Pond Boss Magazine
https://www.pondboss.com/images/userfiles/image/20130301193901_6_150by50orangewhyshouldsubscribejpeg.jpg
Advertisment
Newest Members
Shotgun01, Dan H, Stipker, LunkerHunt23, Jeanjules
18,451 Registered Users
Forum Statistics
Forums36
Topics40,899
Posts557,051
Members18,451
Most Online3,612
Jan 10th, 2023
Top Posters
esshup 28,407
ewest 21,474
Cecil Baird1 20,043
Bill Cody 15,110
Who's Online Now
2 members (Rainman, Bobbss), 458 guests, and 152 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Page 1 of 2 1 2
#521684 05/26/20 09:26 PM
Joined: May 2020
Posts: 33
R
OP Offline
R
Joined: May 2020
Posts: 33
I have an 8 acre lake in southern Illinois. The pond was built in 1990, I purchased the property last May. Long story short the pond had a serious problem of overcrowded channel catfish. I have taken out over 5,000 catfish since I purchased the property. Last year I took out around 3,000. I put in 500 3-5 inch bluegill and 1,500 bluegill 5-8 inch range and 100 bass 10-14 inches. This year i have taken out over 2,000 catfish and stocked another 1,000 3-5 in bluegill and 100 5-8 inch bass.

What I have notice so far :
I can finally catch a decent amount of bluegills when fishing. The bluegills have spawned successfully several times and there are all different size classes. The bass seem to be doing fine. A handful of the larger ones blow up on the gills when I feed (AquaMax 300 twice a day.) there are still too many catfish. I caught 60 out today from one spot on shore.

The catfish range from 4 inches to 4 lbs. the ladder being the exception. Average catfish is 8-12 inches and I can catch them with little effort. The fish obviously spawned successfully over the years and took over. I can’t really seine the pond due to lay downs everywhere. I have purchased a large trap to try waiting for it to come in the mail.

If any of you experienced pond guys have any tips on getting the kitties out I’m all ears. I no I’ll
Never get rid of them but if I can get there numbers down to a “nice bonus fish” I’d be very happy. I hope the bass and gill numbers will keep young of the year from
Being future problems.

Sorry for the novel.

Last edited by rtripple; 05/26/20 09:32 PM.
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 16,025
Likes: 274
D
Moderator
Lunker
Offline
Moderator
Lunker
D
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 16,025
Likes: 274
Wow, never seen this. Catfish recruitment is generally pretty poor in an established body of water with predators. And, the larger cats are also predators.


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.

Without a sense of urgency, Nothing ever gets done.

Boy, if I say "sic em", you'd better look for something to bite. Sam Shelley Rancher and Farmer Muleshoe Texas 1892-1985 RIP
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 1,878
Likes: 278
J
Offline
J
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 1,878
Likes: 278
Given the size of your cats and the numbers you have removed ... AND ... that you now have BG and LMB ... I can really add nothing other than to keep harvesting catfish. In a few of years the BG and LMB will be the dominant fish


It isn't what we don't know that gives us trouble, it's what we know that ain't so - Will Rogers


Joined: Apr 2019
Posts: 34
D
Offline
D
Joined: Apr 2019
Posts: 34
Any chance some of the smaller ones are actually bullhead? I agree with Dave, it would be very difficult for catfish to recruit to these numbers in an 8 acre lake. I could be totally wrong, just a thought.


2.5 acres with LMB, RES, BG and CC
Joined: May 2020
Posts: 33
R
OP Offline
R
Joined: May 2020
Posts: 33
Thanks for the replies. They are definitely channel catfish. The previous owner apparently fixed the levee 3 years ago. I am not sure what that means, but would imagine he drained the pond significantly if not all together. Maybe he stocked it with only channel cats after due to them being cheap and he was going to sell property. Who knows. Either way prior to my stocking other species I never caught or saw another species of fish.

Joined: May 2020
Posts: 33
R
OP Offline
R
Joined: May 2020
Posts: 33
I’d post a picture of the catfish but I can’t figure out how. I’m on an i-phone an the site won’t let me copy and paste and won’t let me add in attachments either. O well you guys just have to trust that I no the difference between channels and bullheads haha.

