Pond Boss Forums INTRO Common Pond Q&A (archives) POND BOSS MAGAZINE ARTICLES & INDEX 2019

POND BOSS ARTICLES CONTENTS 2019
NOTE: Pond to Plate articles were moved to first of each contents. Index for 2019 issues is at the end. Editors Desk and Ask the Boss features omitted due to amount of work required.

JANUARY - FEBUARY 2019

POND TO PLATE – Unique sauteed Bass Louisiana with banana, tomato and celery.

1. ROTENONE: STARTING A LAKE OVER. Lusk tells how,when and why it was needed.

2. AQUATIC PLANT PRIMER. Lusk tells the basic ways to deal with nuisance plants.

3. ALL FEMALE BASS: A TALE OF TROPHY SIZE FISH. Rob Mays growing all females requires competition.

4. AGRICULTURAL LIMESTONE TERMINOLOGY. Dr. Boyd all the details about limestone. Informative.

5. LARGEMOUTH BASS MOVEMENT IN FLOODING EVENTS. Beasley monitors the bass population after a flushing event.

6. WHAT’S HAPPENING UNDER THAT ICE? Lusk pond activity when ice covered.

7. PRACTICING WHAT WE PREACH. Mike Gray how improper compaction resorted in leaks.

8. DRIVING AND WILDLIFE INTERFACE. VanSchaik discusses wildlife vehicle collisions.

9. YOUR POND’S PURPOSE. Lusk points out some helpful goals for a pond.

10. A KEY MANAGEMENT TOOL. Scott Wren has good suggestions for some versatile angler items for harvesting your fish.

11. BRINGING DOWN DEEP UP – ON THE CHEAP. Cornwell. How to and benefits of a pond airlift for destratification.

12. STATUS QUO. Lusk every pond decision and action creates reaction. Make them work toward your goals.

13. A GOOD TIME TO INSPECT AND REPAIR. Otto pond inspections and evaluations for a better pond.


14. OBSERVATIONS FROM THE POND BOSS FORUM. Beth Lahaie ponds are creative vision of the owners.

15. FLOATING ISLANDS: CLEARER WATER AND MORE FISH? Dr.Neal discussed a floating stream bed island study they did for measuring the benefit to fish production and growth rates in a small BG-LMB pond. Streambed islands had water channelized upward and moving water through the island. Study ran for 20 months in 4 test ponds 4 control ponds.

16. WINTER TIPS TO HELPING FEATHERED FRIENDS. Birdman gives good ideas for helping the birds; water, shelters and the best foods.

17. STOCKING FEED TRAINED FISH. West with two studies show pellet raised fish need to keep eating pellets for good growth and survival.


MAR - APR 2019.

FROM POND TO PLATE. LEMON GRILLED BLUEGILL tasty recipe for bluegill

1. THE ART OF POND MANAGEMENT. Lusk how pond variables affect your efforts. Know the science for creative choices.

2. HOW FISH SPAWN. Lusk knowing spawning details improves the fishery.
Fatheads, golden shiner, shad, sunfishes, largemouth, smallmouth, catfish

3. HARMONIOUS FOOD CHAINS. Lusk ponds need a balanced continual flow of food produces good recruitment. Choose complementary fish.

4. YOUR POND’S CARBON FOOTPRINT. Dr Boyd. Types and amounts of greenhouse gasses and emissions produced by a pond. Average carbon footprint; CO2 / yr. Sequestering carbon, management style effects.

5. FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES WHEN FERTILIZING TROPHY LARGEMOUTH BASS FISHERIES. Beasley- if to do it, what to look for, color transitions, need for monitoring, cyanobacteria problems, clarity monitoring.

