Pond Boss Forums INTRO Common Pond Q&A (archives) Pond Boss Magazine 2024 Articles and Index

POND BOSS 2024 Magazine Article Contents & Index
Ask the Boss and Pond to Plate omitted due to time limitations.

Jan – Feb 2024
Ask the Boss and Pond to Plate omitted due to time limitations.

1. WILD TURKEYS. VanSchaik reviews the history of turkeys, breeding habits, egg laying, nesting, nest predators , feeding, beneficial habitat, managing numbers.

2. EXCEPTION TO THE RULE. Cornwell ‘s college class investigates why a high elevation NY pond had primarily big bass.

3. LEAKY LAKES. Otto discusses reasons why many ponds and lakes leak. And some ways to seal leaky ponds.

4. BASS FISHING IS GETTING COMPLICATED. Dr. Neal describes the 19 different species of bass in the sunfish family.

5. WATER DENSITY & STRATIFICATION. Chris Cornwell educates us about water density with an easy experiment using food coloring and temperature.

6. MAGIC WAND FOR LEAKY PONDS. Mike Gray has several stories about his ways of dealing with leaky ponds.

7. DOWNY AND HAIRY WOODPECKERS - Part 3. More good informational facts about these interesting birds.

8. BASS LAKE LEMONADE. Lusk tells what to do when no stocked F1 bass survived 2 years after the first stocking.

9. BASS TOOL KIT. James Allen explains the concept of standard weight and relative weight (RW). Tells how to use a new freely offered fisheries management spreadsheet.

10. SMALL WATER BIG LARGEMOUTH. Beasley describes what was done for developing a one acre pond for trophy all female bass pond to grow mainly trophies.

11. THOROGHBRED RACEHORSE BASS FISHING POND. Lusk tells how he helped manage two ponds on a racehorse farm.

12. AQUATIC INVERTEBRATES. Lusk tells how some common bugs –of how insects add to the health of ponds: mayflies, dragonflies, water striders, boatmen, no-see-ums.

13. WATER CHEMISTRY KEYS. Dr. Boyd has excellent information about the easy basics of alkalinity index and its capacity to neutralize acid. Very good read to learn all about alkalinity.

14. WINTER MILDNESS. Lusk provides ideas and activities for the pond during mild winters.

15. THE BALANCE OF BALANCING. Lusk describes how fishery and pond balance are temporary and ways it can cause change. Be watchful of any noticeable changes within the pond

16. TILAPIA STELTH PREDATOR. West describes the foods eaten by tilapia compared to sunfish & bass using studies of stomach contents.

Mar-Apr 2024
1. FISHERIES PIONEER TO BE INDUCTED INTO TEXAS FRESHWATER FISHING HALL OF FAME. Lusk gets honored by fisheries professionals.

2. NEW STUDY CONFIRMS QUAIL THEORY. VanSchaik explains how feeding, good habitat and predator control helps quail numbers.

3. COMMON POND PROBLEMS USUALLY RELATED. Cornwell discusses stunted fish, small bass, weedy and limited habitat concerns.

4. LONG LIVE YOUR POND. Otto gives several important parts of pond design & build to make it last more enjoyerable longer.

5. NEW AQUATIC PLANT MANAGEMETN RESOURCES AVAILABLE. Dr. Neal identifies new treatments for water weeds.

6. FORAGING A POND. The Tasty Edible Side of Cattails. Chris Cornwell uses of cattail as table food.

7. THIRD TIME A CHARM. Mike Gray laments some trials and tribulations of rebuilding an old leaky pond.

8. REDBELLIED WOOD PECKERS AND SAPSUCKR FAMILY. Birdman Mel discusses these interesting birds.

9. STEWARDSHIP AS YOuR MODEL. Lusk describes how the philosophy of taking care of pond and property has changed.

10. MAKING A STOCKING PLAN FOR A NEW POND. Lusk has helpful thoughtful advice for stocking a new pond.

11. CATCH AND RELEASE: GOOD INTENTIONS POOR OUTCOME. Beasley discusses the numerous Pros and Cons of catch and release angling.

12. THROUGHBRED BASS LAKE Part 2. Lusk tells how this bass lake has progressed to the final rebuilt stage.

13. EQUIPMENT. What Is Absolutely Necessary? Lusk discusses several of the best tools to help you manage your pond.

14. CLIMATE CHANGE AND YOUR FISH POND. Dr. Boyd has some good technical into about climate change, why its happening and the rationale.

