What do you do when it's cold and rainy and you can't do anything at the pond? I read the threads I have on my watch list. I started out with over 25 pages of them and now down to 17 pages. A few things that I have learned:
It really does "It all depends" Too many variables.
There are some real knowledgeable people on here.
Some information is above my head but some people can explain it in layman's terms so I can understand.
Patience is a virtue. Some pond problems just take time and can't be fixed over night.
It's cheaper to fix a balance problem with a rod & reel than with a fish truck.
And lastly, I wish to be a member of the GREEN SUNFISH ASSOCIATION Hope I can pass the extreme vetting process.
What do you do when it's cold and rainy and you can't do anything at the pond? I read the threads I have on my watch list. I started out with over 25 pages of them and now down to 17 pages. A few things that I have learned:
It really does "It all depends" Too many variables.
There are some real knowledgeable people on here.
Some information is above my head but some people can explain it in layman's terms so I can understand.
Patience is a virtue. Some pond problems just take time and can't be fixed over night.
It's cheaper to fix a balance problem with a rod & reel than with a fish truck.
And lastly, I wish to be a member of the GREEN SUNFISH ASSOCIATION Hope I can pass the extreme vetting process.
You should look up and read the threads on RES (red ear sunfish). They are hilarious!
And I am in full agreement with your other observations. PB forum is an amazing resource, made so by it's members. Glad you are here too!
Hey Puller.....You're more than welcome to be a member of GSF Association!! You'll find the doors open to everyone, and we don't have a standard!!
bigpullerman - Based on your post and summary, I think you are being a bit modest about what's over you head. Boiling things down to their essence is a real talent!
Thanks for the kind words. I still have over 16 pages of topics on my watched topics list to read through. I have saved several and will be probably several more. There is a wealth of information here. I also have my Pond Boss magazine to read also. Only so many hrs in a day and this work just keep getting in the way.
Speaking of cold rainy days, I hope the Ohio Valley pond meisters have their snow tires and firewood ready, looks like another round of winter weather is hitting the same path as last time. So strange to have a snow-free MI winter this year.
How is it in Arkansas?
I have both! I'm just hoping for the rain and snow to melt to fill my new pond.
Speaking of cold rainy days, I hope the Ohio Valley pond meisters have their snow tires and firewood ready, looks like another round of winter weather is hitting the same path as last time. So strange to have a snow-free MI winter this year.
How is it in Arkansas?
And lastly, I wish to be a member of the GREEN SUNFISH ASSOCIATION Hope I can pass the extreme vetting process.
The vetting process is much simpler than you imagine. Just send a thousand dollars to my address and you are in like Flynn.
unknown "facts" about RES
canyoncreek
Not bad now but this weekend is suppose to turn colder. Lows in the 20s. I know that is not much for yall up north. We have been pretty seasonable with lots of rain. Highs 40-50s lows in the 30s. Just too muddy to do anything around the pond.
snub
$1000.00 Is there a payment plan? hahahahahahaha Maybe I can do one of those go fund me things.
Still reading. Down to 9 pages of topics. I have learned a lot and have been making notes. I have come across a lot of bad links to older topics and some I could not find with a google search but that's OK cause I still have plenty to read. I have kept over a page saved in watched list. Great info here. One thing I have noticed is how many people only post a few times and don't post any more. Makes you wonder how their pond turned out. One other thing I noticed is the "class" of the person posting. I see a lot with the lunker status. I guess that was something that was put on in the earlier days.
Still reading. Down to 9 pages of topics. I have learned a lot and have been making notes. I have come across a lot of bad links to older topics and some I could not find with a google search but that's OK cause I still have plenty to read. I have kept over a page saved in watched list. Great info here. One thing I have noticed is how many people only post a few times and don't post any more. Makes you wonder how their pond turned out. One other thing I noticed is the "class" of the person posting. I see a lot with the lunker status. I guess that was something that was put on in the earlier days.
I'd like to make lunker class, but my relative weight is too low.
