So basically that's the question.
I have seen Great Blue Heron, Mink, and now even Cormorants(those things can dive forever and are fantastic swimmers!) actively feeding in my pond. (1/4 acre, 10 feet deep, mostly trout , but added 20 female-only LMB)
So basically I've created an all-you-can-eat buffet for predators.
My options are to actively trap the mink, shoot the cormorants, scare off the GB Heron, etc. Or enclose the pond with fencing - not something I'll want to do. The pond is right next to a river here in New England, there is lots of habitat (forest regrowth from 100 years ago), and eradicating predators is going to be tough.
So my question to you piscatorial savants goes to putting structure in the pond. It's basically a square, flat clay bottom right now. Something like the BG Condos that I've seen discussed here in the PB forums. A series of stacked 6 inch PVC pipes, or submeged xmas trees, etc. Would the trout use them? Would there be protection against such aggressive predators as cormorants.
Any experience out there dealing with active predation on trout?