15. FACTS AND MYTHS ABOUT NORTHERN PONDS. Lusk provides advice for the states of Dakotas, MN, IA, NE, MT & WI.

16. BUYING FISH Lusk gives good advice for how many, with giving of using fish buying language and how to play the fish buying game; as price is just secondary.

17. BLUEGILL SIZE STRUCTURE Too Many Variables. West discusses the complexity and difficulty in measuring causes bluegill size distribution across the US.

May-Jun 2024

1. SUMMER FOOD PLOTS AGAIN. Vanschaik looks at net nutrient values, proven producers, limitimg factors, best locations, plot shapes, conservation tillage.

2. KEEP INVASIVE SPECIES OUT. Cornwell tells about why other species are problems rather than just fish: milfoils, water chestnuts, snails, mussels, crayfish, water flea and rudd. How to disinfect ideas.

3. DAN PIPING. Otto tells all about pipe for ponds, the purposes, sizes, right kinds and life spans.

4. ADDRESSING SEVERE AND CHRONIC CYANOBACTERIA BLOOMS. Dr Neal describes recognizable features and several helpful techniques to reduce harmful blooms.

5. PONDS AND THEIR WATER. Chris Cornwell tells about soil for ponds and has two easy experiments for settling solids.

6. A LEAKY PUZZLE. Mike Gray tells about repairing a leaky spillway to change water flow direction.

7. RED WINGED BLACK BIRDS. Birdman Mel tells us all about interesting nationwide red winged black birds.

8. DO IT YOURSELF. Building Your Own Lake. Lusk tells how to use the right processes to build a pond or lake.

9. GALAAOPAGOS GILLS. Treavor Fry explains natural selection and its impact on your fishery with some evolution and history of copper nose bluegill.

10. FOUR FOUNDING PRINCIPALS WHEN MANAGING TROPHY FISHERIES. Beaslsy discusses the 4 main important points for how to grow trophy sizes of all fish species.

11. UNDERSTANDING BASS / BLUEGILL POPULATIONS. Four Scenarios. Lusk Discusses BG-LMB havest and the 4 types of balance.

12. APPEARANCE OF FISH POND SURFACES. Dr. Boyd tells what causes water color changes. Apparent & True color.

13. NOTES FROM A BASS CROWDED LAKE. Lusk investigates a small lake with skinny bass and discovers new ideas why too many weeds and too many bass were not growing well. Reasons, ways and ideas to improve the crowded fishery fishery.

14. HYBRID STRIPED BASS RAMBLINGS. West looks at predation losses after stocking various sizes of these hybrids.



Jul-Aug 2024
1. JAWS OR HOGZILLA? VanSchaik provides numerous facts about wild hog attacks, behaviors, disease, breeding cycles eating habits removal ideas.

2. STOCKING TROUT SOME QUESTIONS ANSWERED. Cornwell provides some basic needs of trout: temperatures, oxygen needs, pond requirements, with bass, deaths, reproducing, well water, usual maximum size in a pond.

3. PIPE INSTALLATION. Otto discusses piping uses, detailed installing, precautions and methods for pipe types from his many years of experience

4. SNAKEHEADS: ARE THEY MONSTER FISH? Dr Neal describes the Pros & Cons of this recent invasive fish.

5. WATER TEMPERATURE – How Fast Does It Change? Chris Cornwell relates some interesting temperature changes of water.

6. SURGICAL REPAIR OF A FRACTURED PROPERTY. Mike Gray problems of dealing with rock in a pond basin.

7. PROTECT YOUR CAVITIES. Birdman Mel describes protection devices for bird houses and feeders.

8. BUILD THE DAM – PLAN THE HABITAT PIECE. Part 2. Lusk gives the main things to look for when building a dam for a pond or lake.

9. MY APPROACH. Lusk gives guidelines of how and what to look at when using the 5 basic lake fishery management principles.

10. HEROES RANCH. Lusk describes his relationship with Freeman Sawyer who helps wounded warriors.

11. STATE OF BASS GENETICS. Lusk dwells into the current information about big bass genetics.

12. AQUATIC PLANTS SEEM OUT OF HAND? Lusk discusses ways of dealing with pesky pond plants.

13. SPORTFISH POND WATER QUALITY. Dr. Boyd talks about the main features and general principles that determine basic water quality: rainfall, pH, conductivity, watersheds, nutrients, turbidity, sedimentation, color, alkalinity, conductivity, DO, calcium, liming, and water analysis kits.

14. THE MYSTERY OF WATER. Lusk tells of the philosophical, spiritual, emotional, physical aspects and some interesting facts of this astonishing liquid for life.