I would hate to know what my WR is. I don't think I would fit on the chart. hahahahahahahaha
Still reading. Down to 9 pages of topics. I have learned a lot and have been making notes. I have come across a lot of bad links to older topics and some I could not find with a google search but that's OK cause I still have plenty to read. I have kept over a page saved in watched list. Great info here. One thing I have noticed is how many people only post a few times and don't post any more. Makes you wonder how their pond turned out. One other thing I noticed is the "class" of the person posting. I see a lot with the lunker status. I guess that was something that was put on in the earlier days.
The bad links are mostly because of a major upgrade to the system about the time I started with PBF as changes were made that didn't quite get all the old threads accessible.
How to fix bad links As far as the people that unexpectedly quit posting, not saying this is the case of what became of them............but just saying.
The redear sunfish
Tried the fix the link deal a few times and I got a message about not secure or something like that. I found several by googling Pond Boss topic and then the number but that didn't always work.
Now you may be on to something about the RES. I sure wouldn't want to cross one of those.
Been cold and rainy here the past couple days so a lot of reading going on. I am to the point when I read the first post asking options that I try to figure out what I would do. Some times I am with the experts but a few times I have another take on it. I am still amazed of the people who think you can just throw a bunch of $$$$$ in stocking new fish to fix a problem. I know that I just don't have that kind of money to throw around but some people want an overnight fix I guess. After a lot of reading, keeping a pond the way you want it is a never ending process with lots of work. Constant monitoring is the only way to try and stay on top of it.
Another thing is it's easy to veer off topic. Some of these topics end up talking about things not even close to the original topic. Also a lot funny stuff on here. Well time to get back to my 8 pages of topics to read up on.
One other thing I realized reading all these topics is that a lot of people give advice more suited toward their own personal goals and types of fish that they like. They suggest stocking certain species because that is the kind of fish they like. Each pond owner needs to know what fish they like and work around that fish or group of fish. Now some species will just not work and the experts will quickly point that out. So it's all about having fun and catching fish. Decide your goals, make a plan and work toward that plan. And if some fish get in there that you didn't want it is NOT the end of the world. You can work around it.
Still raining and I am still reading.
I have learned that a lot or dang near all of this stuff is regional.
bigpullerman: You have been getting a lot more rain than we have up here in the NW corner of Arkansas. My forage pond and newer pond are running over, and the old leaker lacks 4-3/4 inches to run over. I have a cousin near Bauxite. He says it is too wet to do anything much there, and has been for some time.
John: I have had water running out the spillway since Oct. every time we get a good rain. My pond has some leaks and seeps so it goes down in between rains. I pretty much look out my window and see a lot of stuff I need to do when it dries up enough. Reading these old topics I have made 3 pages so far of notes. It like taking notes in school on things I read and answers to questions I have. Good reading though.
One good line or piece of advice on stocking that I come across.
"I would stock hooks and lots of them"
The best way to deal with LMB heavy ponds is to eat the fish. It seems like a lot of people think of them as pets and don't want to catch them out to eat or move to another pond. C&R of great condition LMB is good for a pond in balance but taking some out every year is a necessity.
One good line or piece of advice on stocking that I come across.
"I would stock hooks and lots of them"
The best way to deal with LMB heavy ponds is to eat the fish. It seems like a lot of people think of them as pets and don't want to catch them out to eat or move to another pond. C&R of great condition LMB is good for a pond in balance but taking some out every year is a necessity.
Problem is we take out the most aggressive fish and leave the least aggressive. Also, we teach fish not to bite lures, plus epigenetically change their progeny not to bite lures, either.
Mind you, I have taken out LMB. But it's not the panacea it was once thought to be.
Get a 3 or 4 inch bluegill. That works. Actually, I doubt that I've ever seen a pond that was truly balanced after the first couple of years.
Get a 3 or 4 inch bluegill. That works. Actually, I doubt that I've ever seen a pond that was truly balanced after the first couple of years.
With all the reading that I have done that is exactly what I see. It is a constant battle to try to control nature. Nature doesn't always play by our rules. To try to keep a pond in somewhat balance requires lots of time, effort and dedication. Big LMB don't get that way by not eating something. This year I plan on trying to catch some bigger LMB in my pond. I have just been using GSH but I got a new spin cast R&R and some new lures for Christmas. I will also try putting some small GSF under a bobber to see what happens.
