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Joined: Dec 2019
Posts: 24 Likes: 1
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OP
Joined: Dec 2019
Posts: 24 Likes: 1 |
I picked up a 7acre spring-fed pond in upstate NY this year. Its cold climate, and at about 1250 fr elevation if freezes pretty hard. Solid 100% ice for many months.
It does not have much of a fish population- lots of bullfrogs and turtles. It's not deep- I would say the majority of it is 5-6ft in depth. There is an area in front of the main dam maybe 200x200ft that tapers down to 9 ft. There are some channels of 7ft here and there. The bottom is full of old trees, leaves, and silt. I was told by the grandson of the guy that built the pond that there were large bass in it years ago, but there was a freeze that killed them. It may have also been deeper then. The pond is 50 years old and was never dredged..
So I am not a fisherman, but I have friends and family and kids that like to fish. My goal is to introduce an easy to manage, self-sustaining, population people would enjoy fishing for and feeding. I don't want anything that requires significant effort- like annual restocking like as needed for trout. Is the pond deep enough for anything interesting in my climate? Should I put a bottom aerator in the deeper portion to pump air in during hard freezes?
Any ideas of species to put in?
Thanks!!
Last edited by JimNY; 08/23/20 03:53 PM.
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 16,053 Likes: 277
Moderator Lunker
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Moderator Lunker
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 16,053 Likes: 277 |
Bump for you Jim.
I think I've seen ice on my ponds about 3 times over a lot of years. No help here.
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
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Joined: May 2004
Posts: 13,971 Likes: 276
Moderator Lunker
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Moderator Lunker
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 13,971 Likes: 276 |
A good source of info for you would be Dr. Mark Cornwell's (of SUNY Cobleskill, IIRC) articles in back/future issues of PBMag. He has a lot of experience with NY waters and has a pond at a fair elevation there at home. I think I've seen ice on my ponds about 3 times over a lot of years. No help here. Two of those times were when he dropped a cold drink into the water. 
"Live like you'll die tomorrow, but manage your grass like you'll live forever." -S. M. Stirling ![[Linked Image from i.pinimg.com]](https://i.pinimg.com/736x/ed/b5/e7/edb5e7f935843b996cf52be593c9ebd2--smoothie-smooth-collie.jpg)
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1 member likes this:
Steve_ |
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Joined: Dec 2019
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Joined: Dec 2019
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Thanks Theo, great point. In fact I gont in touch with him on another matter. Ill get back in touch with him.
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 16,053 Likes: 277
Moderator Lunker
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Moderator Lunker
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 16,053 Likes: 277 |
Yes but, I have NEVER dropped a cold brew into the water.
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
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Joined: Dec 2019
Posts: 24 Likes: 1
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OP
Joined: Dec 2019
Posts: 24 Likes: 1 |
Thanks Theo, great point. In fact I gont in touch with him on another matter. Ill get back in touch with him.
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Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 21,493 Likes: 266
Moderator Hall of Fame 2014  Lunker
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Moderator Hall of Fame 2014 Lunker
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 21,493 Likes: 266 |
Talk to Mark - he is a great guy. My 2 cents - unless deepened or aerated it will likely keep being subject to winter-kill.
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Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 148 Likes: 2
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Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 148 Likes: 2 |
When looking at stocking, Yellow Perch will do fine in the cold. I aerate in about four feet of water during the winter, seems to help.
I am in Michigan and our winters are long and cold as well.
half-acre pond, LMB, HBG, BG, GSH and CC ....goal is to
have fun fishing. And I subscribe!
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