15. CONDITIONING YOUR FISH FOR WINTER. Lusk gives ideas for helping your fish and boosting your food chain to better survive winter.

16, FEEDING AND GROWTH. West dwells into how mouth size, condition factor, prey density, and turbidity determine growth of fish.



Sep-Oct 2024
1. SOLAR FARMS, AG LAND AND WILDLIFE. VanSchaik presents the potential impacts of solar panels on wildlife.

2. SUNFISH DIVERSITY FOR NORTHERN PONDS. Cornwell discusses green sunfish, bluegill, rock bass, pumpkinseed and redbreast sunfish for northern ponds.

3. POND PURPOSES HAVE CHANGED, PROCESSES HAVE NOT. Otto discusses how the art of pond management has changed during 40 years to add value to land. Provides how to test for good clay and watershed formula to fill a pond.

4. THE CURIOUS CASE OF BLACKJACK POND: THE SEQUEL. Dr Neal discusses balance of predator prey puzzle for this five acre happy water pond of bluegill & bass where all fish are now underweight.

5. CREATURES FROM THE MUCK. Chris Cornwell tells us about the interesting life cycle of dragonflies.

6. SEARCHING FOR THE PERFECT POND. Mike Gray tells about how design and good plans are important before building a pond. Includes the permitting process.

7. EFFECTS OF CICADA EXPLOSION THIS YEAR. Birdman Mel tells about the pros and cons of cicada and their affect on bird populations.

8. CAN I GROW BIG BLUEGILL IN A SMALL POND? Lusk & Bill Cody discuss the ways, the challenges and limiting factors to grow big bluegill in a 0.25 ac pond.

9. DO IT YOURSELF – BUILDING YOUR OWN LAKE Part 3. Lusk tells who to do the right job of moving all the necessary dirt so correct compaction of dam and basin have the right shape, slopes, and depth with correct types of habitat.

10. GREAT GENETICS POOR OUTCOME. Beasley explains that bass pedigree does not always mean trophy bass. Tells how a beginning trophy bass lake dwindled to bad shape with great genetics because of not following the four foundational principles for growing trophy bass.

11. TRUTH AND CONSEQUENCES. Decisions, Actions, Results. Lusk discusses how nature has plans for unexpected change as your pond ages. Know the 5 fundamentals. Tells how to think way past easy and how do deal with change.

12. FISH AND PRESSURE. Dr. Boyd tells how fish respond to two opposing forces of air pressure and gravity.

13. WHAT HAPPENS UNDER THE WATER LINE MATTERS. Lusk talks about his learning about some new observations of things to be aware of that occur in new fisheries.

14. WALLEYE IN PONDS - Stocking Strategy. Lusk discusses the benefits and needs of these fish, the two ways to stock them, their best foods, proper habitat, good numbers per acre, compatible species, types of beneficial aeration.

15. PREDATON AND GAPE SIZE. West discusses studies of bass predation on catfish, bluegill and goldfish. Why it is more than how big the mouth is.



Nov-Dec 2024
1. THE BIGGEST THREAT FROM WILDLIFE DISEASES. VanShaik tells all about bird flu, what it is, how it spreads, how to avoid it.

2. POND’S PERIMETER. Cornwell discusses the transition zone from water to upland areas and some ways to better manage that area.

3. WATER, DIRT……..DIRT, WATER. Otto discusses the types of water sources that will fill in a new pond and keep it full.

4. WATER CHEMISTRY IS IMPORTANT AND IT IS NOT THAT SCARY. Dr. Neal tells about importance of alkalinity, the minimum needed and how to simply test for it.

5. WINTERKILL. Chris Cornwell explains what is causing fish winter kills.

6. A RAINY DAY IN A DROUGHT. Mike Gray tells how he sculpted a pond basin to cattle watering.

7. I MUST BE NUTS. Birdman Mel has an interesting story about these entertainers.

8. COLORADO HIGH WATER MANAGENT. Lusk describes an interesting high country pond.

9. BUILDING YOUR OWN LAKE – DO IT YOURSELF Pt 3. Lusk describes the habaitat plans for good design to increase fish production.

10. OVERCOMING RISKS JEOPARDIZING TROPHY LARGEMOUTH BASS FISHERIES. Beasley discusses the factors and pitfalls that are involved and needed to consistently grow trophy bass.

11. NICHES. Lusk tells why habitat and unique areas in a pond / lake are very important for growing high quality fish.

12. SOFT PLASTICS. Lusk tells how angling with soft plastic baitcan be hurting your bass.

13. ENTROPY. Dr. Boyd describes Lord Kelvin’s principles of aging, the general decline and why things are constantly changing to make it more ‘messy’.