6. YELLOW PERCH SPAWNING. Dr. Willis and Lusk. Details of how it is done.

7. MOVING TO MOVE MORE DIRT. Mike Gray plans to rebuild his old new pond.

8. STOP FEEDING FOR SPRING & SUMMER. VanSchaik. Year round feeding for songbirds, doves, quail, turkeys, deer..

9. SOURCING A REPUTABLE FISH HATCHERY. Lusk’s examples of how to choose a good one.

10. SPRINGTIME POND CHECKLIST. Lusk gives 20 items to look at for beginning the pond season.

11. BALANCING ACTS – PREDICTING A FISHERY. Lusk gives fish items to watch each of 5 years after stocking fish.

12. FERTILIZE OR NOT? Lusk gives the basics for why and how to begin fertilization.
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13. EROSION. Lusk & Otto what to watch for and some ways to prevent it.

14. UNUNTENDED CONSEQUENCES. Lusk a few examples of things not to do in chemical treatment, fencing the spillway and weeds with grass carp.

15. TOOLS EVERY PONDOWNER SHOULD OWN. Dr Neal describes 4 good useful pond management tools.

15. TIPS FOR PURPLE MARTIN SUCCESS. Birdman tells the best times for martin arrival and best housing ideas.

16. TROPHIC CASCADES. West and Lusk. How pond activities will cause impacts upward into the food chain. Bluegill and gizzard examples.





MAY - JUN 2019
POND TO PLATE – Morels – How to coat & fry.

1. LAKE VERSUS FISH. Lusk presents a lake with a puzzle of lake, fish, or water for you to help solve.

2. TURTLES. Lusk interesting notes about turtles in your pond.

3. HISTORY OF POND MANAGEMENT Part 1. Lusk summarizes the milestones of pond management starting in 1940’s to 1980.

4. POND ARITHMETIC. Dr.Boyd gives some valuable important relationships for calculating pond treatments.

5. UNDERSTANDING WHEN TO PRIORITIZE ELECTROFISHING. Beasley values and benefits of using it for proactive fish management.

6. PREPARE YOUR POND FOR ICE FISHING NOW. Lusk some ideas for improving the next ice fishing season.

7. MYTHS AND MISUNDERSTANDINGS ABOUT PREDATOR FISH. Lusk ideas to enhance your pond predator fish.

8. OTTER PREDATION. VanSchaik – research findings of behavior & food habits of otter.

9. JUDGING YOUR FISH. Lusk items to judge those to harvest, relative weights, develop a plan.

10. FUR AND FEATHERS VERSUS FINS: FIGHT TO KEEP FISH IN YOUR POND. Andrew Scott - dealing with bird and animal predators.

11. WHAT THE WATER SAYS. Cornwell – basics of water, rain vs watershed water, good and bad concentrations, anemic food chain, ways to monitor,

12. DIFFERENT THAN EXPECTED. Lusk example of poorly finished pond, ways to prevent it.

13. TWO REPAIRS, SAME LAKE. Otto fixing a spillway and drain pipe repair.

14. IS ALL COPPER BAD? Patrick Simmsgeiger Benefits and precautions of using copper based algaecides.

15. PONDS IN A CHANGING ENVIRONMENT .Dr.Neal precipitation and temperature changes of your area for future pond plans.

16. HUMMINGBIRDS ARE HERE. Birdman Mel tells us how to attract and encourage these unique birds.

17. POST SPAWN BEHAVIOR. West reviews studies of behavior of bluegill, largemouth and walleye activities after spawning.



JUL - AUG 2019.

1. DIY POND MANAGEMENT. Lusk good basic advice for common doing it yourself pond tasks.

2. THERMOCLINE EFFECTS ON YOU PONDS’ LIKE. Lusk dissects and explains the metalimnion as a middle water layer.

3. HISTORY OF POND MANAGEMENT. Lusk discusses milestone events of pond management during the 1980’s.

4. SOME QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT WATER. Dr. Boyd talks about water color, ice expanding, stratification, less DO in warm water, water as a solvent, evaporation, DO increase with depth, surface tension.

