Just curious.
I know setterguy in NE Missouri has them.
Nothing here in northeastern Indiana yet.
None yet in north central Ohio either.
Water temps 50 (maybe colder now with a cold rain overnight and currently) but no eggs in SW Michigan either. Good thing as I need to find more 'leggy' branches to put in.
None yesterday in central Indiana.
I have some in my holding tanks
But you're a confederate!
None seen in West Central IL yet....not positive I will though. 1st spring after stocking....might be too soon to hope for.
Nothing yet in Ontario. Very windy here today and I could use some more branches in the pond.
Nobody yet?
Bill Cody?
Esshup?
None yet in my big pond for sure. Holding pond it's hard to tell as the wind as stored it up a little reducing visibility.
No strands yet in Northern Illinois as of a couple days ago. Since then 1 inch of rain and two days of high wind have reduced visibility to about a foot so I doubt I will be able to see the strands when they spawn now anyway.
None here today again. 3/18/16 Will finally be seining today. Other things got in the way, including weather.
Waiting on an overnight shipment of tilapia. Supposed to be here before noon. It's 11:24!
Sure wish the Fed Ex and UPS would get some competition. They can't keep up with what they have!
They still have 35 minutes to deliver.....
I know! LOL I just want to complain!
Just went to the mail box to make sure they didn't pass it off to the Post Office. A delivery Fed Ex vehicle just went past followed by a Fed Ex tractor trailer. Go figure!
Gonna check the tracking number now.
Cecil, what ya doin getting Tilapia, I thought you had lots in the schools? Also what did ya get when ya seined your YP recently?
After noon. Notta!
Going to open up the box before the driver leaves. If I see more morts than I want to see I won't accept it.
I had 20 morts last time and lost half of 300 over a couple of weeks.
Brian tells me their climate control for this stuff in the aircraft is seriously lacking.
Seeing egg strands on a regular basis now.
Anybody else?
Ambient air temp is 70 F. and the wind is strong.
Regular egg ribbons daily since last week. I expect my YP spawn to be finished late this week. This year I used fresh evergreen branches and bare twig branches. I am getting more ribbons on the bare branches with numerous twigs.
None here today in SE Michigan.
I have a Christmas tree less the needles, is this enough?
I would be happy to just see one of a hundred YP I put in my one acre pond a week ago. I feed my minnows and grass carp everyday but no YP yet has showed up. I have no predators so I know the YP are ok. Is this normal?
John,
At the size you purchased and time of year I don't believe they were feed trained. So they are probably feeding on invertebrates or whatever you have in the pond.
A Christmas tree without needles will be very adequate substrate for YP to drape their eggs.
John the newly stocked YP are adjusting to the new surroundings and likely feeding on some natural foods. It may take a few weeks and warmer water for them the locate the pellet feeding area. Keep doing what you are doing, the YP will show up at your feeding area.
Thanks Bill.
My YP were supposed to be feed trained but have never taken feed. I wish I would have caged them at first before releasing them, with so many minnows to eat I don't blame them.
If you have enough minnows to feed them I wouldn't worry about pellet feeding.
Hi Cecil! Well it's fun to feed them and if they ever recruit I may run out of minnows. The only time I see my YP is if I catch them.
Makes sense but one advantage of not feeding is you're not adding nutrients to fuel plant and algae growth.
I have a huge supply of minnows small enough for my YP to feed on. So I think they are doing well but it will be a thrill for me to finally see one.
I have a huge supply of minnows small enough for my YP to feed on. So I think they are doing well but it will be a thrill for me to finally see one.
Sounds good!
Nothing here yet... But a friend just posted a pic of a big pile caught yesterday here, none had spawned yet. Got to be getting close.
I've got nothing yet. I'm at 46 degrees as of yesterday but honestly I haven't seen anything on the shorelines yet period. The perch we have caught in the past 2 weeks have been bursting with eggs too.
I was out testing a crankbait this morning and was surprised to pull in a small section of an egg strand on one of the treble hooks.
Been snowing here for the past two hours. Yee Haw!
Been snowing here for the past two hours. Yee Haw!
54 and sunny here today, forecast to hit 76 degrees tomorrow.
High winds and snow squalls interpersed by sunshine. In meteorological circles known as cold cumulus caused by a combination of a strong Alberta Clipper and Lake Michigan. White out conditions that last 5 or 10 minutes!
Nothing here yet. But all the local fish I've seen caught are still pre spawn. Our local walleye hatchery started taking in fish today to strip... Should be this week ...but I'm not sure what effect January-like temps will have.
