Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Evaluating and adjusting fish populations Electrofishing Survey Questions?

I have already paid. I am not wanting to catch larger bluegill. I don't think he performed any water quality test. But we are having a good bloom now.

I am still glad I got the survey even if I don't get a report, but I now know more things to ask before my next survey.

In a good report you should get Data Summary (presented in as simple of terms as possible), Management Recommendations (enhance water quality [liming, fertilizing, turbidity control], vegetation removal or addition, stocking, fish harvest guidelines, feeding, etc.), including how to do it all, and a Timeline for work to be done. We inventory vegetation, sample water chemistry looking at 10 or so parameters, dip all fish coming up, weigh & measure each bream over 6", count all forage and weigh a sub-sample, weigh and measure all bass and catfish, length frequency of bass, bluegill and redear, and perform length to weight analysis on bluegill, redear, channel catfish and bass. You can't just look at fish; the ecosystem (fish, water, habitat, lake surroundings, etc.) is what should be evaluated. Never pay full amount up front, they should ask for a deposit (25-33%) when they arrive to electrofish, but the bulk should be paid upon receiving your report. Generally two reports should be provided - one for the property owner and one for Land Manager. In this case it sounds like you are both. Reports we do take about three weeks, not because they take that long, just because of the numbers of reports we have to do at one time. Getting reports out as fast as possible is important, because landowners and/or managers want them yesterday. The more data collected the longer it should take. The other thing to look out for is a company over-recommending their products. There are many companies out there that really don't do a good job evaluating and charge less for it than the more thorough companies; because they sell things they hope you will buy from them, one of the biggest products being fish. Sounds like you already have a good knowledge of aquatic ecosystems and fish management, so you should do just fine! Good luck, and enjoy the lake!

I finally got my report. It was only a month late (he sent it to my old work address). I can see it taking a while to get the report together. That was until I saw the report. It is copied below my text.

Greg, it was what I was afraid it was going to be. It is a nice document. It has some good info and definitions. But no site specific recommendations. This is just a generic report. I also go not water quality data.

I would not recommend Dunn’s Fish Farm. Let me clarify. If you want to get an Electrofishing survey only, he is perfect. He was a very nice guy. He let us all ride the boat. We shocked up a lot of fish. But as far as the data collection and recommendation, not what I was wanting.

My recommendations: Ask for some examples of past job reports. Ask to make sure you will be getting the stuff you want. I was planning on asking all these questions the day of the survey, but I was exited to be on the boat and shocking up all these fish. I am partly to blame. I should have stated my expectations before awarding the bid to them. Greg, I will be giving you a call the next time I do a survey.


Dunn’s Fish Farm Electrofishing Survey Bellow

Stock assessment is an important part of maintaining a productive fishery. It gives managers an insight to the status of a fishery and the possible outcomes of management actions. By sampling your lake or pond you allow us to make informed decisions about your goals for your fishery. Whether you want a Trophy Bass lake or a place you can take your kids to catch some Bluegill, Stock assessment is a very good idea.

Below is a list of terms and relevant information regarding your pond that was recently surveyed by Dunn’s Fish Farm personnel. If you have any further questions regarding your survey please feel free to contact us at 1-800-433-2950 or visit our website at http://www.dunnsfishfarm.com

Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) – (number of fish caught in a defined period of effort (hrs)) C.P.U.E. is a measure of a species relative abundance. Low C.P.U.E. is a sign that your fish population may need some supplemental stocking to ensure a healthy, productive fishery. High C.P.U.E. indicates that you may need to harvest some fish to maintain your productive fishery.

Age Structure – (number captured per age group) This allows us to ensure that the population is reproducing and no major mortality has occurred in the past. If there is a large number of fish missing in an age cohort, supplemental stocking may be recommended for that particular age cohort. Ideally the age structure should be high for young fish and decline as the population ages.

Age-Growth – (average length of fish in age class) Fish with adequate food are expected to be a certain length at a certain age. The Age-Growth ratio allows us to determine if there is an ample amount of forage available. Stunted fish are usually a result of insufficient food supply. This can be corrected by stocking forage species of fish in your lake or pond.

Proportional Stock Density (PSD) - is calculated by the following formula:
PSD = (number fish > quality length* / number of fish) x 100

Relative Stock Density (RSD) - is calculated by the following formula:
RSD-p** = (number fish > preferred length* / number of fish) x 100

* (size fish as defined below)
** (p = preferred, m = memorable, t = trophy.)


Relative Weight (Wr) – (the ratio of the weight of a fish in the sample to what a rapidly growing healthy fish of the same length should weigh) Fish with high relative weights are fat while those with low relative weights are thin. When average Wr values are well below 100 for a size group, problems exist in food and feeding relationships. When average Wr values are well above 100 for a size group, fish may not be making the best use of available prey.




C.P.U.E.

Species Number
White Crappie N/A
Black Crappie N/A
Bluegill Medium
Coppernose Medium
Largemouth Bass Medium
Channel Catfish Low



Water Quality

A productive pond starts with good quality water. At Dunn’s Fish Farm we provide water testing to aid in our analysis of your pond or lake. Most Lake Management problems can be traced back to water quality, which is why it is important to ensure that these parameters are in the acceptable ranges. Below is a list of tests that we have selected dealing with major water quality issues. When we visit your lake, we will run the necessary tests on site and bring back a water sample for further analysis. Water quality is an important aspect of Lake Management and the key to unlocking a healthy, productive pond.


Acidity – Acidity refers to the ability of water to donate Hydrogen ions. Several factors can contribute to the acidity of your pond. These can range from air pollution to the type of vegetation surrounding your pond. Acidity is important because most fish can’t tolerate water that is too acidic and a stressful environment leads to stressed fish.