5. WELCOME TO THE LEAKY POND CLUB. Mike Gray fixing a board system spillway and leakage.

6. PRELIMINARY WORK IS IMPORTANT. Lusk points out important design topics needed for building a pond.

7. TAGGING FISH: WHAT’S THE POINT. Lusk value and reasons for tagging some of your pond fish, plus types of tags.

8. THINKING ABOUT STARTING A COMMERCIAL HUNTING BUSINESS. VanSchaik good topics explained, laws, yourself, land, location, goals, business plan, financial, market.

9. THE INSTITUTE OF HIGHER PONDOLOGY. Lusk offers courses for Basics of Pond Management.

10. THOUGHTS ABOUT ALUM. Lusk what it is, why use it, how to use it.

11. JUST SAY, “NO.” Lusk explains reasons why building a pond is not the best idea.

12. IT’S ALL ABOUT THAT BASE. Cornwell tells about phytoplankton producing zooplankton for the bottom of the food chain in your pond.

13. BOILING THROUGH HOT SUMMER WATER. Lusk describes what happens when pond water becomes too warm.

14. NOW YOU SEE IT, NOW YOU DON’T. Otto fixes a drained pond using large concrete blocks.

15. SUMMERTIME UNDERWATER SALAD BAR. Lusk consequences and suggestions for dealing with midsummer pondweed problems.

16. WHY BASS HARVEST IS SO IMPORTANT FOR SMALL WATERS. Dr. Neal explains reasons why small ponds need more bass harvest than lakes.

17. DRIFT AWAY AND RELAX WATCHING BUTTERFLIES IN YOUR YARD. Birdman Mel produces his favorite list of plants that attract butterflies.

18. SUMMERTIME TEMPERATURES. West explains preferred temperatures for bluegill, yellow perch, largemouth bass.


SEP-OCT 2019.

POND TO PLATE – Texas Style Marinara with Romas, garlic, Jalapeno, basil, oregano

1. TIGER MUSKIES. Lusk some basic information for their usefulness in ponds.

2. DOES FALL TURNOVER CAUSE PROBLEMS. Lusk pond temperature layers & features of each layer that sometimes that can contribute to fish kills.

3. HISTORY OF POND MANAGEMENT. Lusk info ending the 1980’s and events milestones of the 1990’s.

4. WATER CHEMISTRY FOR DUMMIES. Lusk basic chemical fundamentals for pH, acidity, alkalinity, buffering and dissolved oxygen,

5. WATER QUALITY WOES. Beasley explains why water quality is basic requirement for good fisheries. Basic info about nanobubble units.

6. LOW OXYGEN UNDER ICE. Lusk why snow and ice cover can kill your fish.

7. ACHIEVING YOUR POND’S BALANCE. Lusk explains pond harmony, importance, and how to recognize it.

8. WEATHERING THE STORM – THE GOOD & BAD FOR WILDLIFE. VanSchaik point out the positives and negatives about extreme weather events effecting wildlife.

9. PROPERLY ANALYZING POND PROBLEMS. Lusk two examples figuring out and trouble shooting why fish died.

10. FALL FISHING. Ty Kleeb hints to improve angler success in fall.

11. CAN SMALLMOUTH AND LARGEMOUTH BASS THRIVE TOGETHER? Cornwell why these two fish do not play well together.

12. MOVING FISH POND TO POND – Bob Lusk explains pros and cons of stocking fish from another water body; cautions, benefits, suggestions

13. SPILLWAY REPAIR. Otto explains how he did it using fabric liner, special concrete mats and slab.

14. SPILLWAY REPAIR. Otto describes finishing constructing a dam when the original builder left it incomplete. What questions & answers are needed. Uses Concrete mats to stop erosion.

15. DESIGNING FISH HABITAT IN A TWO ACRE POND. Lusk describes the plan for best fish structure.

16. CONSIDERATIONS FOR STRATEGIC ADDITIOTON OF PREY. Dr Neal reviews the science & rationale for adding prey fish. Very good information about prey benefits, which ones are best value, pros & cons. Discusses calories for growth, tilapia, crayfish, fatheads, both shad species.