No eggs here yet. Most of my ponds are at 46. One smaller pond reached 52 in about 6 inches of water. That area was dry for the past two years and is full of Kocia (tumbleweed) and some cattails that just became submerged this week. My tree's need to be moved back towards shallower water. Hopefully if the spawn begins soon they can lay there strands on the cattails and Kocia. Anyone had success with perch spawning on dense submerged vegetation?
The Kocia should provide good spawn substrate for yellow perch. Keep us advised about your water temperatures and when you see eggs in SD.
Interesting read. Wonder what my pond dye dose to the UV?
Do to high wind and water, I will not be seeing any strands. After the spawn, do you see schools of small perch in the shallows?
Any thoughts on what the impact will be to the YP spawn from the weather this year? Could the cold weather that followed the warm snap that created spawning conditions negatively impact the food supply for the new hatch and result in significant starvation?
Any thoughts on what the impact will be to the YP spawn from the weather this year? Could the cold weather that followed the warm snap that created spawning conditions negatively impact the food supply for the new hatch and result in significant starvation?
I believe everything will be fine. Mother Nature always seems to make it work. Looks like normal temps arrive here later this week. Snowing right now... But it looks like this will be the end of that. We had a very easy winter here, a real blessing after last winters brutality. I worked my tail off today, in a t shirt in 30 degree weather. 60's will probably kill me!
My egg strands did not hatch, and are getting moldy. They have been dormant for three weeks now, and the water is incredibly clear and hovering around 43 degrees. I am not very hopeful for a good spawning year for the perch in my pond :-(.
My egg strands did not hatch, and are getting moldy. They have been dormant for three weeks now, and the water is incredibly clear and hovering around 43 degrees. I am not very hopeful for a good spawning year for the perch in my pond :-(.
We're so close... Yet none of the perch here have spawned anywhere yet. Strange. Sorry yours aren't looking well... Any chance some haven't spawned yet? Or did you see a lot of ribbons?
My egg strands did not hatch, and are getting moldy. They have been dormant for three weeks now, and the water is incredibly clear and hovering around 43 degrees. I am not very hopeful for a good spawning year for the perch in my pond :-(.
Sorry to hear that LS. I never thought about that possible impact. I guess the possible delay in the food chain doesn't matter if they never hatch. Hopefully, you will have some late spawners.
A friend of mine posted this pic of his catch from today on one of our local lakes. Still obviously pre-spawn ...
My egg strands did not hatch, and are getting moldy. They have been dormant for three weeks now, and the water is incredibly clear and hovering around 43 degrees. I am not very hopeful for a good spawning year for the perch in my pond :-(.
Are you sure they are moldy? The egg strands get really raggedy before they hatch and with the unseasonably cold temps it's going to take longer.
My fertilized egg strands in the spawning cage pretty much look terrible and then disintegrate. But I always end up with perch fry!
I have egg stands around most of the big pond now.
A friend of mine posted this pic of his catch from today on one of our local lakes. Still obviously pre-spawn ...
Of course you're aware the lakes will warm slower than ponds.
Over this way the perch in Lake Erie don't spawn until June.
Still nothing happening here. With the wind for the past 7 days it has been hard to tell. The water is quite stained and has stayed cool. It warmed up to 52 in about 18" of water. Just started seeing activity with fat heads in the shallows and had my first catch in traps this year, GSF of course. Hopefully it begins soon. I'm so excited I've been taking multiple trips to the ponds to verify.
I am soooooo tired of the wind this spring. I know spring can be breezy but this is ridiculous!
Long time lurker,( just trying to learn), but yesterday in central South Dakota, on a small 3/4 to 1 acre pond, I found 3 perch ribbons. So it is finally warming up!
Drifter send some of that heat up here would you. 1/2" of ice on the pond yesterday morning. Paintball practice in the snow yesterday. Freezing rain last night.... ugggg spring already!
First ESPL division three tournament next Sunday. Please be warm.
Ooo Paintball in freezing temps. Ouch! Been there, done that!
Note that Crossmans is about 5 miles from me, were all of the Crossman air rifles and paintball guns are made. One of the last holdouts in manufacturing left here. I haven't played in some time, and wasn't serious enough about it to get good at it so a few old crummy cheap guns around the house for when my son gets old enough and gets the itch.
There are ribbons everywhere in the pond, so a mass laying. The ones closest to shore and in the shallows are the ones in the worst shape. The ones I can see down deep look much better. The assumption is when the yolks of the eggs go from a dark color to white and puffy and migrate to the top of the egg mass, that something isn't right.
Not all of the eggs in a strand get fertilized. Some do succumb to fungus.
But as fecund as yellow perch are, and as impossible as they are to get rid of -- when they are introduced to new waters, I wouldn't worry too much. I would bet there are plenty of viable eggs in your pond.
