Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Fertilization fertilizing an existing pond

This is a 12 acre lake that has been actively managed every year in south Mississippi. . Biologist surveys once a year, and has recommended a fertilization program after surveying in feb/march. When the pond was built, the owner trucked in lime and tested soil before it was filled. I would guess the lake is 14 years old.

I have been attempting to manage it over the past 3 years. The first year, I fertilized end of march, April, and by May the lake was green, and visibility was around 14 inches so I stopped fertilizing. During June and July, the bloom became significant to the point I did not like it, so I did not fertilize the rest of the year. The bloom did not subside until late October.

By the following February, the lake had cleared and biologist again recommended fertilizing through October. I explained the heavy bloom, and he said ferlize march and April, and if it is heavy then resume in September and October. It went to pea green soup in June and July, and I thought no need to fertile in September/October because it was still thick and green water.

This march, after the survey, biologist recommended again fertilizing every month. For the first time, he came in May with a load of crawfish and said he could see a little bloom, but thought fertilizing was necessary.

I am very hesitant to fertilize because of what the water looks like in June/July/August. It's 8-12 inches visibility on the sechi disk and very green. I don't like it, and I have wanted to fertilze less in march and April with hopes that the water in June/July/august does not appear so thick.

The lake has 5 bream feeders spread around it, and an excellent population of bream.

Is my theory correct to reduce ferliztion in late march and April in hopes of not having too much of a bloom in the summer - or are the 2 unrelated? I would like to get to a point I can fertilize in sept/oct to help with winter months. I have bream fry in February, and I want them to have the right water conditions. I know that sounds crazy, but I have been in the boat with him shocking and bream fry come up everywhere in February.

Currently, the lake is a bit stained in color due to the abnormal rain. I think the runoff in the lake would prevent the fertilizer from working properly at this point, but I am no expert.