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Joined: May 2023
Posts: 32 Likes: 2
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OP
Joined: May 2023
Posts: 32 Likes: 2 |
Hey guys I recently discovered that my 3 acre pond unfortunately has brown bullheads in it. I have no idea how many, we just started catching them this spring, only two so far. I know they need to go. Do you guys have any recommendations on how to remove them other than catching them out? The pond is currently stocked with LMB, BG, HSB, RES, and CC. Retenone or starting over is not an option, and may not be waranted based of the unknow population. All other stocked species seem to be flourishing.
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Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 13,840 Likes: 324
Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame 2014 ![](images/stars.gif) Lunker
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame 2014 ![](images/stars.gif) Lunker
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 13,840 Likes: 324 |
When faced with bullheads, you usually end up with bullheads that are larger than what the largest predator fish can eat; usually LMB are the natural predator for bullheads. I suppose some smaller bullheads could be eaten by HSB and CC.
Those larger bullheads need to be caught out. Trapping might work too.
In my 4.5 acre pond, we had a non-desirable bullhead population. Over a weekend, we targeted bullheads for fishing, and had a massive fish fry. We took out between 100-200 if I recall correctly, and that made a very noticeable difference.
Also, electrofishing can bring up a bunch of bullheads, so that may be something to consider also.
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."
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1 member likes this:
FishinRod |
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Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 3,673 Likes: 647
Lunker
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Lunker
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 3,673 Likes: 647 |
I have run a minnow trap in my creek to try and sample all of the various minnow species. Surprisingly, I caught yellow bullheads in the trap a few times.
There are lots of threads on Pond Boss about trapping fish in ponds. (I think they are usually for sampling or culling sunfish?)
I suspect in the right location and with the right bait, you could trap a lot of bullheads. (With a trap for catfish, not a minnow trap.)
As a kid I used to fish farm ponds for bass and BG. Some days we had poor luck. My grandfather would then take us to one of the muddier corners of the pond where the prevailing wind would push items in the pond. We might then catch a bullhead on a bit of worm with every single cast.
I don't know if that is the best spot to try a trap, but that would be my advice. Hopefully, some experts will drop in and give you better advice. I do know that bullheads can become a high percentage of the fish mass in a small pond.
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Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 28,755 Likes: 906
Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent ![](images/stars.gif) Lunker
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent ![](images/stars.gif) Lunker
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 28,755 Likes: 906 |
I just electroshocked a pond this morning and netted 3 brown bullheads. Fyke nets or catfish traps can catch them too.
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Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 233 Likes: 11
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Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 233 Likes: 11 |
google figure 8 traps. make some and put them out and you can remove a lot of fish,on smaller ponds. But the best way is stock your bass and they will eat them.
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Joined: Mar 2024
Posts: 5
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Joined: Mar 2024
Posts: 5 |
This trap was made by a company in texas specifically for bullhead removal. It's a z-trap, and the entry points were cut to be about 2 x 4 inches to allow the fish in. The trap has worked amazing well for bullhead removal. I think this z-trap or any perch trap listed on the site would work great for bullhead as long as the entry points allow them to get in. Best of luck getting them out! I cant figure out how to make the image show here, lol... but I linked it below for reference. Caught quite a few bullhead in just a couple of hours. [img] https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RScspzmziRzwoJk8R8w_afxb_e8b5M0R/view?usp=drive_link[/img]
Last edited by rusticsbysmith; 06/03/24 11:18 AM.
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Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 97 Likes: 6
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Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 97 Likes: 6 |
Man I love eating bullhead. At one time a family friend had a great pond for them, then we introduced bass and they all went away. I would take some in my pond.
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