Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations DFW Report 4 - PSI - DALLAS {must read}

Below is DFW Report No. 4 PSI DALLAS --Pond Scene Investigations . It should make you and .

It is all about FISH. Thank you Bob for the excellent help on this one . It should be Co-written and edited by Bob Lusk. ewest

PSI ---DALLAS -- --Pond Scene Investigations

Stealing, pillaging, or accepting a friendly handout of food, killing a neighbor to selfishly protect territory, and in some cases, even eating him. Sound like the headlines of a big city newspaper? Maybe so. But, every bit of this unthinkable activity is a daily occurrence in the natural environment of pond life. The underwater world of normal pond life is a real crime scene and the DFW Pond Boss Pond Scene Investigators are meeting to investigate the minutia of all things fish. They are looking at all of the information, mis-information and dis-information about different pond fishes to separate fact from fiction. As those famous police investigators from Dragnet used to say “just the facts, Sir, just the facts, all we want are the facts.”

Sir –Did you get a good look at him? Are you sure it was a golden shiner that stole and ate largemouth bass’ eggs? Was it really that uncatchable Florida largemouth bass that ignored the lure of gold and instead assaulted young Mr. Bluegill at the feeder? Can you say for a fact that Ms Bluegill was engaged in prostitution, jumping from bed to bed to be with multiple colorful adult male bluegills on five different occasions between March and August of this year? Did you actually see that invasive Ms. Tilapia put those juveniles in her mouth to eat them or was she protecting them from that mean and hungry half-breed, F1 largemouth bass?

The investigators had many such questions, and more, about the pond crime scene and all its facts, wives tales and fictions in mind during their tribunal. The Pond Boss pond scene investigators who were meeting in D/FW remembered their prior basic classes on Water, Dirt and Light – Site Selection- BMR and The Power of F³ -Fertility, Food Chain and Fish. Now they wanted to know every detail about the last of these, the Fish- the facts, all the facts about Fish. So with all that enthusiasm filling the room, and before the investigators got totally off track, General PB Lusk –Chief Investigator opened by reminding everyone that fish are biological creatures . That it was important to recall fish were, after all, genetically hard-wired and first and foremost interested in respiration, food and reproduction. Instincts. Fish act on instincts unique to their species. Further, Lusk explained some fish could be conditioned beyond their instincts to eat pellets or to compete against each other and that these tools helped control the pond and its inhabitants. But, fundamentally, water quality and the forage base were keys to a calm and orderly fish society.

Then, one investigator noted that upon his observations fish liked live prey victims and would ignore unnatural food when a live victim was present to prey upon. Another investigator chimed in and said he had observed that mean green Mr. Bass attack the weakest first, often assaulting poor Mr. Tilapia when he was incapacitated because of the cold and not able to flee. Still a third investigator recounted that he had seen the attackers often and had released some in his pond but could not catch them as they had become wary. The room burst into wild laughter and hooting with many in attendance stating that they knew how to catch the escapees and would tell him how–followed by bedlam of inaudible talking one over the other. Order, order in the court insisted PB Chief as he was chuckling. With this admonition all the investigators calmed down to focus on fish facts.

Next a rookie investigator asked, “How many fish can live in a pond?” “A good question,” replied the Chief. It all depends as each pond is different with different goals and different levels of productivity. Carrying capacity varies based on fertility, management strategies and total fish populations and aquatic plant life. But, don’t ignore the fundamentals or you will lose control and order and many underwater lives will suffer. You know how life gets on the bad side of town during summer when it’s hot and crowded with not much air. Trouble starts and hoodlums drop like flies. Whatever the number, it will be measured in pounds per acre, and normally about 75% will be prey or forage and 25% predators in a “balanced” environment. Urban renewal may help the social structure, especially clean water and happy habitat. Great habitat with plenty of natural food helps the pond police prevent tragedy. Feeders help. But, don’t feed too much only what the quick little beggars will steal and eat in 15 minutes.