Alkalinity – Alkaline water contains a high concentration of carbonates, bicarbonates and hydroxides. Alkalinity, like acidity, is important because most fish can’t tolerate water that is too alkaline. High alkalinity can be treated with lime.

pH – pH is a measure of the hydrogen ion concentration. The scale is from 0(very acidic) to 14(very basic), with 7 being neutral. pH fluctuates during a 24 hr period due to the photosynthesis of plants in the pond. A pH close to neutral is desirable and steps should be taken to keep it close to this level.

Hardness – The total concentration of Calcium and Magnesium is expressed in hardness. There is a strong correlation between water hardness and productivity. Treatment plans may be necessary when levels are too low to increase productivity.

Ammonia – Ammonia is an important part of the Nitrogen cycle of your pond and is the main product excreted by fish. Un-ionized Ammonia (Ammonium) is extremely toxic to fish. pH and temperature regulate the proportions of these two compounds.

Nitrite – Nitrite is the next step in the Nitrogen cycle. It is usually not found in high concentrations but can be acutely toxic to fish when levels get too high.

Chloride - Some sources of chloride are salt containing minerals, runoff form salted roads, irrigation runoff, mixing of sea water with freshwater, chlorinated drinking water, and water softener regeneration.

Carbon Dioxide – Fish can tolerate high levels of Carbon Dioxide, if high levels of Dissolved Oxygen are also present. Levels of this gas will fluctuate during a 24 hr periods due to photosynthesis of plants.

Dissolved Oxygen – This is one of the most important factors in maintaining a healthy pond. Photosynthesis or diffusion from gasses in the atmosphere provides oxygen in your pond. Low concentrations of Dissolved Oxygen can be harmful to all aquatic life. Use of an Aerator is recommended for ponds that have constant problems with low Dissolved Oxygen



Test Acceptable Range Level

Acidity
Alkalinity 10-400 ppm
pH 6.0 - 8.0
Hardness 10-400 ppm
Ammonia 0.5 - 2.0 ppm
Nitrite 0.1 mg/l in soft water
Chloride
Carbon Dioxide 5 - 20 ppm
Dissolved Oxygen 5 ppm to saturation

Vegetation

Your pond is a complex relationship between producers and consumers. At the bottom of the food chain are plants. A healthy pond should have some kind of vegetation as a food source for primary consumers and also to provide cover for fish. However, aquatic vegetation can quickly become a problem if left un-checked. Below is a list of aquatic vegetation species. Items highlighted were identified in you pond. If we believe the plants are overpopulating, a solution and cost estimate will be provided.

Types Problem Treatment Qty Needed Cost
Submerged Algae
Pondweed
Chara
Water Millfoil
Hydrilla
Naiad
Coontail
Other:
Other:

Floating Lilly Pads
Duckweed
Gatorweed
Hyacinth
Watershield
Water meal
Other:
Other:

Emergent Cattail
Primrose
Other:
Other:

Comments and Recommendations:

Bass Spawning: Establishing 6-8 spawning areas 50 to 75 wide in 2-5 feet of water on a gradual slope is recommended. Pea size gravel can be used for the spawning areas. Other methods would be to take 5 gallon bucket of gravel pour in selected locations. Bass will fan out beds in these areas for spawning.

Spawning areas for Minnows: Wooden pallets are recommended. Select 2-3 locations per acre. Pallets should be sunk in 2-4 feet of water. Minnows have a 14 month life cycle and will reproduce 3-4 times in their lifetime.

Fertilizing Program: Fertilizing should be done in Spring when water temperatures stabilize at 60 degrees or better. Granular would be recommended at 7 pounds per acre. Recommended formulation is a 12- 61- 0. Fertilizing can be purchased as needed from our website. Follow up treatments of 2-3 pounds per acre may be needed to establish plankton bloom.

Stocking Rates: Coppernose are recommended because of their higher female population. Bass require a minimum of 5 bluegill to 1 bass. The Coppernose along with minnows will supply the forage base your bass need to gain size and weight.

Recommendations are attached.

Recommended Stocking Amount Size Cost

Minnows
Black crappie
Redear Bream
Coppernose
Largemouth bass
Channel catfish - - -

Summary Cost

Stocking Recommendations
Discount
Vegetation Control

Shocking Charge

Additional Equipment (optional)
ADF75D Solar Panel & Battery

Total Discount
total:

where is the results section? This can not be the total report, did you hide some of the info? Wow, I guess I need to start charging more if this is my competetion, If you have the results please post, they reference this in description so I think they have it somewhere, I'm confused.

I was confused also. That was it. You could send that report to any person in the country. There was no site specific information. I sent him a nasty gram but I dought it will do any good.

Hopefully they will be able to get the info to you. =/

ok 12- can you call them? I too have a methods section (you saw it) but then followed by site specfic collected data. I think they may have made an honest mistake and not attached it. If not then I think you are right to ask for part of your money back. Bummer.

Greg you are being to nice. It is just as possible and more likely (given the facts stated by ok-12)that they either never intended to send a report or forgot about him completely. It looks to me as if , when pressed, they printed a standard form containing no info and sent it to you.

In perspective - I have used at least 7 different fisheries outfits for this type of work and everyone of them provided a complete report with actual data and suggestions. I never asked for a report but one always came and it took about 2 weeks . They often followed the report with a call to see if the reports were received and if there were questions.

I have talked with Dunn's again. The man is out working in Kansas and said the office just sent me what they could find in my file. He said that he has more of a report. I will keep you all updated.