Joined: May 2018
Posts: 1,878
Likes: 278
J
Offline
J
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 1,878
Likes: 278
Originally Posted by rtripple
I’d post a picture of the catfish but I can’t figure out how. I’m on an i-phone an the site won’t let me copy and paste and won’t let me add in attachments either. O well you guys just have to trust that I no the difference between channels and bullheads haha.

Never doubted.


It isn't what we don't know that gives us trouble, it's what we know that ain't so - Will Rogers


Joined: Apr 2019
Posts: 34
D
Offline
D
Joined: Apr 2019
Posts: 34
Perfect, I apologize if my question about bullheads sounded rude. I didn't mean any harm, just thinking through the possibilities.


2.5 acres with LMB, RES, BG and CC
Joined: May 2020
Posts: 33
R
OP Offline
R
Joined: May 2020
Posts: 33
I didn’t take that way at all. It would make sense for a pond to be riddled with bullheads. My situation doesn’t seem normal haha.

I’m looking forward to trying the trap I bought so I’m always fishing. Basically a hoop net but made out of wire so you don’t need river current to keep it open. I feel like this year is the turning point of taking back the pond. After two more bluegill spawns through out summer I think I’ll stock another 200 5-8 inch bass. To get their numbers up as new predator.

Kitties are probably here to stay but they don’t need to dominate pond.

Joined: May 2018
Posts: 1,878
Likes: 278
J
Offline
J
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 1,878
Likes: 278
There would be nothing to ashamed of for misidentification but there were clues in your original post that led me to think I could rule out Bullheads. In particular the average weight and range of sizes.


It isn't what we don't know that gives us trouble, it's what we know that ain't so - Will Rogers


Joined: May 2020
Posts: 33
R
OP Offline
R
Joined: May 2020
Posts: 33
Ya I used to misidentify warmouth and rock bass. It happens. Took 42 more catfish out this afternoon with girls. Hoping to convince them to go back out after dinner.

Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 59
K
Offline
K
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 59
Wow, that is a lot of fish catching. What kind of bait do you use? I've got channel cat in my pit, but don't fish for them much.
Thanks, John

Joined: May 2020
Posts: 33
R
OP Offline
R
Joined: May 2020
Posts: 33
I usually just use a piece of night crawler under a slip bobber like I’m panfishing. When I feed the bluegills I have 10-15 pieces of wet AquaMax 600 and I’ll put it on a hook. I’ll dangle it front of the catfish on a long rod and sucker them out of the packs of bluegill. The bigger ones have grown wary of the night crawler.

Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 517
Likes: 38
Offline
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 517
Likes: 38
Originally Posted by Dave Davidson1
Wow, never seen this. Catfish recruitment is generally pretty poor in an established body of water with predators. And, the larger cats are also predators.
I've been absorbing all the info I can about catfish recruitment in ponds, and most sources will say the same thing, but it's extremely dependent on two things: Spawning habitat and structure. If you go out of your way to create places for them to spawn, they WILL spawn, and if you have places for the fry/fingerlings to escape predation, they WILL take over a BOW. If you just have a hole with water in it, they probably won't spawn, and if they do, the little ones will have no where to hide. I've even seen some websites flat-out claim that catfish won't spawn at all in ponds, and its just not true.


"In the age of information, ignorance is a choice." - Donny Miller
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 2,183
Likes: 44
Offline
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 2,183
Likes: 44
You are inspirational!

Mine spawn. I fish to control their numbers every year. I need to take more out this year as the last two years have been kind to them.


Brian

The one thing is the one thing
A dry fly catches no fish
Try not to be THAT 10%
1 member likes this: Steve_
Joined: May 2020
Posts: 33
R
OP Offline
R
Joined: May 2020
Posts: 33
My pond is loaded with fallen trees and 10 or standing dead timber. There is even a huge log jam in the middle of the pond the previous owner made. There is plenty of prime habitat. Which will be good when the pond is balanced but not so good for recruitment and survival of the catfish.

My hope is catfish spawn once and gills spawn at least three times here. If I replace the catfish with bluegill and bass over time it should be fine (I hope)

I am shocked to see the bluegill doing so well figured the small catfish would directly compete with them and larger ones would eat them. Not to mention the bass eating the gills as well. I do feed but once a day in one spot I doubt it makes that much of impact but maybe it is.

Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 59
K
Offline
K
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 59
Thanks for the reply rtripple, I may try to catch some of my channel cat.

Steve_ #521749 05/27/20 06:13 PM
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 6,086
Likes: 93
S
Offline
S
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 6,086
Likes: 93
We have had CC spawns every year. We harvest a lot every year to keep populations in check.

