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#551567 08/20/22 12:09 PM
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Dergib Offline OP
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Anyone know of anywhere to get fish delivery near Se Michigan (just north of Toledo into MI). This year's fish day was canceled as the supplier didn't have a source. Need to get minnows and maybe some pike or tiger muskie. LMB are out of hand in 17 acre pond.

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Hi Dergib,
Welcome from another Michigan pond owner. 17 acres is a very big 'pond' to change the fish population in. I would say it would take several dozen fish trucks fully loaded with minnows backing up to your pond every day for several days to get enough minnows in there to feed the predators. LMB are very very good at chasing down and eating the typical minnow sold by a fish farm (fat head minnows). In this care, if there really is an abundance of LMB in this large pond then I'm pretty sure it isn't wise to try to create food for the LMB via spending money on minnows.

However if you had a way in OH to get different shiners (like common shiners, spottails, spotfins, which are likely native in your creeks and lakes already) they tend to be a little more adept at avoiding predation. Despite heavy predator pressure in my tiny pond, the spotfin shiners have exploded. I am pretty confident that stocking the hardy and speedy shiner even in a predator heavy pond could help turn the tide a bit.

I agree with your desire to have predators that will prey on the LMB. Some chose channel cats or blue cats for that but in a pond your size the predators could then become the catfish and then you would be stuck trying to get rid of a big number of catfish.

I'm not aware of a selective LMB toxin and they don't usually go into traps. Many have resorted to have dozens of fishing excursions with as many helpers as you can find and cull as many of the LMB that are say 13 or 14" or smaller. But in 17 acres that may require frequent fishing derbies with dozens of people working together.

Do you have a way to sample the pond to see what your forage base is really like?

In the south Tilapia becomes a way to add forage to a predator heavy pond. In the north we rely on bluegill as they are the only panfish/forage fish that can pull off a few spawns in the year. If the bluegill/sunfish are not sufficient to keep up with the numbers of LMB then some would also consider adding more structure as refuge for the minnows and panfish to have better survival after each spawn.

Specifically which fish farms may have pike or musky is something I can't help with outside of asking you to check the web pages of the fish farms around you. It would be more likely that fish farms would have Walleye if you wanted to consider adding those. They may do well in your BOW.

Although it is not close to you, Laggis fish farm in the far SW corner of MI does get Northern Pike for sale this time of year. Contact them.

Imlay City Fish farm facebook page does not list walleye, pike or musky but does say at time they have catfish.

I don't know much about fish farms in SE MI or Ohio, but plenty of Ohio people here on the forum do.

Send us more background on your pond, the current population of fish, the depth, layout, and your goals. Thanks!

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The issue with stocking fish in Michigan is their DNR. IF the pond has a permanent inflow or out flow (even onto a pasture) you need a permit from the Michigan DNR prior to stocking, AND any supplier has to have a copy of that permit in their truck prior to stocking.

Bringing fish into Michigan from another great lake state without the proper permits is a Lacy Act violation and the fine could be $250,000.00. If the fish supplier does not have that permit in their truck prior to entering Michigan, they could get fined the same as the pond owner.

I am not trying to rain on your parade, but I want to make you aware of the issues people in Michigan have to legally stock their ponds. Just dot your I's and cross your T's and you will be fine.

You'd be better off having the pond electro shocked and all the LMB that are netted removed. If the pond is LMB heavy you are looking at removing 510 pounds of LMB. Have people lined up beforehand that will take them and utilize them, no way can you clean all of them before they spoil.

We stock fish in Michigan, but doing the paperwork takes time.


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3/4 to 1 1/4 ac pond LMB, SMB, PS, BG, RES, CC, YP, Bardello BG, (RBT & Blue Tilapia - seasonal).
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Agree with Esshup. Adding forage to an existing predator base is an expensive waste of $. They will be immediately eaten. As he says, concentrate on first reducing the predator base. Bass need prey that is 1/4 to 1/3 their size. It’s a case of protein received vs energy expended.

Then come back with bluegills. Only bluegills can spawn enough to feed bass. And only bass can handle the bluegill spawns.


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Thanks for the replies. Lucked out and there is not permanent inlet or outlet so no permit needed. Max depth is right around 25 feet but water levels are low this year so I'd say 22 ft now. Weed heavy on the perimeter, I'd say when you get between 4-8 feet it's mostly weeds but it deepens quickly on my end. The far end of the pond isn't much more than 10 feet deep. I appreciate the insight! Looks like I need to find a company that electro shocks. Its only my second year on the pond. Fishing has been poor this year for anything but bass and I've noticed less mergansers as well. Im hopeful I just haven't found the beds for the larger bluegill but I haven't even seen the little guys up close this year. Going to be looking into an aeration system as well. I dont own the 17 acres and the other owners don't seem interested in a system for the whole pond. I figure any aeration is better than nothing. Ill be around more as the house is almost finished. Thank you for the advice.