17.TIME TO GO “BATTY. Mel gives the basicw for improving the numbers of bats and shares tips on house locations/

18. FALLING FISH. West examines Autumn feeding of fish and associated body energy use: feeding frenzies, fat accumulation, cyclic energy storage, less growth.


NOV-DEC 2019.

POND TO PLATE - Alison Tanner’s Chicken Pie. Georgia style tasty chicken vegetable pie.

1. REMODELING AN OLDER SMALL POND. Lusk + Clint Steffens tell how a little murky mud hole was transformed into a 3/4ac family fun pond.

2. MANAGING A SMALL HATCHERY SUPPORT POND. Lusk tells tips how to best develop a hatchery support pond. Easy not so easy species. How to harvest dos and don’ts.

3. HISTORY OF POND MANAGEMENT PART 4. Lusk discusses management progress in the 1990 to 2000.

4. ENHANCE YOUR FISHERIES PROGRAM WITH FERTILIZATION AND LIMING. Paul Dorsett discusses liming - when and how to use it; describes blooms and timing of fertilization.

5. BENEATH THE UNDERGROUND. Mike Gray – his efforts to fix a leaky pond built in rocky basin.

6. SMALLIES ON A BUDGET. Lusk tells how in northern and central US to grow some smallmouth using right habitat, foods, getting competition correct, obstacles, recruitment, good forge species, monitoring numbers.

7. FALL MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES & STRATEGIES. Beasley tells the things why and how to do in fall for improving or maintaining trophy bass fisheries. Why Fall harvest is very important.

8. RESPONSIBLE WILDLIFE JOURNALISM. VanSchaik provides insight into what it takes for being an experienced, knowledgeable, credible wildlife writer.

9. WINTER DRAWDOWN. Lusk – pros and cons of removing pond water in Fall in topics of plant mgmt, refilling, maintenance tasks, fishery benefits, bottom soil benefits.

10. HATCHERY PONDS TO SUPPORT A BIGGER FISHERY. Lusk explains pros & cons with insights of hatchery ponds. Uses 3 examples of why & why not.

11. INVADERS OF THE POND KIND. Cornwell relates relates his NY experiences with 3 exotic invading fish species European rudd, European trench, green sunfish.

12. LANDSCAPING SMALL PONDS. Lusk gives a few examples of ideas for enhancing areas above the pond water line.

13. THE LINER. Otto discusses keeping water in the pond with basics of a liner. Includes determining good clay, soil amendments, synthetic liners.

14. EXPECTATIONS OF FALL PONDS. Lusk -progress of Fall is a time to winterize equipment, check fish, restock if needed, observe pond activities.

15. MUDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS – A POND MYSTERY. Dr. Neal visits Camabodia and discusses their types of ponds and why fish kills are common there.

16. CHRISIS – THREE BILLION FIRDS ARE MISSING. WHAT CAN YOU DO TO HELP? Birdman Mel explains why birds are fewer, ranks the most common causes of deaths with 7 ways to help birds.

17. FLATHEADS AND BLUEGILLS. Discussions form the Pond Boss forum. Using flathead catfish and walleye in Michigan to increase bluegill sizes. Discusses cautions and pros and cons.


