I had just closed on a new to us property that had a 5 acre pond on it. I had sent out an email to the infamous Bob Lusk 2 weeks prior to closing. He got in touch with me the day before closing, and I’m sure glad he did. We discussed my situation and he got me in touch with an old pond management guy that he hadn't spoke with in a number of years. After a short conversation he showed up at my door step 2 hours after closing and we got to work. I was basically told we need to start over. Options were to pump the pond dry or Rotenone it and start over. Like 90% of the people with mismanaged ponds you have doubts or get nervous. You currently have fish and don’t want to kill them. So glad I took the leap of faith and put my trust in the most amazing pond management guy ever. Here we are exactly 12 months removed from that scary day with a beautiful body of water and some happy new fish. Everything I have been advised along the way has been spot on and better than I would have ever dreamed. I keep getting preached to have patients and everything will turn out great. Couldn’t help myself but to throw a lure out this weekend and wouldn’t you know, I caught 2 fish. The first being a LMB that was stocked 6 months ago as a 2” fingerling. The second being a HSB that was stocked at 6”. Now I have never seen a relative chart of smaller fish but I feel that the 2 I caught are way above and beyond where they should be coming out of winter. I just have to say thank you again to Bob and my awesome pond management guy that got my pond to where it is today. To the people who are scared to start over, I say DO IT, it will pay off in the long run
Excerpt from Robert Crais' "The Monkey's Raincoat:" "She took another microscopic bite of her sandwich, then pushed it away. Maybe she absorbed nutrients from her surroundings."
I have seen lots of pond newbies come onto Pond Boss with nightmare ponds. The experts tell them the easiest and cheapest and best option is to start over. They reply that their brother caught a 4# bass out of the pond ten years ago, so they are not going to start over.
So glad you "bit the bullet" on your pond.
I am looking forward to the awesome pics that you are going to post about three years from now!
