Like so many pondowners in this region, I fretted as water levels fell...and fell... and fell. ....
But did it really do long term harm to my fishery?
... Heck, I was considering drawing down my own little piece of heaven deliberately, until nature did it for me.
Two things I notice now that my place is at full pool. One, the 3 to 5 inch panfish are a heck of a lot scarcer than they used to be. YOY and bigguns doing fine, just that size group missing. Were they forced out of their shallow safe haunts to where bass could devour them? Two, bass seem to have gained girth, and not just the females carrying eggs. Relative weight definitely up compared with same time last year.
.... What do you think?
Those are two of the reasons many pond manuals suggest the use of intentional drawdowns. It is a commonly used management technique used more often in areas that get plenty of rain. You do have to pay attention to the population status and not let to many of a year class get decimated.
Also did you notice a reduction of small LMB (6-10 inches)? That is another often used reason for a drawdown - control of over abundant small LMB.
.gif)