14. HALL OF FAME BOSS. LeighAnn Skipworth describes the back story of Bob Lusk’s induction into the Texas Freshwater Hall of Fame.

15. CONDITION. Dr. Willis and Lusk review the standard weight tables for smallmouth, spotted bass, hybrid striped bass and channel catfish.

16. FALL FRENZY WINTER SOON. West describes feeding habits and fat storage for largemouth, bluegill, yellow perch and tilapia.

Agrivoltics Sep-Oct 2024
Alkalinity index & info Jan-Feb 2024
Aquatic plants control Jul-Aug 2024
Atmospheric pressure fish Sep-Oct 2024
Balance in ponds Jan-Feb 2024
Bass 17 types & names Jan-Feb 2024
Bass eating catfish Sep-Oct 2024
Bass female stocking Jan-Feb 2024
Bass genetics Sep-Oct 2024
Bass genetics status Jul-Aug 2024
Bass Hybrid Striped standard weight table Nov-Dec 2024
Bass new food conversions Jan-Feb 2024
Bass no grow no spawning May-Jun 2024
Bass predation tests Sep-Oct 2024
Bass relative weights Jan-Feb 2024
Bass soft plastics Sep-Oct 2024
Bass Spotted standard weight table Nov-Dec 2024
Bass spreadsheet mgmt Jan-Feb 2024
Bass smallmouth standard weight table Nov-Dec 2024
Bass sunfish tilapia foods Jan-Feb 2024
Bass trophies in small water Jan-Feb 2024
Bass trophy avoid risks Nov-Dec 2024
Bass trophy principles May-Jun 2024
Bicarbonates Jan-Feb 2024
Bird house protectors Jul-Aug 2024
Birds red-winged blackbirds May-Jun 2024
Blooms cyanobacteria May-Jun 2024
Bluegill coppernose evolution May-Jun 2024
Bluegill growing big Sep-Oct 2024
Bluegill Sep-Oct 2024
Bluegill standard weight table Nov-Dec 2024
Carbonates Jan-Feb 2024
Catfish & LMB gape foods Sep-Oct 2024
Catfish standard weight table Nov-Dec 2024
Cattails edible Mar-Apr 2024
Cicada as animal food Sep-Oct 2024
Clay dirt evaluation Sep-Oct 2024
Climate change ponds Mar-Apr 2024
Color of water cause May-Jun 2024s
Compensation depth Nov-Dec 2024
Condition std weights Nov-Dec 2024
Corser Horse Farm ponds Jan-Feb 2024
Crayfish rusty May-Jun 2024
Cyanobacterial blooms May-Jun 2024
Dam Piping May-Jun 2024
Dirt clay evaluation Sep-Oct 2024
Diseases wildlife Nov-Dec 2024
Dragonflies Sep-Oct 2024
Equipment basic tools Mar-Apr 2024
Eutropy pond aging Nov-Dec 2024
Fish & air pressure Sep-Oct 2024
Fish air pressure gravity Sep-Oct 2024
Fish balance BG – LMB May-Jun 2024
Fish bass bluegill balances May-Jun 2024
Fish bluegill sizes vary Mar-Apr 2024
Fish buying secrets Mar-Apr 2024
Fish catch & release why & when Mar-Apr 2024
Fish condition and mouth gape Jul-Aug 2024
Fish Fall feeding needs Nov-Dec 2024
Fish management tools Jan-Feb 2024
Fish mouth gape Sep-Oct 2024
Fish plastic baits
Fish pre-winter basics Jul-Aug 2024
Fish prey predator combo Sep-Oct 2024
Fish snakeheads Jul-Aug 2024
Fish spreadsheet tool Jan-Feb 2024
Fish standard weights tbls Nov-Dec 2024
Fish sunfishes Sep-Oct 2024
Fish swim bladder Sep-Oct 2024
Fish trophy genetics Sep-Oct 2024
Fish walleye growing Sep-Oct 2024
Fishery balance Jan-Feb 2024
Fishery Spreadsheet program Jan-Feb 2024
Food plots summer May-Jun 2024
Forage conversions bass Jan-Feb 2024
Gape mouth LMB prey Sep-Oct 2024
Genetics trophy Sep-Oct 2024
Goldfish & LMB gape Sep-Oct 2024
Green sunfish Sep-Oct 2024
HALL Of fame freshwater Lusk Nov-Dec 2024
