Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Evaluating and adjusting fish populations Opinions Needed

A few years ago I purchased some property that had an existing 3 acre pond on it. From the looks of the pond and the existence of sand/rock pits nearby, I presume the pond was used for sand many years ago and filled in with water once they stopped using it.

When I acquired it, the pond was overgrown. I went out with a flat-bottom boat and determined that the depth was consistantly 4 feet (assume that was about where they stopped digging and sand settled, evening the bottom out).

A few months later I had a contractor come out and dig along the north side. He found almost 100% sand and so I asked him to dig as much as he could along the north end as deep and far as he could reach. My guess is that we probably have an area along the north side that is 12-15 foot deep, about 20 foot wide and covers about 2/3 of the north end.

The pond had bullheads, sunfish, carp, toads/tadpoles, painted turtles and snappers. The first fall (2009) I added 7 grass carp, 300 BG and 100 LMB. Last summer I added 50 WE.

There is a creek that runs through the property. It appears that the water level rises and falls with the water table as it looks like the creek is usually at about the same level as the pond. So the remainder of the pond runs about 4-5 feet.

Last summer I saw some of the bass but so far this year I haven't seen a single one. We continue to catch tons of BH and an occassional GSF. In the last couple of weeks I've seen the GSF start to spawn.

My questions:

Where are the BG and LMB?
What steps should I take to help the LMB population and cut the BH population back?

I think I'm moving in the right direction but I'm probably frustrated that it isn't happening as quickly as I would like. FYI, I'm located in northern Iowa.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Welcome to the site, I'm a newbie too. Be warned it's addicting. someone will be along to offer up some good advice. Any pictures would probably help.

Welcome to the forum!

Do you know if the pond experience a winterkill since you've stocked it?

How large were the fish that you stocked? Did you see any of the stocked fish last year?

Haven't seen any evidence of winterkill other than one dead carp this spring that was floating when the ice melted.

BG - 2-3" (2009)
LMB - 4-5" (2009)
WE - 5-7" (2010)
Grass Carp - 8-10" (2009)

I believe there are a couple of full-sized crappie in there as well. Less than 10.

The water is muddy enough that you can't typically see more than a foot. Last spring I did see a couple of the bass.

I slept at a holiday inn last night so I know enough to offer this advice:

1. Get rid of the crappie. How do you know that you only have ten crappie in a 3+ acre pond? They will compete with bass for food, and will spawn earlier and can decimate fingerling bass. 2 crappie are too many crappie.

2. Sounds like you may have several species that are not desirable in a small pond (carp/crappie/bullhead) these can be difficult to get rid of in any pond without starting over if that is your goal.

1. My cousin thought it would be a good idea to throw and couple he caught at a friend's pond that is about a half a mile away. I'm not sure exactly how many but I know it was less than 10. Haven't seen them or caught one since.

The only spot that I really fish is the part that was dug out. The other parts of the pond have quite a bit of undergrowth that makes it difficult and there are trees that prevent fishing from the shore.

The wife and kids mainly fish with worms and with the overpopulation of BH it doesn't suprise me that 95% of what is caught is BH. I don't mind having them in the pond I just would like to balance things out because my preference would be LMB.

Herky, welcome to Pond Boss. It could be that you're not seeing or catching the LMB because you're not fishing where they are. They're going to pretty that undergrowth you described over anything resembling open water. With it being as shallow as it is could you run a seine through it and see what you come up with?

If the LMB that you stocked survive and thrive they will take care of the BH YOY and after a few years the BH will fade away with only a few remaining. That same comment applies to the common carp. Once those bottom dwellers quite stirring things up the water will probably clear up somewhat.

As Omaha stated you are probably not fishing for the LMB in the right areas. They will be in relatively shallower water unless the water gets very warm. They will relate to structure in those shallower areas.

What part of Iowa?

Near Mason City in the Northcentral part.

Welcome herky! I hail from the Fort Dodge area. Does the creek run close to the pond? If so, i suspect you could be losing some fish that way when the water comes up.

Also the creek could be supplying a steady feed of small BH.. BH, crappies, carp all together is not a good thing but not necessarily the worst. I'd work on removing the carp first off, then I'd pray to god the crappie ain't spawning, then get use too BH LOL.. if your wanting mainly a LMB pond you need lots of stunted BG for them to eat..
Search through the archives LMB ponds have been covered extensively on here..

Get some pics up and keep us updated..

The creek is not connected. Last spring we did have 7 inches of rain in a few hours and everything flooded out. It would take a similar, once in a lifetime, type rain to flood it out.

What does everyone on this site have against crappie?

I don't have anything against crappie. Everything has a place, but crappie don't belong in a pond unless the pond owner is willing to spend considerable time managing the population. There are other fish out there that are easier to manage. Crappie spawn before LMB and BG. Their fry eat LMB and BG fry. They have unpredictable spawning success rates. They tend to overpopulate a pond, becoming paper thin and utilizing resources that LMB and BG would utiize.

It all depends on your goals. Just like carp. If you like carp and want to grow a lot of pounds of fish in a pond, then carp are a way to do it. I wouldn't recommend carp in a pond either unless that's what your goals were.

They over populate and stunt in a pond.. The compete with all your other fish for food, they spawn early causing even more problems. Just not good for a pond setting.. They are good eating, but not when there 8" and see-thru..

Now they have some hybrid crappie but the verdict is still out as to how well they work.

I think a few people on here have tried them and still doing research.

I wanted to put some in my pond, but I need to get my GSF problem under control before adding any more fish.

Thanks