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Can't post any new pics right now. Photobucket is jacked up again.

I went back out to the property today to take some updated exact measurements since the last time I did a "quick and dirty" measurement was right after the pond was dug back in February.

Obviously there has been some settling and my OP measurements are inaccurate. I've attached a sketch of the pond.

It averages only 12 feet deep. I've attached a rough sketch of the pond along with more accurate measurements.

Now I'm thinking a 1/4 hp compressor with a two way manifold would be the way to go:

https://www.pondandgardendepot.com/...-compressors/matala-mpc-aeration-system/

It seems more reasonable.

Caught two more hybrids from this pond and they are in the holding pen to be invited to supper. They are such nice fish kind of hated to pull them out, but I really do not want the GF/RES hybrids in this specific pond. Other ponds it would be fine. About 10" and 1.2#. Caught a second one almost identical to the one pictured.

Lots of baby SMB in this pond. While standing along the bank fishing can see 3" ones and a few 4" passing by in small schools in shallow water. Their black tail marking makes them stand out compared to the Gams also in the shallow water.

The SMB seem to be doing pretty well, although this one looks a little skinny. Maybe a female after spawn? I did not weigh it. The one pictured is about as big as any I have caught. Have removed a lot of smaller and medium sized ones to give more resources to the ones remaining, but with all the fingerlings I am seeing it remains to be seen if it helps. They have been coming for feed very well lately.

Did catch one RES out of this pond and a smaller one.

Saw three of the four GC I put in the pond last fall and they have about denuded the pond of the bushy pond weed. I need to get a couple of them out I think. Now they have become pellet trained and are pellet hogs.

Pictures linked

I'd select the best lumber possible to start with - very preferably already dry. If it's straight and not twisted then, you have a chance.

Not today but yesterday I had to replace the motor and wheel to my Texas Hunter feeder. The problem was moisture getting to the feed. I "clumped up", stopped the wheel and burnt out the motor. I caulked everything and let it set up for a day before adding feed.

Nice warm(hot), super humid day.

Sandy loam to cut down on leaks.

Welcome to the show

Happy Birthday Chris

try using a palomar knot... its the strongest.. and easy to tie!

https://www.berkley-fishing.com/Berkley-ae-how-to-tie-a-palomar-knot.html

I'll be met with opposition but CC only lay eggs once per season and not all females with eggs will actually lay them. shortly after eggs are laid, the next years eggs begin to develop in the ovaries-they have eggs nearly all year but in different stages of development depending on time of year.
CC are also not a good predator to control any other species including RES and in turn, there is no smokin gun predator for CC control.
I would venture to guess LMB may be a good choice but high numbers of intermediate fish may be required to work over as many smaller CC as would be needed and I would suspect a second strong predator may also be required but I'm not sure what the best choice would be.
I don't know of any situation where CC were an extremely desired forage species. I'm just not sure what the proper way to address the issue would be.
EDIT: electrofishing is an option but very limited over 5-6ft deep. Also, not all CC respond the same to electrofishing and water temp and chemical characteristics affect the conductivity of any given BOW so results can vary greatly with this technique.

Call Scott Schillig at Hoosier Pond Pros - he's great with establishing beneficial macrophytes and managing invasive species.


Scott Schillig: Mobile: (574) 806-4237

Email: scott@hoosierpondpros.com

JimNY,
Interestingly as I read your post it occurred to me yesterday as I was putting the homemade trash rack on the bottom pond drain I never felt or saw any leaves. My pond is 2.7 acres with a small stream as well as multiple springs feeding it surrounded by deciduous trees. My conventional pvc piping is 10 inches and definitely undersized for the amount of rain we have had in Virginia this year. Earlier in the year after a heavy rain I noticed a large amount of leaf debris on the pond dam after the high water had subsided. After the most recent heavy rain there was no longer any leaf debris left on the dam. I theorize that most all of the leaves and silt have washed over the emergency spillway with each subsequent flooding. As far as your question goes, are tilapia legal in your state? If so Rainman has seen where they have dramatically increased the depth. I’m sure someone who has used them will reply as we can’t have them here. Thanks for your post! It made me analyze my own pond.
Heppy

I wondered why some had such bright yellow fins and others didn't and that makes sense. I need some sterile fish, my aerator must put them in the mood! haha

So this stuff is back with a vengeance this year, stretching from the bottom 12' down all the way to the surface with nice bright flowers. It is soft, but annoying to swim in. Water has ridiculous clarity for summer after our Soilfloc treatment, and I think that is fueling the plant growth. We are about 4" of rain below average, so losing water to evaporation, but no silt from inflow either to lower light to the bottom.

It actually is an attractive plant, but amazingly is choking out the curly-leafed pondweed.

My question is: Will grass carp eat it? I may finally pick up one or two GC to tame the weeds a bit, not eliminate them. I don't really want to use dye in the spring, I just don't like the look.

Thanks

I could be wrong, but I think he is referring to a vertical pipe with slots in it like what we see around here for tile intakes.

[img]https://cdn11.bigcommerce.com/s-qvm...take-riser-top__92317.1505934552.jpg?c=2[/img]

Not sure what I'm doing wrong with the picture. I also doubt he is thinking of a yellow intake pipe

Algae. It is fed by sludge and sunlight. My pond has done this for years. I think I may have it on the run now; it looks better for this time of year than it has in 10 years. I am using a fountain for oxygenation and I currently have 2 aerators running to activate the bacteria on the bottom. Copper sulfate will kill the algae temporarily but then it falls to the bottom and creates excess nutrients so it becomes a vicious circle. Last weekend I rigged a "cowcatcher" on the front of a 12' v-bottom and circled the pond pushing the algae out the overflow. Even before that I only have about 10% coverage as opposed to the normal 60%.

maybe... showering before a swim would solve the problem

Bob Lusk wisely had my place stocked with three kinds of panfish: CNBG, BG, and RES. The redears for snail control, and he wanted to see whether CNBG or BG were best adapted to my pond. Turns out the CNBG are dominant, though we do catch a few BG as well. Probably the same is true of FLMB and NLMB, stock both and see what does better.

My youngest son and I put the homemade trash rack 55 gallon drum with the 7/8” holes over the UD Slide gate drain at the bottom of the pond. It was super cold at 10-11’ in the multiple spring fed pond. At some point this summer I will have to go back down and “stitch” it together with zip ties where I used the jigsaw to cut the top, one side with the 10” hole to go around the drain pipe itself and bottom together to snug it tight. The trick was to loop a piece of rope through 2 holes in the bottom of the drum tied to an old brake rotor outside the drum. After I had the trash rack in place, I went back down with a knife and cut the rope bringing the piece of rope and rotor out of the pond. I also had looped a length of rope through 2 holes in the top of the barrel that I used to position the pvc barrel and pulled through when we were finished with the job.
Heppy

Found this interesting article and a link to a webpage

Spotfin in Wisconsin

They are fun to chase and you can pick one up by the tail!!

My limited first hand experience involves creating and rearing them. Cross easy to make and goes both ways through natural spawning. Hybrids do not grow faster than pure parents, but they make keep growing once they reach upper size range for crappie. The are not sterile. Overall, I see no advantages to them. They can be problematic in distinguishing from pure Black Crappie if marketing in any numbers for stocking.

Black is beautiful

When our water temp reached 75 ish the yellow perch really turn off the feed. I have turned our air stations to run only at night 7pm till 7am to help cool the pond. Our pond has more water deeper at or below 30"s then above 30"s. The temp the top 30"s gains in the day with out water circulation is easily removed with the cool nights air temp.

Cheers Don.

Congratulations!