Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Evaluating and adjusting fish populations Getting started on a 50 acre unmanaged pond

IMO I would not try to fertilize this lake any more than the current inlet streams provide. Actually it would be best to try to mitigate fertility of the stream if at all possible. Waters with green water going into winter tend to have fish kills in winter under extended periods of snow covered ice. If winds can blow some of the snow off the ice this is very beneficial during winter to reduce chances of winter kill.

Owner says: "There is a large bay of about 15 acres that gets about 60 percent weeded out by mid summer."
The weed cover of around 15ac amounts to about 25-30% of the lake's 50 ac surface. This amount of weed growth is rated in the literature as beneficial for maximizing the fish community. Do you know what is the name of these weeds? Can you collect some of these weeds and provide a close, clear picture of the weeds. We should be able to identify the weed for you.

Trying to fertilize a 50-acre low productivity northern lake with possible weed issues would be costly and a possible recipe for disastrous DO/winter kill problems, IMO.

Cody Note: In addition adding fertilizer to this lake could easily create greater weed issues due to the fertilizer stimulating weeds instead of phytoplankton. Slippery slope on this topic for this particular water body.

From here, what are the options for controlling weeds in a northern water like this? The process of eutrophication is ongoing and so beyond not fertilizing or feeding what should be explored (or not) as possible remedy to turn back the clock for this water?

First get water and dirt tested to set a baseline. Results would dictate next steps. Manual removal of weeds would be a start, if appropriate. That may help to divert more productivity to the plankton community, but it depends on the situation and if that's the best course.

Well I'm disappointed to say that life got in the way and I didn't get out on the lake, we have a pole barn going up that needed my attention. Hopefully this weekend I can get out there and get more detailed pics of the lake/plant community. Used to have tons of pictures of the lake on my phone, which of course factory reset while I was mowing the lawn a few weeks ago because it thought I was trying to log in too many times while it was bouncing around in my pocket

No worries, life almost always gets in the way of our best laid plans.

Congrats on getting the pole barn up!

Possibly a stupid question; but. .is it constructed such that you could possibly install a siphon of some type to drain most of water out? For a while