Our LMB population is finally gaining steam after failing spawns the first few years, so the CC recruitment may change from here on out. We have both spawning cavities via stumps and ledges and quite a lot of habitat for the fry to hide.

Last edited by snrub; 05/27/20 06:14 PM.

John

I subscribe to Pond Boss Magazine
Joined: May 2020
Posts: 33
R
OP Offline
R
Joined: May 2020
Posts: 33
Just got back inside took 28 more out. 15 or so with a piece of night crawler before feeding. The rest were fooled pre soaked AquaMax 600 on a hook sniping the catfish out of the pack of feeding gills. Set the catfish trap as well hopefully that will yield some results.

Snrub, do your small catfish (under 14 inches) compete with your gills for the forage in the pond? I kinda assumed juvenile catfish would eat the same foods as bluegills.

Joined: Apr 2020
Posts: 129
Likes: 11
J
Offline
J
Joined: Apr 2020
Posts: 129
Likes: 11
Are all those catfish you are catching edible ? Just curious.
jim

Joined: May 2020
Posts: 33
R
OP Offline
R
Joined: May 2020
Posts: 33
Jim, they are all edible I fillet out the ones that are 10 inches or bigger. Usually if I catch 50 catfish 10-15 are worth cleaning. The rest are critter food and tossed into the woods. I do have plenty in the freezer.

Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 754
Likes: 1
C
Lunker
Offline
Lunker
C
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 754
Likes: 1
I too have a catfish problem. My pond is only 2 acres. I've grown tired of eating the bottom dwellers. Pond still stays so muddy that it's hard to catch any other fish. I toss the ones I catch. Most of them in the 4-5 lb. range. I usually just take the .22 with me and set the feeder off.


It's true hard work never killed anybody, but I figure, why take the chance?
Ronald Reagan
_______________
The good Brian



Cisco #521788 05/28/20 09:51 AM
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 3,952
Likes: 184
P
Offline
P
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 3,952
Likes: 184
Call the nearest Boy Scout troupe around you and see if they would like to fish it for their merit badges

2 members like this: Funky, Redonthehead
Joined: May 2020
Posts: 33
R
OP Offline
R
Joined: May 2020
Posts: 33
Pat Williamson, I wasn’t even aware of merit badges for fishing. But I only did maybe a year of scouts when I was kid.

Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 3,952
Likes: 184
P
Offline
P
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 3,952
Likes: 184
There is and 7 boys got theirs last year from my pond, kinda cool I thought

1 member likes this: Funky
Page 1 of 2 1 2

Link Copied to Clipboard
Today's Birthdays
Bob Lusk, GaryK, GrizzFan, PhotographerDave
Recent Posts
Happy Birthday Bob Lusk!!
by Rainman - 03/28/24 02:53 AM
Relative weight charts in Excel ? Calculations?
by Mark Dyer - 03/27/24 10:18 PM
Reducing fish biomass
by esshup - 03/27/24 06:17 PM
New 2 acre pond stocking plan
by esshup - 03/27/24 06:05 PM
1 year after stocking question
by esshup - 03/27/24 06:02 PM
Questions and Feedback on SMB
by Donatello - 03/27/24 03:10 PM
Paper-shell crayfish and Japanese snails
by Bill Cody - 03/27/24 10:18 AM
Brooder Shiners and Fry, What to do??
by esshup - 03/27/24 08:47 AM
2024 North Texas Optimal BG food Group Buy
by Dave Davidson1 - 03/27/24 08:15 AM
Dewatering bags seeded to form berms?
by esshup - 03/26/24 10:00 PM
Freeze Danger? - Electric Diaphragm Pump
by esshup - 03/26/24 09:47 PM
Newly Uploaded Images
Eagles Over The Pond Yesterday
Eagles Over The Pond Yesterday
by Tbar, December 10
Deer at Theo's 2023
Deer at Theo's 2023
by Theo Gallus, November 13
Minnow identification
Minnow identification
by Mike Troyer, October 6
Sharing the Food
Sharing the Food
by FishinRod, September 9
Nice BGxRES
Nice BGxRES
by Theo Gallus, July 28
Snake Identification
Snake Identification
by Rangersedge, July 12

� 2014 POND BOSS INC. all rights reserved USA and Worldwide

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5