Pond Boss
Posted By: Flame How long before fish die from freeze - 02/20/21 10:03 PM
Just curious, I am in deep east Texas and have NEVER seen 6 degrees before. My question is...in my 2 acre pond with cnbg and all Florida strain lmb, after 6 days of freeze (2 days pond completly covered with thin layer of ice)..If I have a fish kill how long before they "show up" by floating or when should I know I got by without a kill?? Note: I have NOT run aeriation for over 2 months now.
Posted By: Shorty Re: How long before fish die from freeze - 02/21/21 12:43 AM
Decomposition and gassing to the point a fish will float takes a lot longer in colder temps. When I had my RES winter kill in 2017 at ice out it took a week to ten days before I started seeing any floaters. I checked the pond daily and it took eight weeks before I quit finding a few floaters every time I checked the pond. The last two weeks they were getting pretty decomposed when I found them floating, skin missing off of their face, that sort of thing. I suspect that the majority of the RES that died never floated at all. I picked up 128 RES over eight weeks and I suspect the number that actually died were four times that amount.
Posted By: Flame Re: How long before fish die from freeze - 02/21/21 01:36 PM
Thanks Shorty. I'll just keep a watchout. Temps made it back to 53 degrees on the surface yesterday. Air temps are supposed to hit 65 today but it was 33 again last night. At least now I have an idea HOW LONG to keep a watch out for floaters.
Posted By: Shorty Re: How long before fish die from freeze - 02/21/21 02:32 PM
One thing I noticed with my RES winterkill is that small fish under 4" weren't likely to float, I found those with a snagging hook dragging the bottom. It's why I think the fish kill was more extensive than the number of RES I found floating.
Don’t remember the actual % but Lusk once said that a small number of dead fish float.
Posted By: TGW1 Re: How long before fish die from freeze - 02/21/21 03:25 PM
The past 12 months have been a tough year on my fish. If I have a winter kill from this storm in E. Texas means that I have had two fish kills in the same 12 month period. I may have to relook at my goals for the pond. And to be honest, I suspect the past 12 months have been a tough year for most everyone here on the forum.
Yes, it has been tough. Otters, herons, low water levels last fall, and now frozen over for 12 days, with probably a heavy kill. I've stopped stocking and active management. Probably will stop feeding, and only have ponds for wildlife and ornamental purposes. It's a bottomless money pit otherwise.
Posted By: TGW1 Re: How long before fish die from freeze - 02/21/21 04:47 PM
I am going to have to talk Mr Lusk. I remember him saying the cost of a pond might be cheaper than a bassboat and a truck to pull it. Not true in my case. And that Perfect Pond we read about lasts only a short period and that is if you can even get there. Now don't misunderstand, I love the pond, It's about all the time I spent overlooking the pond and seeing all I have seen with it. Remembering those quiet times in the evenings as I look over all of it. Mother Nature with all its wonders. Deer, Eagles, Osprey, Otters, Beavers, Gators, Frogs, Dragon Fly's, birds feeding on the dragon flys. Training the bird dog retrievers as they romp through the water. And the fish. Big ones, little ones. And the new friends I made because of the pond. So, where to go from here, restock the pond if needed. smile
Posted By: Tbar Re: How long before fish die from freeze - 02/21/21 06:24 PM
So if we froze over we are definitely going to have a fish kill?


https://i.ibb.co/ySBQDTb/50-B9437-F-A45-D-486-E-A142-B6-C8-A87-ADF30.jpg
Posted By: Flame Re: How long before fish die from freeze - 02/21/21 07:37 PM
i may just try to catch every lmb I can out of lake Sam Rayburn and bring them home to the pond!! I realize some will die but...at least maybe I could have something to catch at my home pond for a change!! Like a lot of the others, I am getting really frustrated. But I must say I am really curious what kind of spawn I get in a few short weeks!! I honestly believe the 8-10 pound lmb are in my pond but I just can't catch them.
Posted By: esshup Re: How long before fish die from freeze - 02/22/21 03:54 AM
Originally Posted by Tbar
So if we froze over we are definitely going to have a fish kill?


https://i.ibb.co/ySBQDTb/50-B9437-F-A45-D-486-E-A142-B6-C8-A87-ADF30.jpg


If that were the case I'd have a fish kill every year. BUT I don't have threadfin, Florida LMB, or Coppernose in the pond either.....
Posted By: anthropic Re: How long before fish die from freeze - 02/22/21 06:14 AM
Tracy, I'm sure most of my LMB survived. Lots of northern strain and F1s, and my pond is deep enough for thermal refuge. If you could use some for stocking, I'd welcome the chance to do some selective harvesting & help a fellow pondmeister. Let me know.
Posted By: anthropic Re: How long before fish die from freeze - 02/22/21 07:35 AM
Originally Posted by Tbar
So if we froze over we are definitely going to have a fish kill?


https://i.ibb.co/ySBQDTb/50-B9437-F-A45-D-486-E-A142-B6-C8-A87-ADF30.jpg

Tbar, I think Bob Lusk has said that frozen ponds are actually better protection against cold temps than non-frozen.
Posted By: Snakebite Re: How long before fish die from freeze - 02/22/21 08:59 AM
I have two hatchery ponds .25 acre 7ft deep with pure strain coppernose here in west TN. We had 14 days of below freezing temps, three full days of single digits and 11 inch of snow/ice mixed. Right now the temps are jumping into the mid 50’s. Still another day before ice out of pond. I plan on seining the ponds coming this Thursday to see the extent of fish loss. Bob Lusk thinks it could be a major %. Fingers crossed.
Posted By: TGW1 Re: How long before fish die from freeze - 02/22/21 11:59 AM
Originally Posted by anthropic
Tracy, I'm sure most of my LMB survived. Lots of northern strain and F1s, and my pond is deep enough for thermal refuge. If you could use some for stocking, I'd welcome the chance to do some selective harvesting & help a fellow pondmeister. Let me know.

I knew you're a good guy. smile Let's stay in touch and see how this turns out.
Posted By: Tbar Re: How long before fish die from freeze - 02/22/21 01:51 PM
Originally Posted by anthropic
Originally Posted by Tbar
So if we froze over we are definitely going to have a fish kill?


https://i.ibb.co/ySBQDTb/50-B9437-F-A45-D-486-E-A142-B6-C8-A87-ADF30.jpg

Tbar, I think Bob Lusk has said that frozen ponds are actually better protection against cold temps than non-frozen.

That makes sense but what about oxygen exchange?
Posted By: ewest Re: How long before fish die from freeze - 02/22/21 06:06 PM
Patience all , spring will be here soon and you can watch the spawn ! Most ponds will right themselves and the survivors will fill the gap quickly. Trick is to watch the population balances vs your goals. Mother nature revives and renews just like it destroys.
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