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Our last good rain was early August. I got the pond up to a little over a foot below full pool. (From 4' below full). No real rain since then, I'm back to 24" below full now.
However, I did catch four of these guys last weekend!


9 yr old pond, 1 ac, 15' deep.
RES, YP, GS, FHM (no longer), HBG (going away), SMB, and HSB (only one seen in 5 yrs) Restocked HSB (2020) Have seen one of these.
I think that's about all I should put in my little pond.
Otter attack in 2023
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We got 3/4 inches of rain this morning. No run-off. Raised the pond 3/4 inch. No more rain is in the 10 day forecast.

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Originally Posted By: SetterGuy
Our last good rain was early August. I got the pond up to a little over a foot below full pool. (From 4' below full). No real rain since then, I'm back to 24" below full now.
However, I did catch four of these guys last weekend!


Ah, Setter, one day I hope to see that in my pond too! Congrats! Looks like a jig? Was it tipped with anything?


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JohnF, man we have hit the drought also, been a few weeks and nothing in site. I'm back down around 4' below full.

I agree with CMM, nice fish and hope to be seeing those soon!

setterguy, I love the color of your water...what all have you don e to get it there?

What did I do? I had 8 tons of lime spread yesterday...just fed fish today. It was a big spreader truck with floatation tires on the rear. He was able to get in the water a bit. Good south wind also so it spread pretty nice. Would have liked to have gotten more on the north end by the levee, but he could back down there of course and the south wind kept it from going down very far. Was pretty pleased with it though. With my pond down so much it was a great time to lime.


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Originally Posted By: CMM
[quote=SetterGuy]Our last good rain was early August. I got the pond up to a little over a foot below full pool. (From 4' below full). No real rain since then, I'm back to 24" below full now.
However, I did catch four of these guys last weekend!

Ah, Setter, one day I hope to see that in my pond too! Congrats! Looks like a jig? Was it tipped with anything?


I had a little yellow crappie bite on the hook. I found they fell off pretty quickly. Didn't seem to make much difference if it was on or not. I caught the one pictured slowly retrieving it along the bottom. Caught three others with a quicker retrieve.
Usually I can't catch anything besides HBG, but all I caught the other morning were YP. Maybe it's because my feeder is broken.. Again..


9 yr old pond, 1 ac, 15' deep.
RES, YP, GS, FHM (no longer), HBG (going away), SMB, and HSB (only one seen in 5 yrs) Restocked HSB (2020) Have seen one of these.
I think that's about all I should put in my little pond.
Otter attack in 2023
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last year I had tilapia that kept the pond pretty clear of algae. This year I decided to try without. I had no algae until mid August and over last 6 weeks it started as a thin rim on the very edge and grew gradually to about 2-3' around the edge. Since it stayed at about 10% or less of pond surface I left it alone.



This year the algae seemed to be different. It was massively tenacious, stringy and much more lime green than the typical darker green of algae from other years. In other years I could rake it with my landscape rake, then tip the rake, shake a bit and it would slide off, and then go at it again. This afternoon I decided to get to raking it. It was amazing, stringy, tenacious, every pull I had to pull it up on the bank (HEAVY) then bend over and lift big matts of stringy stuff over the end of the rake and pull it down off the tines and leave it in a mass on the ground. I don't wish this kind of FA on anyone! I was told that FA floats because it is dead and air traps under it. This stuff seems amazingly alive to me smile







After going around the pond once, I touched up the bottom on the 2nd go round. The black nasty stuff that was laying on the bottom under the green FA was raked out and left a nasty smell. There must have been an anoxic layer under the FA. Glad to get that on the shore to dry, and later to be raked and carted off.

Painful on the back, but one advantage I keep reminding myself of is that I'm removing hundreds of pounds of 'nutrients' from the pond which should be to my advantage at some point.

But the other advantage is that I could see all the critters in the algae. I caught a few 2-3" goldfish in their natural drab (nice fat bodies, almost like like golden shiners but much more fat bodied. They are going to be perfect snacks for the predators when they get in the pond next year!) A few baby RES and a few baby perch. Lots and lots of polywogs (see picture below, can someone identify are these bullfrog tadpoles?)



Still raking in a fair number of invasive chinese snails. A few adult frogs were hanging out in the algae and one turtle got raked out of his submerged home and looked at me like what in the world, where am I? Then went back to the pond again.

And also was very delighted to catch something I thought was long gone. See below....







At least ONE PK SHRIMP survived smile smile Another reason to keep a little algae around for a hiding place.