Last edited by Dergib; 08/23/22 06:02 AM.
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aeration even out by your house will be a big plus. It will help keep things on the bottom moving, get rid of 'dead' gasses and help keep a cleaner bottom. Well worth it if you have power down to the water. I don't know why but other pondowners in MI have had problems finding a shock boat and someone to run it. Must be a niche waiting for someone to fill it. Here where I live I have heard of anyone offering that service.

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So now I'm beginning to wonder if I'm not seeing minnows because I've actually had fish die off. Fishing has been awful thi year. My last 4 times not a single bite...I was thinking I hadn't seen minnow so the bass must be eating them all but now I'm wondering if I have something bigger wrong. I still see some bluegills up close and the neighbor has caught quite a few gizzard shad.

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If you want tiger muskies, the fall is the time of the year to get them.


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3/4 to 1 1/4 ac pond LMB, SMB, PS, BG, RES, CC, YP, Bardello BG, (RBT & Blue Tilapia - seasonal).
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He Dergib,
Can you update us on your pond situation?

Have you sampled your fish populations more to decide where the fish went or whether you are heavy on the predators?

Did you find a source for fish to stock and did you stock more?

I have not seen tiger muskie being offered by any fish farm in MI but maybe I"m not aware of all possible sources.

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So sorry for the delay. Fun y story I actually saw you were looking for pickerelweed and then noticed you had commented on my old forum. So the fish issue, I have t sourced where they went. The only thing I can think of is predators. When I moved in the pond was surrounded by phragmites. I cut and sprayed those along two sides on the pond and as soon as that the herons moved in. Last year we had four big guys constantly destroying the bedding bluegill. Fishing was still poor but I did manage 5 bass over 6lbs in a week early September. Last year I did not catch a single yellow perch either. Lots of white crappie and then lots of smaller bluegill when I found the right spot. Still can't locate a fish shock company but this year I plan to stock some larger bluegill while adding lots of structure. There is NO structure outside of the weeds. So weeds grow well in the 4-8 foot of water but much past that it is all flat bottom ranging from 10-18 feet. When I say flat I didn't mark a single structure for fish so Im guessing the osprey love that as they hit the pond hard as well.


Enough about my fish. Did you have any luck with pickerelweed? I'm trying to source some from two native nurseries near me.

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I'm shocked Dergib that you didn't catch any YP. For me they are the most reliable to bite on most anything but usually corn, worms, or I grab a snail from the shallows, take off the shell and that is DEADLY bait for perch (probably the most smelly thing you can find in the pond too)

It would be cool to see an osprey, but I can see where you don't want them harvesting all your fish either.

I planted the 20 stalks of pickerel weed in two bunches one on each side of the pond. I fenced around them to keep ducks and turtles away. They must not like my soil as they just sat there and looked depressed and droopy the rest of the fall. They never really perked up or turned green. They didn't really die either. Then in cold they kind of hit the dirt. I'm hoping come spring the root or bulb or whatever is under the ground will wake up and push up some new growth. I think it will be awhile before these take off if they do so I may want to replant some more clusters here and there around the pond in the spring.

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Dergib if you are still looking for a fish supplier nearby have you called Fin Farm? They are located in Ridgeville Corners, OH, about an hour Southwest of Lambertville, MI. They have both FHM and GS. As of two or three weeks ago all their fish were still out in the ponds (I wanted some GS to go pike fishing but no one in the area has any large minnows).

As for the loss of fish goes, have you thought of otters yet? River otters have made a huge come back in the area and can wreak havoc on a pond. If they get into your pond, they can have it cleaned out in a matter of days. My uncle in SW OH used to raise freshwater prawns and blue gills until the otters found out about the "all you can eat shrimp and fish special" he had in his pond.

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I actually had the guy who built our home recommend Fin Farm. I emailed them last week and they said they'd start moving fish early April. I haven't seen any otters but the muskrats love the pond. Hate those things!

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Originally Posted by canyoncreek
I'm shocked Dergib that you didn't catch any YP. For me they are the most reliable to bite on most anything but usually corn, worms, or I grab a snail from the shallows, take off the shell and that is DEADLY bait for perch (probably the most smelly thing you can find in the pond too)

It would be cool to see an osprey, but I can see where you don't want them harvesting all your fish either.

I planted the 20 stalks of pickerel weed in two bunches one on each side of the pond. I fenced around them to keep ducks and turtles away. They must not like my soil as they just sat there and looked depressed and droopy the rest of the fall. They never really perked up or turned green. They didn't really die either. Then in cold they kind of hit the dirt. I'm hoping come spring the root or bulb or whatever is under the ground will wake up and push up some new growth. I think it will be awhile before these take off if they do so I may want to replant some more clusters here and there around the pond in the spring.
Good to know. I'm hoping to plant about 30 of those and 30 arrow arun this year. Want to well the wood ducks around and hopefully keep the phragmites down some.


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