With this concept in mind an investigator inquired, “Should we only be interested in the predators, after all that is all we try to catch?” Upon pondering the matter, the Chief provided that most of the fish in the pond, whether criminal or victim, are both predator and prey at some point along the way. They all have to eat something and sometimes it’s their own kind. The entire crowd inside the terminal at D/FW mumbled, and shifted in their seats. Cannibalism? In ponds? While it wasn’t exactly a revelation to those in attendance, the concept was still hard to swallow. Filter feeders or grazers like tilapia and shad eat plankton and plants and salad and even pellets. Bluegill, after they get out of diapers in a few short weeks, eat bugs, worms, small fish and even a rich dark pellet or two. Likewise the golden shiner lives among the grazers, but won’t always settle for simple foods. These fish run in gangs, pillaging nests and eating eggs when available. Shiners can be a tough, aggressive predator. Thank goodness it has a small mouth. Then, there are others in the population. A popular but often misunderstood sunfish, redear, inhabit a niche hiding in deep dark shadows of underwater landscape, peeping among the fronds of plants, stalking, ambushing, then murdering snails, crushing them to death between two hard, bony pads deep at the back of their throats. These picky fish chow down on crustaceans while turning their noses up at free offerings from feeders. Upon further investigation, witnesses provided key clues. Snails are bio-terrorists, bringing unwanted parasites into the clean friendly pond environment. They release these different creatures to swim freely and attach to fish, disrupting the harmony of society. Redear are underwater CIA agents, infiltrating the seedy side of pond life and quietly taking notes to provide for the safety of the best citizens of the denizen. But, there is an order to this entire society, if investigators truly understand the crime scene. Slow moving fathead minnows are good to start but don’t last long. Being small and slow in the violent pond world is a death sentence, you know. Fatheads are martyrs, giving their lives to promote the first year to year and a half growth for newly stocked largemouth bass fingerlings in a new pond. Now, Mr. Largemouth Bass is a different sort. He eats a lot but can be hard to catch, especially if he is big and from Florida. His northern cousins are more aggressive and easier to catch but they can get fairly large, also. Now their half breed kin Mr. F1 may be big and mean and aggressive, but he is new to the block and must be watched. While he is being tried, the jury is still out. All bass are hogs and will eat anything they can get that big ole maw around. All Largemouth clans are violent and like to ambush their victims. You really have to watch that bunch. They breed too much and eat everything in sight, including their own. Before you know it there are thousands of stunted juvenile delinquents to arrest. Mr. Hybrid Striped Bass is a dapper, good looking silver fellow, but don’t let him fool you. He can be quite a hog while becoming a hawg. With a smaller mouth than his largemouth cousin, he picks on smaller prey but can eat a lot and likes high protein pellets, too. He is mean, fast and strong and will assault anyone but prefers open, cool water. A good thing about him is he never has kids but if you get him hot and tired he may go to the morgue.

Every fish gang has its proper place with each one having its pluses and minuses. Sometimes you can put them in when they are small. Other times you wait until they are big, but understand all different stocking plans have their own time and conditions. But the key to a balanced pond is the bluegill gang. Because of their philandering involvement in promiscuity, hopping from bed to bed all summer long, they have many offspring who can survive the cold. The other forage fish can be a plus and diversity is needed which reminds me to tell you of the rule called bluegill-plus. Bluegill, plus some of the other species as the conditions may warrant, is the way to a healthy pond, if largemouth are present. Of course, balance is needed so arrest young bass at some time you must; it’s the death sentence for some and different institutions for others to serve out their time. The remaining detainees are the lucky ones who will be released on good behavior but only after careful interrogation and observation. And keep this quiet, so no one will know that while in detention an experiment might show just which one’s are the pond criminals which have to go. Arresting officers weigh and measure each fish, then decide who goes where, and why.

“How do we control them?” one investigator yelped? With that, the Chief paused and broke into rhyme.

Conditioning is a concept that really is key,
that much you must clearly be able to see.

We will train them to eat pellets, when, where and how much,
in hopes of removing the stress from the clutch.

We will condition them to compete for their food, don’t you know,
with high hopes that this surely, will make them all grow.

But balance requires removal, which truly is so,
for after all remember, that is our M.O.

If the food doesn’t fit,
it's not time to quit,
there are other answers which we will get.

Many more stories were told before time ran short with many facts and fictions gleaned by each investigator to take home to use at his pond crime scene. With a sigh of relief PB Chief could tell from their expressions that each investigator was now armed with a mind full of new info and tools all to be used in future Pond Scene Investigations.

by ewest
Edited By General PB Chief
Bob Lusk

Writer’s note : Please understand that I am not so stupid that I would attempt to write a report that purports to tell you ,the members of the forum, all the ins and outs ,facts and fictions and knowns and unknowns of the fish we all love {and discuss and debate on the forum}. That would be a mistake of epic proportions. The DFW meeting was not like that in any event. It was great fun as all shared their thoughts and asked questions in an open and professional manner. Someone would tell about what he encountered or ask a question and Bob or Mike would take the time to explain what he believed that person had experienced and why. The meeting was light and humorous and thus so is this report. Please excuse any literary gaffs and liberties taken in the report. There are some nuggets of info in the report but you may have to dig a little to find them. Many stories were told which could not be repeated in the report due to their length. I hope others will chime in with the stories and the points I forgot and post them at the end of this report. A good conclusion is to repeat what General PB Chief Bob often says : "Fish On" .

Ewest, these things are so good they ought to be published. Maybe this Lusk fellow you say has been editting them for you knows of some venue where they could appear in print.

Ewest, as usual, well done and even better, well said. This ought to be an introductory page for a pond book.

I don't know how much editing Lusk did but he has finally been outBS'ed.

This, and the others, I'm printing out and keeping.

Outstanding, ewest; and Bob!

Guys :

Bob did a great job editing these reports which was not an easy job. On the last 2 he really got into the swing adding some very good text and points and even some of the funny stuff. ewest

ps: Thank You Bob .

Very funny...nice touch bringing the humor back to sound advice, keep em' coming

I can't wait for the Northern version, with YP, Walleye, Pike, and Muskie! Loved this one!

A fine piece of writing, ewest. Thanks.