INDEX Pond Boss Mag 2019
Pond to Plate was not indexed
Aeration nanobubble info Sep-Oct 2019
Agri lime info Jan-Feb 2019
Airlift pump paddlefish Jan-Feb 2019
Algaecide copper pros cons May-Jun 2019
Alum use basic info Jul-Aug2019
Angler basic tools Jan-Feb 2019
Angling in Fall Sep-Oct 2019
Aquatic plants Jan-Feb 2019
Bass all female Jan-Feb 2019
Bass floods movement Jan-Feb 2019
Bass food training Nov-Dec 2019
Bass harvest why, needs Jul-Aug2019
Bass Hook shy bass Jul-Aug2019
Bass LM Std Wt Table pg 8 Mar-Apr 2019
Bass overcrowding May-Jun 2019
Bass pond fertilize Mar-Apr 2019
Bass vs hybrid striped compete Q-A Mar-Apr 2019
Bat houses Sep-Oct 2019
Bird 3 billion loss Nov-Dec 2019
Birds Hummingbirds May-Jun 2019
Birds purple martins Mar-Apr 2019
Birds winter tips Jan-Feb 2019
Bluegill-flathead catfish Nov-Dec 2019
Butterflies encourage Jul-Aug2019
Chemistry water basics Sep-Oct 2019
Clarity fertility Mar-Apr 2019
Copper basic info – uses May-Jun 2019
Dam design volume Jul-Aug2019
Dam rock building Nov-Dec 2019
Destratification Fall Sep-Oct 2019
Drawdown Fall info Nov-Dec 2019
Electrofishing basics, when May-Jun 2019
Epilimnion Sep-Oct 2019
Erosion control Mar-Apr 2019
Erosion mats Sep-Oct 2019
Fat storage in Fall Sep-Oct 2019
Feed trained stocked Jan-Feb 2019
Fertilization basics Mar-Apr 2019
Fertilization basics Mar-Apr 2019
Fertilization enhancement Nov-Dec 2019
Fertilize bass ponds Mar-Apr 2019
Fish 5 year estimate Mar-Apr 2019
Fish basic trapping info Jul-Aug2019
Fish choosing a hatchery Mar-Apr 2019
Fish fat seasonal Sep-Oct 2019
Fish fat storage Sep-Oct 2019
Fish feed trained stocked Jan-Feb 2019
Fish feeding – Fall Sep-Oct
Fish flathead – bluegill Nov-Dec 2019
Fish forage options Sep-Oct 2019
Fish harmonics for stocking Mar-Apr 2019
Fish hatchery support pond Nov-Dec 2019
Fish invasives Nov-Dec 2019
Fish LMB / SMB Sep-Oct 2019
Fish LMB feed training Q-A Nov-Dec 2019
Fish LMB std wt table Q-A Mar-Apr 2019
Fish mgmt Fall needs Nov-Dec 2019
Fish movement pond to pond Sep-Oct 2019
Fish muskies Sep-Oct 2019
Fish northern baitfish ideas Q-A May-Jun 2019
Fish post spawn behavior May-Jun 2019
Fish predation of flatheads Nov-Dec 2019
Fish predators myths May-Jun 2019
Fish rudd Nov-Dec 2019
Fish smallmouth habitat Nov-Dec 2019
Fish spawning methods Mar-Apr 2019
Fish tagging info Jul-Aug2019
Fish tilapia fat deposits Sep-Oct 2019
Fish trench Nov-Dec 2019
Fish winter ice concerns Mar-Apr 2019
Fish yellow perch spawning Mar-Apr 2019
Fishery evaluation what to harvest May-Jun 2019
Fishing during fall Sep-Oct 2019
Flathead catfish Nov-Dec 2019
Floating islands Jan-Feb 2019
Food chain base Jul-Aug2019
Forage fishes northern types Q-A May-Jun 2019
Game summer feeding Mar-Apr 2019
Green sunfish Nov-Dec 2019
Habitat design Sep-Oct 2019
Habitat types placement Sep-Oct 2019
Hatchery pond uses Nov-Dec 2019
History of pond mgmt Pt 3 Sep-Oct 2019
History of Pond Mgmt Pt2 Jul-Aug2019
Hunting wildlife start-up Jul-Aug2019
Hybrid striped vs LMbass compete Q-A Mar-Apr 2019
Hypolimnion Sep-Oct 2019
Ice fish concerns Jan-Feb 2019
