Sierra Nevadas; 1 mile from Yosemite Park boundary-4200' feet. Ponds...3 years seasoned; have had minnows in them for 2 years. Large pond...just measured..105' x 50'. 10' to 12' at the deepest. Small pond; 32' x 37'...deepest area 8'. Both are surrounded with growth that sure attract the bugs!
Both usually freeze 7-14 days per year; just the top except where the water flows in.
I'm wanting either crappie, bluegill, bass...or suggested fish. I don't want to have to feed them; but do want them to feed me!
Great site...can't wait to listen and learn!
Large pond here:
Last edited by yosemitemountain; 05/30/1203:30 PM.
Hi yosemite, I have a small pond that I'm trying to manage for bigger sized BG's, and I feed mind because I don't have the bugs that you'll probably have there. Maybe BG's with some small LMB's for BG control would be the ticket? At any rate, nice ponds. Good luck with them, Dan
At your elevation and being spring fed, my bet is your ponds stay rather chilly year round. This may not be conducive to growing warm water game fish very well...
Managing typical game fish in smaller ponds, say less than 1 to 2 acres is very challenging without extensive management efforts. If one doesn't feed and take an active management role, expectations for such ponds should be very minimal.
Hi yosemite, I have a small pond that I'm trying to manage for bigger sized BG's, and I feed mind because I don't have the bugs that you'll probably have there. Maybe BG's with some small LMB's for BG control would be the ticket? At any rate, nice ponds. Good luck with them, Dan
That's kinda along the lines I was thinking! Thanks!
At your elevation and being spring fed, my bet is your ponds stay rather chilly year round. This may not be conducive to growing warm water game fish very well...
Managing typical game fish in smaller ponds, say less than 1 to 2 acres is very challenging without extensive management efforts. If one doesn't feed and take an active management role, expectations for such ponds should be very minimal.
Right now, the upper 3-4' are pretty warm...it's when you swim down further it gets c-c-c-COLD! The far bank and the drain ends are sloping shallow, so it helps in the heating. It is around the road/bank edges that are really deep and cold...where I could reach with the excavator. Also, I dozed abave the pond an area where the seepage from higher up drains into the pond over a wide area exposed to full sun...I did this so that it would 'filter' through the grass/vines and not silt up the pond-it allows it to settle.
Boy, I'm anxious to try something. Nothing ventured; nothing gained as they say. My neighbor...much smaller pond...grew trout; but they only lived for the year. Got real big though.
Last year, 4 choppers were dipping out of the pond...143 times with their 'bambi' buckets to fight a fire down canyon. I estimated 'round 40,000 gallons taken over 3 days...dropped the level about 14"; was full again in less than two weeks. Just thought I'd add that; so fire suppression was a goal. Also, I have a syphon system that waters the garden below the pond...another goal. Swimmin'...goal #3. Now, I just wanna be able to catch/eat some fishes!
Below are a couple of links that might help you out with stocking.
This publication "Inland Fisheries - Information Leaflet No. 6" will give you guidance as to whether or not you need a stocking permit. The regulations in this state can be described as humungous, onerous, egregious, cantankerous, disharmonious, horrendous and about a dozen other words that end in ous.
The easiest method (IMHO) to determine what you need to stock fish is to contact a "Registered Aquaculturist." If you go to this web page California Department of Fish and Game and click on the link at the very top of the page (labeled "Registered Aquaculturists" you will have a list of the folks that can help. Find the closest one to you and call them. They will know what you need to stock your pond.
Fortunately this past December we dodged a major bullet in California when a Commission rejected a proposal from the California Department of Fish and Game that would have required pond owners to have "biological assessments" performed in order to receive a fish stocking permit. The average estimated cost of the assessment for a two acre pond would have been $144,386 (no I'm not kidding). Fortunately this has been rejected, this would have been catastrophic for pond owners.
As and also and besides my pond has been used for fire fighting as has DIED's (Dave in El Dorado).
JHAP ~~~~~~~~~~ "My mind is a raging torrent, flooded with rivulets of thought cascading into a waterfall of creative alternatives." ...Hedley Lamarr (that's Hedley not Hedy)
Hey guys.. Sounds like he just wants a straight forward pond.. BG, LMB, CC(maybe).. I think were over complicating it.. He wants a reproducing food source.. You need to stock some bluegill let them grow a year or so add some LArgemouth, channel cats. Later after bg establish.. You'll have to get the stocking #'s from some pros on here I'm not up on the #'s.. Simple as that.. If you really wanna improve your BG and CC really think about a feeding program..
I believe in catch and release. I catch then release to the grease..
Below are a couple of links that might help you out with stocking.
This publication "Inland Fisheries - Information Leaflet No. 6" will give you guidance as to whether or not you need a stocking permit. The regulations in this state can be described as humungous, onerous, egregious, cantankerous, disharmonious, horrendous and about a dozen other words that end in ous.
The easiest method (IMHO) to determine what you need to stock fish is to contact a "Registered Aquaculturist." If you go to this web page California Department of Fish and Game and click on the link at the very top of the page (labeled "Registered Aquaculturists" you will have a list of the folks that can help. Find the closest one to you and call them. They will know what you need to stock your pond.
Fortunately this past December we dodged a major bullet in California when a Commission rejected a proposal from the California Department of Fish and Game that would have required pond owners to have "biological assessments" performed in order to receive a fish stocking permit. The average estimated cost of the assessment for a two acre pond would have been $144,386 (no I'm not kidding). Fortunately this has been rejected, this would have been catastrophic for pond owners.
As and also and besides my pond has been used for fire fighting as has DIED's (Dave in El Dorado).
Hey guys.. Sounds like he just wants a straight forward pond.. BG, LMB, CC(maybe).. I think were over complicating it.. He wants a reproducing food source.. You need to stock some bluegill let them grow a year or so add some LArgemouth, channel cats. Later after bg establish.. You'll have to get the stocking #'s from some pros on here I'm not up on the #'s.. Simple as that.. If you really wanna improve your BG and CC really think about a feeding program..
Awesome! Thanks for input! There is a pond a few miles down the road on forest land...just got a fishin' license and have never before fished it...I guess I'll see what it holds. I have stopped on occasion; each time the usual fishing TRASH left by idiots. Grrrr. But anyway, somebody is fishing it.
Fish that pond and see what it holds. If your smple goal is nothing more than to make food fish, stock this:
300 BG, 30 LMB and 30 CC. If you can source RES, stock 50 of them. I'd use the smaller pond as a put and take trout pond.
Thanks! That is my goal! Just being able to put a few fish on the table from time to time and provide some good fishin' for the kids and occasional visitors. Just trying to find some balance to it; so I ask the pros here!
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