Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Types of fish to choose New YP/SMB Pond in MI - Plan

I don't think electrofishing from shore is practical due to several reasons. 1. right equipment for it has not been developed IMO; 2. One should have some experience electrofishing before trying something like you are proposing; 3. Not sure how effective electro fishing would be since GSF hide in dense cover that may not transfer current well.; 4. Best electrofishing success is in water with the correct range of hardness and not sure of the water hardness in your area. Do plenty of homework before trying a home made shocker. I would not do it unless one has had at least one experience as a helper with someone with a fish shocker.

IMO you will have more success with 1 or 3 fish traps fishing 24/7 all summer long. IMO since GSF like confined cover,,, they will tend to say in a trap longer as cover and protection than some other common fish species. Also build yourself one or two cylinder traps 10"-12" dia and 3-4ft long. You will be surprised how many GSF they will have in them for soak times of 48 - 60 hrs.

Dig your forage pond. It does not have to be higher elevation than the main pond. If the forage pond is 0.07-0.1 ac and only 6 ft deep on around one half of it,, It will not take long at all to use a 3" trash pump or a semi-trash pump to dewater it - maybe only one or two tanks of gas. If you are just mainly moving relatively clean water sucked through a 1/4" to 1/2" suction screen or a homemade trash can sieve the semi-trash pump should work really good and be cheaper than a full trash pump. Used pumps are sometimes available on Craigs list and others. Plus a new honda pump will be well worth the money for the long term usages. Harbor freight also sells probably reasonable good 3" semi-trash and trash pump.

For predator control of GSF I would first try the SMB. LMB can always be added later. The smallies worked well in my rock - bolder lined pond controlling the GSF once I significantly reduced the numbers of GSF via trapping and feeding them to the smallies. One option I would use to help control the GSF is to add JUST one LMB to your pond. However I think the SMB are good GSF predators as both live near and frequent rocky habitat. Actually after using SMB with a GSF problem in my YP test pellet feeding pond, I think SMB might be a better predator of GSF compared to using LMB for GSF control. Try smallies first with maybe just one LMB and report your results. We can all learn something from your experiences.