTRUCTION Renovating a Pond or Lake? Pond Update: Fall 2022

[b][/b][i][/i]I'm sort of bad at providing updates and keeping up today on the forum, but got a minute, so here's a catch update... Last fall we dug out some areas where we could get the excavator close enough to dig, ended up not getting much deeper, but the two areas that I did get down 4-5' deep have made it so the pond didn't dry up this summer like last year, in fact the fatheads did well this summer along with the initial gills, they are getting thick and growing, even though they are very limited in area since the drought has kept the water levels very low... Few LMB added this fall, so far so good with your recommendations, they seem to be working really well.. Thanks for everyone's suggestions, i hope the drought will let up so the pond can return to regular levels, i'm really looking forward to how this initial seeding will blossom.. Later J

I am doing the rain dance now.

The rain and snow should get there about the middle of next week!

Good luck.

Sweet, I'll be looking forward to the moisture... Little more detail on the fish, gills were about the size of a quarter when planted last fall, now they are about palm size and taking a fly. Most of the summer I seen clouds of fathead fry everywhere, I don't see them now, but I expect they have just gone deeper since the temps have dropped from 70's to 40's the last week or so... Even had ice on the pond the other morning, so I'm sure the water temp has really changed for the fish... Question for the fish guys, when do bluegill start to feed on minnows like fathead? I'm sure that depends on minnow size and all, but was wondering will the bluegill forage all the young of the year fatheads? There are tons of water insects everywhere in the pond and frogs and lots of feed for predatory fish. How predatory will the bluegill be? Will they eliminate the fathead minnows in time, or will the bass do that as they grow to become the bluegill limiters? Or will the minnows be able to hold on and stay a part of the pond? Guess the answer will be it depends, but I'm just curious what you expect... Thanks J

Bass will eat a LOT of fish, but Bluegill will eat some too. Think of mouth gape and availability of fish to eat. I have caught 10" bluegill on 3" crankbaits. Not small enough for the BG to eat but small enough to nip at it and get hooked. I will catch 6" or larger BG on small minnow crankbaits.

Thanks for the info on that, I'm getting thick enough ice to get on the pond, so I'll put a camera down soon and see what is going on under the surface... Another question, how is the best way to deal with muskrats? They are starting to dig and burrow in the banks so much that they are really making the water murky. Now I have ice i'm not sure how to try and trap them... Any ideas of the best way to make them move on? Thanks J

look up a colony trap. These are best set under thin ice, when you can see their trails threw the ice.

I would move them on with a bullet

Colony trap or a Conibear 110.

Thank you, I'll check into them.. J
PS... If I could see them I'd try the bullet, but they seem to come out after dark..