Buddy, one more ingredient. Frequent infusions of cash.
Yes Sir I didn't mention that. Some of the post I have read about what it cost to stock, well I am not in that tax bracket. My little pond I bucket stocked from surrounding ponds, reservoirs and ditches. I know it's not the proper way but it was all I could afford. I knew nothing about managing a pond till I started reading this forum. I have learned a lot. This forum is a great resource.
Buddy, one more ingredient. Frequent infusions of cash.
EXACTLY!! I would say this is the first ingredient on the list!
Well I have pretty much finished all my reading of old topics. I figured I started out with over 600 when it was all said and done. Some topics had links to other topics so it was a lot of reading. I have made over 10 pages of notes of things that stood out to me. I have to write it down to remember it. Looks of good info and I have saved over 50 topics on my watch list to keep for future reference. I also have my first 2 issues of Pond Boss Magazine to get to reading. I was wanting to get done reading all the forum topics before I started in the magazine. It's finally worming up a little and drying out so I can get back down to the pond to get to work. After all this reading I have lots of ideas to get started on. Thanks to all who make this forum possible.
Buddy, Lusk has a YouTube deal on Wednesday nights. Generally a question and answer session.
The polar vortex is coming later this week. It's supposed to hit a low of 13 degrees here in NW Arkansas.
Hey, it's actually a Facebook show. Not YouTube.
Dave, Thank You I didn't know that he had a FB page but I got on and liked it. Looks like a lot of info there and I hope I can catch it tonight.
John, Every time it looks like we are going to warm up another cold front comes through. I think the groundhog was drunk or his interpreter was just full of it. It will warm up one of these days.
In our Sunday school class this morning the Priest on the video we was watching was talking about balance in our lives. He said it's like standing on 1 foot. You are constantly balancing to stay on one foot. Balance takes a lot of work to try to maintain it. Of course the first thing I thought of was how much work it is to try to keep a pond in balance. Constant monitoring, adjusting, spending $$$$$ and lots time and effort. I have read just about all the topics I saved and maybe it will stop raining and warm up so I can get to the pond to do something. So much great info here and I am still reading new topics all the time. I can start to read the Pond Boss magazines I have now.
In our Sunday school class this morning the Priest on the video we was watching was talking about balance in our lives. He said it's like standing on 1 foot. You are constantly balancing to stay on one foot. Balance takes a lot of work to try to maintain it. Of course the first thing I thought of was how much work it is to try to keep a pond in balance. Constant monitoring, adjusting, spending $$$$$ and lots time and effort. I have read just about all the topics I saved and maybe it will stop raining and warm up so I can get to the pond to do something. So much great info here and I am still reading new topics all the time. I can start to read the Pond Boss magazines I have now.
Good plan. You can never know too much!
I have finished all of reading of topics I had saved and I have kept 2 pages of topics for reference. There is a wealth of info on PBF because of all the experts that are here. Glad we have this place to figure out our ponds. Thank You to all those who work to make this place possible.
My conclusions
All of our ponds are ecosystems that we are attempting to manage by our intervention or by allowing nature to run its course. Lots of stories of forgotten ponds that have some monster size fish along with more stories of ponds with nothing but stunted big eyed fish. Some unmanaged ponds seem to find their balance naturally but most don't.
Then you have the people who strictly manage their ponds from the very beginning who have some wonderful looking fish. Some of the BG & CNBG that I have seen posted are almost scary. But to have those size fish is a lot of time, effort and money. My hat is off to those guys.
Also there is a lot of different ideas about what type of fish to stock. Some interesting choices especially with all the different hybrids out there.
I have also seen some absolutely beautiful ponds on here. I admire the time and effort that goes into making there place look so wonderful. Lots of ideas and inspiration for me to make my place look better.
One last thing is if you have GSF get into your pond it is not the end of the world. And how many are mixed in with the fish order. Just about every topic about this came to conclusion that they can be managed around and will eventually disappear if there are LMB & BG in there with them.
Bottom line is enjoy your pond. Manage it like you want to. If you have questions this is the place to get answers to help you get to where you want your pond to be. So now that the sun is out and warming up, lets get out there and catch some fish.