Ice fishing pond pre-prep May-Jun 2019
Journalism wildlife bias Nov-Dec 2019
Landscaping ponds Nov-Dec 2019
Largemouth + smallmouth Sep-Oct 2019
Lime limestone Jan-Feb 2019
Liming benefit bloom Nov-Dec 2019
Liner basic info Nov-Dec 2019
LMB females Jan-Feb 2019
LMB why harvest info Jul-Aug2019
Metalimnion Sep-Oct 2019
Muskies + tiger muskie roles Sep-Oct 2019
Nanobubble use info Sep-Oct 2019
Otto predation habits May-Jun 2019
Oxygen loss under ice Sep-Oct 2019
Paddlefish pond Jan-Feb 2019
Phosphorus content mgmt Sep-Oct 2019
Pipe repairs May-Jun 2019
Plankton base info Jul-Aug2019
Plants fundamentals Jul-Aug2019
Pond balance harmony Sep-Oct 2019
Pond build why No Jul-Aug2019
Pond carbon footprint Mar-Apr 2019
Pond design advice Jul-Aug2019
Pond Fall tasks Nov-Dec 2019
Pond fertilization info Mar-Apr 2019
Pond fix board spillway leak Jul-Aug2019
Pond hatchery options Nov-Dec 2019
Pond high temps Jul-Aug2019
Pond History of Mgmt Pt 3 Sep-Oct 2019
Pond inspect repair Jan-Feb 2019
Pond interactions Mar-Apr 2019
Pond landscaping Nov-Dec 2019
Pond leak dirt repair Jul-Aug2019
Pond liner basics Nov-Dec 2019
Pond math calculations May-Jun 2019
Pond mgmt DYI Jul-Aug2019
Pond Mgmt history 4 Nov-Dec 2019
Pond mgmt history Pt 1 May-Jun 2019
Pond pipe repairs May-Jun May-Jun 2019 2019
Pond problems analyzing Sep-Oct 2019
Pond purpose goals Jan-Feb 2019
Pond rebuild Mar-Apr 2019
Pond rebuild remodel Nov-Dec 2019
Pond spring checklist Mar-Apr 2019
Pond stratification layers Nov-Dec 2019
Pond summer temps info Jul-Aug2019
Pond tools best ones Mar-Apr 2019
Pond trophic cascades Mar-Apr 2019
Pond unfinished fixes May-Jun 2019
Pond warming climate affects May-Jun 2019
Pond-mini mgmt Jan-Feb 2019
Pondology Institute Jul-Aug2019
Predators that eat fish May-Jun 2019
Prey additions types Sep-Oct 2019
Rebuild small pond Mar-Apr 2019
Rotenone restart club lake Jan-Feb 2019
Rotenone cold use benefits Q-A Mar-Apr 2019
Rudd invasive Nov-Dec 2019
Smallmouth bass + LMB Sep-Oct 2019
Smallmouth habitat foods Nov-Dec 2019
Spillway repair Sep-Oct 2019
Stratification info Nov-Dec 2019
Structure types placement Sep-Oct 2019
Surface tension Jul-Aug2019
Tagging fish Jul-Aug2019
Temps fish prefer Jul-Aug2019
Thermocline explained Jul-Aug2019
Threadfin shad pond size Q-A Mar-Apr 2019
Trapping fish info Jul-Aug2019
Trench European Nov-Dec 2019
Trophic cascades Mar-Apr 2019
Turnover fall behavior Sep-Oct 2019
Turtles May-Jun 2019
Water chem basic info May-Jun 2019
Water chemistry basics Sep-Oct 2019
Water color, DO, density, evaporation Jul-Aug2019
Water density Jul-Aug2019
Water drawdown Nov-Dec 2019
Water high temp stressors Jul-Aug2019
Water salinity Jul-Aug2019
Water surface tension, expansion Jul-Aug2019
Weeds summertime mgmt Jul-Aug2019
Wildlife eating pond fish May-Jun 2019
Wildlife journalism Nov-Dec 2019
Wildlife start hunt business Jul-Aug2019
Wildlife storm affects good – bad Sep-Oct 2019
Wildlife summer feeding Mar-Apr 2019
Wildlife vehicles Jan-Feb 2019
Winterkill – low DO Sep-Oct 2019
Yellow perch spawning info Mar-Apr 2019
Zooplankton info Jul-Aug2019