Pond Boss
Posted By: catscratch Middle of pond? - 05/12/22 04:53 PM
The pond has just less than 9 acres in the middle that is about 10ft deep and without structure. This seems like it would be a void of sorts for fish. Would it be beneficial to start adding brushpiles and rockpiles into this large open area to promote fish use of more of the pond. If I could somehow recruit more forage or give predators another place to live I would be thrilled.

We do swim and jetski in the middle so I wouldn't want anything to stick up to within 5ft of the surface. The one exception would be under an island or floating dock that we could swim from. If I had a floating dock I wouldn't hesitate to attach something from the middle of it down into the pond for habitat.

Ideas or wasting my thoughts?
Posted By: Sunil Re: Middle of pond? - 05/12/22 05:15 PM
Yes, you could get more fish 'usage' of those areas.

Conventional wisdom says HSB like 'open' water, but I've seen them in all areas of my ponds.

Threadfin Shad supposedly hang in open water, so you may look into that, but they may not survive your winters. I say that about TF shad because if they are in open water, other fish will go there too.
Posted By: catscratch Re: Middle of pond? - 05/12/22 05:44 PM
Originally Posted by Sunil
Yes, you could get more fish 'usage' of those areas.

Conventional wisdom says HSB like 'open' water, but I've seen them in all areas of my ponds.

Threadfin Shad supposedly hang in open water, so you may look into that, but they may not survive your winters. I say that about TF shad because if they are in open water, other fish will go there too.

Hmmm. I've been reading about both the HSB and TF as they both intrigue me. I think the TF wouldn't survive (as you said), and I'm under the impression that Gizzard Shard are a no-no in a pond. I have golden shiners and if my memory serves correct they are considered an open water forage fish, which would be good for the HSB.

Of course I'm always leery of introducing anything that could possibly change my ecosystem or end up making a drastic change to what I have.
Posted By: Sunil Re: Middle of pond? - 05/12/22 06:02 PM
Even in Texas, I think some people stock TF Shad every year.

Before I ever put HSB in any of my ponds, I was generally against it as I deemed HSB to be 'unnatural.' My fish guy convinced me to try them, so I put only (5) in my 4.5 acre pond. This was in the Fall of a year. That next summer, way out in the middle of the pond, I saw a 10' diameter of water basically boiling.

I yelled out to my brother who was out in a boat, and he made his way over to the action, and hooked up with several of the HSB.

I've been a believer in HSB for almost 15 years now.

Gizzard shad can be OK if you have enough large bass to eat them and keep them from over populating.

Any concerns about impacting your 'ecosystem' are valid and as such, my thoughts are to stock smaller numbers and see what happens.
Posted By: FireIsHot Re: Middle of pond? - 05/12/22 10:02 PM
Great info from Sunil. I've seen some massive gizzards in Oklahoma. IIRC, esshup was on the shock boat that netted them out. TFS making it through North TX ponds is pretty rare. It happens, but not very often. Even Lake Texoma, with it's deep water refuse, has occasional mass TFS kill offs.
Posted By: Sunil Re: Middle of pond? - 05/13/22 02:02 AM
Al, do you ever do TFS stockings?
Posted By: Sunil Re: Middle of pond? - 05/13/22 02:04 AM
I should have said I've been a believer in HSB for more than 15 years.
Posted By: catscratch Re: Middle of pond? - 05/14/22 04:45 PM
HSB have sure taken up a lot of my research time lately! I grew up catching white bass (sandbass) on creeks and rivers. Fish like that have such a good fight. I would love to have a chance at something like that in the pond.
Posted By: FireIsHot Re: Middle of pond? - 05/15/22 02:49 PM
Originally Posted by Sunil
Al, do you ever do TFS stockings?
Sorry, I never posted my reply. No, my water's just not right for it. With all the vegetation, I'm afraid fertilize.
Posted By: anthropic Re: Middle of pond? - 05/15/22 11:31 PM
catscratch, I've been very pleased with the HSB in my pond. They flourished for several years even without TFS, though I now stock TFS annually.

HSB will compete with LMB, so better to stock a limited number and see how things go.
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