So, I would recommend to others that 10% or less coverage of FA is not so bad. Tons of refuge for tiny critters, tiny fish, frogs, turtles, young perch, etc. Surprised but even a 5" goldfish was right at shore and had to swim under about 2' of FA to get where I got to him.

Since tilapia weren't eating FA this year, and no sight of crayfish and I can't trap a single one, I'm wondering if maybe the goldfish are eating my algae or plants? I know my father in law wanted a few of my goldfish in his waterfall fountain. His fountain is only about 3' deep and he can watch them sucking algae off all the rocks in his fountain. (of course there is nothing else for them to eat either...)

Also this year lots of young LCS and shiners, didn't have that last year. Either my stocked fish are big enough this spring to finally have offspring, or the tilapia (absent this year) were eating the eggs since both LCS and shiners broadcast their eggs.

With clean edges the kids can now run their remote control boat in the pond without getting caught in the algae so they are happy too smile

Water level is down about 6" when the weather has been fairly wet. Still happy with results of my 2nd soil floc application but I haven't tracked the levels with a ruler so can't say exactly how it is faring. I just know that winter is coming and I'd like clean edges and will pump it full right before ice-in.

Handraking has its benefits. Just glad my pond isn't bigger than it is. I wouldn't want to rake a 1+ acre pond smile

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Today a walked across the middle of my 1/2 acre pond. No I'm not the 2nd coming. The water has been resceding all summer. It's our 2nd summer with the property an this is the lowest the old pond has been. There's a ridge that runs down the middle and the water was only about 10" deep. On one side of the ridge there's a bowl about 4' deep right now and all of our bigger fish are there. On the other side most of it is 12" deep with a few spots 2-3' deep. This is a weekend home for us, but.this was a really sad sight to see. I need to figure out why we're losing water and what needs to be done to fix it. The pond is 40 hrs old and I don't think it's been cleaned out since. There are two tree stumps out on that ridge about 30" in diameter so they've been there a while. Hadn't seen them before. We've got a ton of trees in and around the pond. 30-40 yr old pines growing on our dam. I need to figure out the best and most affordable way to fix the water retention issue. Our property is near Cleveland Tx, does anyone have someone they can reccomend in our area? I'll try to attach some pictures.

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URL=http://s1381.photobucket.com/user/jburciaga1/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsabggheld.jpeg.html][/URL]

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Harvested three CC from the night before and had them in the holding pen. Sister-in-law was over helping the wife with some stuff so I cleaned them and gave her the fillets.

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My wife and I caught some LSL LMB, CC, GSF, and BG all on artificial. I haven't seen any CC in a while. I did not expect them to hit a white curl tail jig. They are getting to be about 17" lg. I stocked them in July/2015 at 4" lg. I'll need to start removing fish soon.


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I caught a number of CC on a curl tail jig last year. It is surprising how the CC will nail a moving bait. Will give quite a fight on a light rig for catching BG.

I rarely actually fish for CC. My wife does that (she can knit while the bait sits on the bottom). I'm always fishing for BG and still will catch the CC, especially if I let the jig get near the bottom. Caught one 2-3# tonight but got it up to the bank in 2" of water and it flipped the jig out (I mash the barbs down) and off it went. Caught a couple of 6-8" CC on that jig with the Gulp bait also.

Last edited by snrub; 10/09/16 08:23 PM.

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L's Pond; With that many trees around and in the pond, plus those on the dam, it is probably start over time.


It's not about the fish. It's about the pond. Take care of the pond and the fish will be fine. PB subscriber since before it was in color.

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Scooped out some GAMS that got in the front yard forage pond. My be a losing battle but I will keep at it. I think I am down to one or two left.


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We put away all of the swimming and playing gear for the Winter, but could not get the float raft out. It is down too deep, and I fear the pond will freeze before the water level comes up enough to pull it out. Wishing I had a tractor with a bucket!

It may be harvest time for the Koi, they are making a mess of the water quality and I worry about reproduction since I have a bass-free pond.

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This past weekend me and a buddy hooked up a couple of video cameras that I can now watch from my i-phone. Simple cordless system for dummies like me..lol...does not need electricity...they state the new high tech chip that operates this camera allows two small AA Lithium batteries to last at least 6 months. I am still learning about what all it does as far as recording and motion detection. I started with two cameras to see how it works. Purchasing two cameras it came out to about $84 for each camera, less if you buy more. It may not be a perfect system, but a fun "easy to use and install" toy for me. I've got these first 2 cameras inside the cabin pointing outward so sometimes there is a slight glare, but I love being able to take a quick peek and watch live video at the property from my office or home in Dallas.