Heroes Ranch Jul-Aug 2024
Hogs wild Jul-Aug 2024
Hogzilla Jul-Aug 2024
Hybrid striped bass standard weight table Nov-Dec 2024
Hybrid striped bass survival May-Jun 2024
Invasive species types May-Jun 2024
Lake building tips May-Jun 2024
Lake DYI Pt3 Habitat building Nov-Dec 2024
Leaks investigating them Jan-Feb 2024
Liming & alkalinity Jan-Feb 2024
LMB female stocking Jan-Feb 2024
LMB gape & growth Sep-Oct 2024
LMB gape eating catfish Sep-Oct 2024
Lusk Hall of Fame Mar-Apr 2024
Lusk Hall of Fame Nov-Dec 2024
Milfoil Eurasian & Water May-Jun 2024
Mpemba water cooling effect Jul-Aug 2024
Mussel zebra quagga May-Jun 2024
Mystery snail May-Jun 2024
Niches Nov-Dec 2024
pH alkalinity Jan-Feb 2024
Pipes Dam types May-Jun 2024
Piping types installing Jul-Aug 2024
Plant fact sheets Mar-Apr 2024
Plastic baits – bass
Plasticity index Jan-Feb 2024
Pond 5 main principles Jul-Aug 2024
Pond aging as eutropy Nov-Dec 2024
Pond aging factors Mar-Apr 2024
Pond balance Jan-Feb 2024
Pond Boss Magazine Index 2024
Pond bugs information Jan-Feb 2024
Pond build cow water hole Nov-Dec 2024
Pond building tips May-Jun 2024
Pond built in rock Jul-Aug 2024
Pond dam construction Sep-Oct 2024
Pond equipment basics Mar-Apr 2024
Pond fish balance Sep-Oct 2024
Pond lack of ice affects Jan-Feb 2024
Pond leak reasons Jan-Feb 2024
Pond mgmt discussions Sep-Oct 2024
Pond niches Nov-Dec 2024
Pond North Facts Myths Mar-Apr 2024
Pond piping May-Jun 2024
Pond planning DYI Jul-Aug 2024
Pond planning ideas Mar-Apr 2024
Pond preplanning Sep-Oct 2024
Pond problems 4 main ones Mar-Apr 2024
Pond purposes Sep-Oct 2024
Pond rebuild trials Mar-Apr 2024
Pond shallow habitats Nov-Dec 2024
Pond Stewardship Mar-Apr 2024
Ponds high country Nov-Dec 2024
Predation gape mouth size Sep-Oct 2024
Predator prey balance Sep-Oct 2024
Pressure hydrostatic fish Sep-Oct 2024
Pumpkinseed Sep-Oct 2024
Quail theory Mar-Apr 2024
Redbreast sunfish Sep-Oct 2024
Red-winged blackbirds May-Jun 2024
Relative weight program Jan-Feb 2024
Rock bass Sep-Oct 2024
Rudd Eropean May-Jun 2024
Smallmouth bass standard weight table Nov-Dec 2024
Snail mystery Chinese May-Jun 2024
Snakeheads Jul-Aug 2024
Solar dual use Sep-Oct 2024
Specific heat of water Jul-Aug 2024
Spillway leakage May-Jun 2024
Spotted bass standard weight table Nov-Dec 2024
Spreadsheet fish mgmt Jan-Feb 2024
Squirrel facts Nov-Dec 2024
Squirrel proof feeders Sep-Oct 2024
Standard weight program Jan-Feb 2024
Stocking new pond plans Mar-Apr 2024
Sunfish diversity Sep-Oct 2024
Sunfishes foods Jan-Feb 2024
Thoroughbred Lake Mar-Apr 2024
Tilapia foods Jan-Feb 2024
Tools fishery weight program Jan-Feb 2024
Trophy management principles May-Jun 2024
Trout in ponds Jul-Aug 2024
Turkey wild good info Jan-Feb 2024
Walleye use in ponds Sept-Oct 2024
Water alkalinity basics Jan-Feb 2024
Water chemistry simple facts Nov-Dec 2024
Water chestnut May-Jun 2024
Water colors May-Jun 2024
Water density experiment Jan-Feb 2024
Water dirt relationship Nov-Dec 2024
Water flea spiny May-Jun 2024
Water main features Jul-Aug 2024
Water quality basics info Jul-Aug 2024
Wildlife diseases Nov-Dec 2024
Winterkill Nov-Dec 2024
Wood peckers downy & hairy Jan-Feb 2024
Wood peckers Mar-Apr 2024