Ooo Paintball in freezing temps. Ouch! Been there, done that!
Note that Crossmans is about 5 miles from me, were all of the Crossman air rifles and paintball guns are made. One of the last holdouts in manufacturing left here. I haven't played in some time, and wasn't serious enough about it to get good at it so a few old crummy cheap guns around the house for when my son gets old enough and gets the itch.
There are ribbons everywhere in the pond, so a mass laying. The ones closest to shore and in the shallows are the ones in the worst shape. The ones I can see down deep look much better. The assumption is when the yolks of the eggs go from a dark color to white and puffy and migrate to the top of the egg mass, that something isn't right.
Nice to see a company that is still making parts and not china out sourcing. Even the teams jerseys this year is all out sourced.
I just manage the team and the boys are Rookie this year five man. Should be a good year.
More ice on the pond again today. Expect to see something in the next few weeks as it warms up at night above freezing.
Cheers Don.
You have to love Crosman for their perseverance in fierce competition. They make some very nice products, and employ a lot of local people to make them.
We had a warm blast last night, but are back in the chill box. Lots of gradual warming and sunshine over the next several days should turn things around dramatically.
I just found my first bunch this afternoon here in Central Pennsylvania. Yeah! It is only a tiny little bit, so fingers are crossed for more soon. They were in about six inches of water around some old submerged grass. Nothing around any of the branches I put in the water. Maybe the branches aren't dense enough. I may put an old Christmas tree in today just in case.
Pulled up the spawning cage to take a peek and saw no eggs. Either the eggs have already hatched and the egg ribbons have disentigrated, the females haven't drop their eggs yet, or are reabsorbing them.
I'll give them a couple more weeks through the warming trend, and then I put up a light and see if there are any fry.
I still have some bulging females coming up pellets in the pond. If they just haven't dropped their eggs yet or are reabsorbing them is not known. I believe it does occur as I never see the number of egg strand equivalent to the number of fish.
Just found our first four ribbons in the apple tree branches we placed in the pond. This morning there was none while I was down and tonight there is four ribbons. No toads thrilling yet so they are right on time for here. They are placed between 6 and 12"s from the surface. I can shoot the water temp tomorrow.
What I find crazy was this morning there was 1/4" of ice on the pond. Aerators turn on at 8am by 10 the pond was clear of ice and no ribbons. After supper tonight we find four ribbons.
Cheers Don.
Dono - Interesting and educational observation. Water temp info will be a good data point.
Here in southwest Colorado we've still seen no ribbons. I caught several 7" gravid perch yesterday.
The grass carp (5) showed up this past weekend, cruising just under the surface, eating the pellets I've thrown for the trout. No trout have come up; I think they did not survive the winter. At ice out I found 2 floaters, a BRNT 18" and a RNBT 24". A waste for sure.
Even though we are relatively far south, our 6500' elevation tends to keep the warm weather at bay. We're still getting frosts most nights.
No YP ribbons here yet in my SE Michigan pond. Surface water temperature today near where the water is 1 foot deep was 45 degrees. The top of my thermometer floats, not sure how I should be taking the temperature. Water is clear, aerator is off and christmas tree without needles has been in the water.
I have been monitoring water temp, and it seems that it was steadily at 50 degrees at about 2 foot down when I saw the first ribbon. Since then , it still seems to be a steady 50. Supposed to be 70-and more for the next few days. I'll keep an eye on water temps. ( I am new at this so I am monitoring and writing everything down as I go.)
Dono - Interesting and educational observation. Water temp info will be a good data point.
Bill and others the water temp is bouncing between 38 and 42. The air stations shut down at about 3:30 in the afternoon. Water fall is locked on 24/7 right now with 5500gph going over it.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxzoWm1-8aOuMGxqTXNXanZZQjg/view?usp=sharingCheers Don.
Three more new ribbons today. All are placed on the west side of the pond where the water level is very very deep quick. The first five feet of depth is 4-1 then it becomes 2-4. Yes that is correct 2 feet out 4 feet down.
Will check temp later today in the afternoon again. No toads thrilling yet here.
Cheers Don.
It is interesting, we had a cold snap with 20 degree nights and chilly days, rain, snow, only saw 1 egg ribbon and it was draped in around a thin group of tall grass/thin rush that was sticking out of the SE side of the pond. There are lots of sticks and only one little clump of this thin rush/tall grass. I have had all the sticks ignored and the ribbons either on the oak leaves in 6" of water or they have put them in my minnow nets and one draped in/around these slender rush spikes.
