Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Types of fish to choose Pumpkinseeds

Help! Looking for a Pumpkinseed source here in Mn.

NOTHING! Come on guys...really jk. Chasing down some leads ESSHUP gave me (thank you sir), along with one fishery here in MN. I need some snail eaters and LMB forage...badly! There seems to be little love for this beautiful fish. No worries Mr. Pumpkinseed MNFISH loves ya.

MN I'm not familiar with hatcheries up your way except for YP, SMB and WE, but that's where you want to look, where the fish are more common. If I were you I'd just collect from local BOWs to stock. A quick search on your DNR site and you should be able to discern which fisheries nearest you consist of PS. That's what I did for RES and SMB...about a 90 minute drive from Lincoln, well worth the effort.

Thanks TJ, I appreciate it.

I know of a small lake in my vacation town of IRON River, WI that is loaded with large ones...

I agree with other members, your best way of getting some PS is to go catch some of your own. I've done that numerous times for species, including PS, not available at fish farms. Heck - doing some fishing is why we do all this anyway; isn't it?

Thanks Bobby! I am trying to do this without breaking any laws BUT...like the three SSS's...sometimes we do what we must

Right on Bill.

It's not illegal to keep fish alive, within size and qty regulations, and take back home to clean in NE at least. If your bucket of fish accidentally tips over close to your pond, what's a guy gonna do? Just keep within creel limit and sizes, and you should be fine. Move in the Spring if possible, cooler temps make transport easier/less stressful.

I wish that were the case here in MN. Illegal to transport fish alive. All water must be drained before transporting. I have heard stories of guys using over sized coolers with 12V bubblers to transport fish live. Also been told, they keep within the legal daily limit to minimize fines if caught (bringing other licensed family members along for added limits). Rumored stories of spilt CC water inside of trucks, upsetting spouses. To the point of never being allowed to use their SUV again!

Thanks again everyone!

It is illegal to drive over the speed limit too. Ever done that? Does your boat have a live well? Is keeping fish alive in a boat illegal too? I would think it is not illegal to keep a fish alive for later release in case you catch a larger one to keep. It does not have to be always in the boat live well which is where most will look to find live fish. I wouldn't keep so many that you need a big obvious 100 gallon tank to keep some alive.

Agree, that's a stupid law you must kill your fish hours before you may harvest them...especially since our plan is now complicated.

You might just have to justify a clandestine operation with all the fees you've paid for fishing licenses over the years.

I knew there were some outlaws here. Trafficking pumpkinseeds hehehehe

Tracy

Bill, actually it is illegal in Minnesota to cull fish from your live-well to replace with others in our state of Minnesota. We can keep fish alive in a live-well on the water, when we remove the boat from the water, we must then drain it.

Minnows transported from one BOW to another must be done so with fresh bottled or tap water we bring with us. My brother had a long discussion with a boat ramp representative from the state as he was doing just that. But try to prove the water in your cooler was fresh and brought from home while standing at the boat ramp, after you've dumped your bait from the bait bucket into it.

Also, one small caveat to the law of transporting live fish, as I understand. It is legal for a person under 16 years of age to do so, for an aquarium, but a limit of only 4 per species.

MNFISH thanks for the original post. I have been intrigued reading how RES are good for snail control, but then as I read more they don't survive this far north. I may look to add Mr. Pumpkinseed myself.

More calls made last night, as Tracy states, might have to go outlaw. I have had a very kind offer, thank you Bobby! I will be trying to locate them a little closer to my ponds. North40, if I find a source I will let you know.

Starting July 1st all livewells and holding tanks must be drained before entering and before exiting Texas lakes! That means no transporting live fish. Texas game wardens will be sitting at the boat ramps,inspecting, and writing tickets. This is supposedly because of spreading zebra mussels. Where does it stop!!

So how do you bring minnows with you when you fish? You have to catch them in the lake you plan to fish at?

Mnfish,

Looks like all you need to do is take a bus load of teenagers fishing!

Believe it or not you will have to show a receipt of purchase for your live bait. You can catch your own bait from the water you are going to fish that day. Tournament fishermen will have to show validation that they are entered in a tourney. After the fish is weighed the water must be returned to the lake. I know...starting to get a little crazy!!

I suspect it's only going to get worse, everywhere. This is yet another reason to feel fortunate to own private water. I read some message boards from fishermen who are all chasing public water fish as it's their only option - highly competitive, secretive, complaining about trash around lakes, illegal limits, getting into arguments, etc. I feel for them, and makes me all that more grateful I won't ever have to wait in a 100 vehicle line to launch a boat if I don't want to.

It's getting interesting for sure. A small number of our popular lakes in our state have students on site at boat landings authorized from the state (DNR) with pressure wash systems and require your boat hulls to be pressure washed at the landing.

Also a law was passed, but then suspended shortly thereafter requiring all boaters to take an online course of invasive species. With completion of a test, your boat would have a decal as I recall to prove you worthy of trailering your boat to a body of water. The law has been halted because they forgot to include the impact of out-of-state travelers. Even those driving through and not planning to drop a boat in the water, aka Iowa folks heading to Canada.

You guys are completely diverting from the PS thread..but I love it!

IMHO- For you pro's in the pond industry, if you haven't been, keep an eye on MN. We may have 10,000 public lakes but people are really beginning to see the benefits of private water. Even if only 1/4 acre. They are tired of strict limits, new laws added each year, and never knowing if they are breaking them or not. 14 years ago when I built my first pond, I did it because I loved wildlife management but also to have a body a water that I could enjoy without restrictions. I saw what was happening and didn't enjoy the simplicity of fishing any more. I sold my boats. My buddies laughed at me and said what a waste of money. Ponds were for guys in the south with no water. "10,000 lakes and you have to build another...you're crazy" Funny how those same guys really appreciate the peace and regulation freedoms of my ponds today.

Come on now. At least it was figured out how you can legally get 4 PS by having a kid under 16 with ya! Just make sure you get big ones of both sex and grow yer own.

Your absolutely right Bill! You guys presented good solutions just me venting a little. I most certainly didn't invent bucket stocking but I sure have made a science of it here in MN with regards to the laws.

mnfish, if u have a friend who has a place on a lake where u can use his dock or pier to unload a catch means never having to go to a ramp.
OH, carp, Flame is right about the new Texas laws coming into play. I may have to outlaw a few smb this coming fall. shush

Tracy