BLINK - Wireless WiFi Cameras


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I didn't fish much, but had some people over on Saturday for hubby's 50th birthday. One guy wanted to fish. I left him my scale and told him to cull lm under 95%. He hollared up at me a few minutes later wanting to know how big a bluegill I had caught from the pond. He had one on the scale weighing 1lb 2oz. He released it with out a picture! It beat my record bg by 3oz. Happy for him, wish I had seen it.

I also replaced a trolling motor. The used one that was gifted to me shot craps. The speed control switch was all melted into a blob. With the other little things wrong with it, I just got another one.

But, I am off today (Bank jobs rock) so may get a chance to hit it later today. Maybe I can get a new bg record.


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Repaired a John Deere 650J for a friend last week. A rat had eaten up the wiring harness. So after a lot of solder, tape, and wire we got it going again way cheaper than the John Deere tech. They get $125 an hour from the time they leave to when they get back. They are 45 mins from here. Serviced it also, so after we were done I told him all you owe me is a week or so of the dozer at my house. He said that sounds great! So I have been working on my levee, wanted to flatten the water side angle a bit. It was just to steep. Also worked on the road over the top of it some. Looks alot better. The west bank needed the same, few steep spots so I can bush hog them, so that bugs me. There a few terraces left in the field that hold back some of my water shed...not much, but every bit helps. Lastly I am going to dig out the spring that is on the south side. It runs when the weather is wet, but is probably 3-4 higher in elevation than the pond. Its 75-100 feet south of the pond, but right in line and in a low spot. My pond is really low right now, so I'm going to build a creek of sorts I guess. I'm going to dig an 8' wide trench from the spring to where the water level is now. That way when the spring is flowing it will flow for a lot longer as it will be deeper. Wish I had the money just to dig a well right there and pump it into the pond! lol


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Stocked some HSB and feed trained LMB this weekend from Overtons and then did a little fishing on Saturday. The CNBG was one I stocked back in May at 2-3". I'd say the largest CNBG are 6-7" now.











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Originally Posted By: liquidsquid
We put away all of the swimming and playing gear for the Winter, but could not get the float raft out. It is down too deep, and I fear the pond will freeze before the water level comes up enough to pull it out. Wishing I had a tractor with a bucket!

It may be harvest time for the Koi, they are making a mess of the water quality and I worry about reproduction since I have a bass-free pond.


I will be draining a Church's pond and removing Koi that have spawned a few times now. I'd cleared it with Alum, and informed the powers that be, the Koi would likely stir it right back up. Sadly, I was right. Now the church (and the pond budget) doesn't like Koi quite so much!



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I just looked at mine today, after the Hurricane it is at full pool after being dug this July! I am ready for fish now!


3/4 Acre South Georgia Pond, 1,500 BG/RES; LMB coming soon

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Finished bush-hogging the 15 or so open acres we have. Taught Jodi to use the tractor to do the cutting in open areas, i.e. not around trees and steep slopes. That left me free to do the most physically challenging job and that is trimming the inside of the damn dam. I use a regular weed-eater to do the 2 feet closest to the water then a high-wheel trimmer to do the top of the dam... today, my back feels every push and pull of that thing but, at least, that job won't need to be done until June-July next year.

Jodi found time to catch 8 more LMB, mostly < 12" but one that was about 1.5 lbs. She like to catch the little guys and that's good by me. Now we've caught about 10 lbs this year in the 1 acre pond but I want to catch about 5 lbs more.

Last edited by djstauder; 10/11/16 07:57 AM.

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Chris, are you feeding the LMB Optimal?


AL

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It's more like what I did this week @ the pond. I fished for LLB for the first time since last June and lost one when she jumped and landed another. I just wanted to get a look. I don't want to get them hook shy so I am trying to hold off fishing for them until they are in the 6 to 8# range. Fish looked to be in the 13" size and I could not believe how heavy she was. Did not weigh her but she felt like she had been eating lead. I would bet she was in the 150 rw range. I've been brush hoggin and planting winter wheat, elbon Rye and clover around the pond and hoping for some rain, the pond is down about two feet. I have been careful about running well water due to past experience's killing some nice cnbg earlier, most likely due to low DO. And have had no rain since early August. Learning diffusers increase evaporation. I need some fall rains. Almost forgot to mention, I picked up another 30-10" HSB from Todd Overton's and he checked the Alk. and water hardness from my ponds water sample. One last thing, I learned I can kill cnbg by overfeeding. Thanks Todd for your suggestion, no more dead cnbg.


Tracy

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Zep - the low cost, cordless remote view video cameras will be a big benefit to many members. Would you or someone start a new thread with this as the main topic?


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