I get the sense that water temp is important, shallow water seems to be popular at least in my pond (never more than a foot), The South side was first and the rest went on the SE side (with that side not heavily wooded so not as shaded through the day) and they need protection more than they need branches to drape their egg strands over. I think the 'cavity' in the closely spaced branches are popular, but for some reason the cover offered by the hole leading into my minnow net was very popular too.
Loretta, you may want to experiment with with other types of cavities, try very thin spikes/branches sticking straight up like a natural clump of tall grass rather than trees laying horizontally into the deeper water. Didn't you say once your slope going into your pond is 3:1 or steeper? Perhaps they are looking for an area of more gradual slope?
I have a ribbon! It's in my naked Christmas tree in 1-1.5' of water. My water temperature is measuring 55 degrees at the same approximate depth but 10 inches down from the surface. I have a floating pool thermometer that floats vertically, the bottom is roughly 10 inches from the surface. I'm excited, I hope I get more.
For Bill Cody: Daffodils greens are up but not budding or blooming yet.
Hollywood, any strands yet? Your weather conditions seemed closest to mine.
First sighted ribbons (3) last evening. Caught several perch; sacrificed two 9" fish, both males, for tacos. Mixed the perch meat with that from LMB donor fish, and a BG that swallowed the hook.
My pond's spring awakening certainly comes on later than that of most of you forum posters' ponds.
But then again, PB magazine doesn't show up in the mail for about 5 weeks after first reported here on the forum either!
I'm appalled to report that the 7" BG fought harder than the 8" GSF that I also caught.
Rationalizations and excuses (for DD1, JHAP, and all the rest of us GSF lovers): BG was fighting for its life-gut hooked; GSF had a mouth wound from being caught last week, knew I'd let it go again, and was prolly still tired. HA HA!
I'm still seeing new egg ribbons in my pond. Even some females at feeding time that are still rotund.
My pond is heavily dyed as in a couple of weeks ago.
Loretta,
So glad that you had ribbons this year! How exciting. All my ribbons have deteriorated. Maybe something to do with the cold weather we had. It is warm this week and especially this weekend but I didn't see any more new ribbons last week or this week. I don't know if any of those eggs hatched but we'll know at the end of the season if we see broad-banded babies swimming around.
Hollywood, any strands yet? Your weather conditions seemed closest to mine.
Sorry for the delay Loretta, just saw this. Nothing doing. A friends daughter caught a couple males last weekend that were running milt but I took a good look again today and nothing in sight. There is a cat tail weedy section on the east shore that is difficult to see into. It's possible they are there or just deep enough I can't see them. Time will tell...
A week ago males were dripping milt when pulled from the water, this week none caught had eggs/milt. Saw only one skein a few weeks ago, but now the water is really stained from tannins.
I had some show up last weekend, first ever in my pond. I stocked 125 adults with just that thought in mind, to establish them by spawning right away. I had put brush in some shallow areas but they choose to spawn in cattails. I saw 8 or 9 ribbons in a 40 foot stretch of cattail edge. I did see them going in and out of the brush but no ribbons showed up there.
All my egg masses have completely disintegrated now. I can only assume some have hatched, and the water temperature has risen to where the point where the BCP are starting to lay claim to nests. A simply massive one right next to the dock where I set up some large stones as a shelter.
I found this OSU paper on the web that answers a lot of the questions asked here. It also gave me the idea to look at some eggs under my microscope. I got the idea too late though because I had to work the entire weekend and now that I'm home it looks like the strands are gone. I know what day they were produced and I've been visiting them daily (till this weekend), checking the water temp, I think it was time.
We had a cold spell here too, when I arrived home from work 6 am Saturday morning the air temperature was 32.2F so I checked the pond temp and it was 54F. My water temperature stayed over fifty everyday since the beginning but I don't know if they were even fertile. It sounds like Fungus can be an devastating issue also. Time will tell.
Here's the article, not sure if it's been posted before.
http://southcenters.osu.edu/sites/southc...olFactsheet.pdf
Wanted to add that I haven't noticed any recruitment since I've had my YP but I have seen a couple of ribbons, one a year almost, lol. Well recently I was laying on my dock looking at a piece of aluminum siding I put in (per John Monroe) when I saw a small perch swim by! I must have had some recruitment because it was smaller than an original stocker. I did try setting minnow traps to sample but never did catch one that way. I used stale bread as bait and a chicken neck one time, maybe I wasn't at the correct depth or maybe they are had to catch that way.
Thanks for the link Loretta. Interesting stuff!
You are welcome. OSU has some basic aquaculture videos, I think they are good, here's a couple:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=J6Ay4eLKtKwhttps://m.youtube.com/watch?v=hWEwWavuMEU
