My pond has 5 fish species in it. Lily pads provide cover in my 9' deep pond. I can test lures I make to see what bites and then make more. But, I don't want to hook fish that are almost like pets in an aquarium and once I get a strike and hook fish, I unhook and release them as soon as possible. In fact, daily, I roll bits of bread between my fingers and toss them to over a dozen sunnies as well as 3-4 small turtles. (Many times the turtles are too slow and robbed by sunfish before they can eat the bread. :D) Fish and turtles will even follow me to where I'm standing on a different shore, expecting a snack. Like I said - like pets!
Also, it's nice to see springtime ducks land and swim around, along with Canadian geese, before they spawn.
Note: I have no idea where the turtles came from or go to in winter when the pond freezes. Same for a huge snapping turtle that poked its head up no more than 4' from my dock! (Haven't seen it this year - yet.)
The problem I had last year was a drought that dropped the 9' deep pond down to 3' and all fish died due to low oxygen and thick ice. Of the dead floating fish, there were four- 7 lb grass carp that ate too much bottom vegetation during the year. I hated seeing all my buddies dead, but had help getting rid of the bodies from daily visits from turkey vultures and a raccoon. (If I stock grass carp, 2 will do.)
Rainfall has been good so far, though air temps have been over 90 for over 3 weeks and no rain. Time to look for an aearatore - 12v or solar if possible for winter.
