Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Catfish Nesting Boxes

Well has anyone ever tried this before.









Catfish dens on both sides, had to guess a little with what I believe wind direction to face the opening and I place them 6 feet below what water level should be and that what research showed was within the range of most used nesting. Hope this eventually gives catfish a chance with the bass.

Well I found an obsure article online about catfish nesting boxes that gave some size, then found a obsure photo of game and fish department that was using them, then found a research paper on different fish and found more information about depth of nest and what was most succesful depth was for channel catfish and they used nesting boxes to control the depths for their research.

Really not alot about them online took about week just for those three sources and the first two didn't add up to about 4 lines.

Interesting. What are the box dimensions?

This information I gathered was 30" long, 15" wide and 8" depth with a 6" hole.

I made my 30" long that worked well using 16' and 8' boards I had.

I made my 16 1/2 wide because that what 3 - 2x6's equal I had.

Depth over all is 7 1/4" inside because that what a 2x8 is and overall 10 1/4 because I used 2x for top and bottom and that what I had.

Did the 6" hole.

Again I wanted to pour sakete over them so if they rot out I still had a den but run out of money and now it rain 2 1/2" yesterday near by not sure what my place is so I am sure they are underwater.

Not sure how long till they wood will rot out. Any guess?

I just hope they aren't too successful and they over populate and stunt. CC are awful cheap to buy at the hatchery, meaning you control exactly how many are in your pond.

Very interesting project though!

They certainly look like great honeymoon cottages. If I was a catfish, I think I'd check in.

Several years ago I dropped some 8-inch PVC pipe in my main pond, and I've had some channel cat and white cat recruitment. If I can find the time yet this spring, I plan to dig a small pond (may 50' x 100' across the downhill side of a spring) that will be for catfish only.

Right now, I've got 50 5-8 inch channel cats in a 3'x3'x4'cage at the end of my dock. I've pretty much decided I don't want these unruly, but tasty and fun-to-catch critters, in the main pond with my prized bluegill.

Keep us informed.

Ken

Watching my old video from Master Wildlifer Class I took in 2003 they talked about how the bass will eventually eat all the catfish so I am hoping this will make some type of balance.

They will generally eat all of the fry and small cats. However, when cats get to about 2 pounds they are all but bullet proof.

The entire PB Mag this month is devoted to cats.

I wonder if it would help much if you put a Pine bush or some type of cover next to each spawning box to give the fry some cover as they hatch out.

Man that's a good idea Adirondack..

I have been trying for several years to get my catfish to reproduce in my pond. I have tried sinking old tires, sections of pvc pipe, etc. but have never seen any signs of fingerlings nor have i seen any signs of the adults messing around near these staging sights. Does anyone have specific proven methods that have worked for them? I was thinking about stacking several pallets and weighing them down into the water. Not sure how deep I should do something like this.
Anyone with thoughts or ideas? My catfish are adults at this point (most larger than 18".) The pond they are in is 3 acres in size with depths up to 14'. They are very active around our dock because we feed them from there.

I expect that they do spawn but it is rare for baby channel cats to escape predation.

The research I found said that the most used nesting boxes was between 2' and 4' meters. Will this be the case in my part of the country only time will tell.

I had always read that you should put gravel in the bottom of the catfish spawning boxes, has anyone else read that?

If I try to get more recruitment of my CC, I have been told to use small plastic feeders turned upside down and add an opening in one side. They seem to be about the right size here in North Texas and some of my neighbors are having great success using this method.

Careful what you wish for with CC spawning...a lot easier to stock CC as wanted/needed than to remove monsters or an over abundance. Good lookin cavity nests!!