Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Trout Success in 2006!

Cecil:
Got you on the aeration and feeding advice- makes sense. I currently have my auto feeder set to 6 seconds or about 1.2 lbs. of feed at 44 degree water temps (use the North Carolina Trout Feed calculation chart as a reference point). I will cut that back to maybe half that, given your input. It was interesting to note that when I cleaned the 2 fish recently caught, how much excrement was in their system, as they are in half dormancy already due to unseasonably cold temps.

Re: aeration- I have to aerate nearly all the time in winter jst to keep snow / ice off. Even if I lived up there, same would apply as with moving water from artesian well and output pipe it is unsafe to walk on and would be hazardous to remove snow. There is an old abandoned pit nearby by that fills with water and freezes, so we see how much snow cover it gets- fyi.

I have moved the diffusers out of the deepest areas, now at about 6-7 ft. of depth, vs. 9-10 in summer. Thanks for all the intersting dialogue on these topics fellow pond bosses!

Cecil:
Interesting note you made about the fish die off near a well input. I'm thinking I should have this water tested and seee what's really in there. We did have 5 trout show up dead immediately in the vicinity of the well pump inlet (coldest area). I have no concerns with temp rise during areation through a medium as it is flowing so fast and cold- it would be no loss. It is likely due to low O2 at the least and aybe high nitrogen. While the flowing 1 1/2 pipe does hang 3 ft. above the pond and make quite a splash and churn, I would guess it is impossible that this same spalshing is oxygenating much of the incoming flow, since most of it is plunging 2-3 ft. below. Your thoughts on this?

None! It only takes a few seconds for it to drop through.

It takes a lot to remove nitrogen significantly. The closer you get to equalibrium the less effective -- even with a packed column. But one plus with dumping into a pond is the fish aren't usually confined to the immediate inflow unless there isn't enough well flow to keep the pond cool enough, and they have congregate at the inflow. I think initial D.O. could be more of an immediate problem. Have you measured D.O. in the vicinity of the inflow? Ironicially with my inflow, I don't see much of a temp difference with the rest of the pond. Right where it dumps in it's cooler, but just a few feet away it's the same as ther rest of the pond. Seems like the cool inflow gets absorbed rapidly, and the temp homogenizes fast, or the cooler water goes straight down due to it's higher density.

I've also noticed even feeding fish avoid the area right at the inflow. I know it's not low D.O. because my packed column aerates the water before it even hits the pond, and by the time it dumps into the pond it's over 90 percent saturated. I'm thinking either a minute amount of hydrogen sulfide turns them off, or the iron farther away from the inflow is much lower as it settles out.

one way you can get your flow to be exposed to more air is to put in elbow on the end of you inflow pipe turn upward. That will cause the water to break up before dumping into the pond. I can do it on my gravity flow pipe because the elbow even though it's turned upward is still lower than the starting point.

If one has an electronic temperature probe, it may be a good idea to check to see if the cold inflow water is sinking or floating as a more dense stream or band along the top or bottom depending on the resident water temps.

Yes good idea but it's difficult to get right above the inflow and drop a temp probe deep enough. At least in my pond it is!

Had some trout success today... Just stocked 54, 8 - 11 inch rainbows. They handled the 2 1/2 hour trip great. I acclimated them for a good 20 min and off they went. Seen them in differnt parts of the pond checking things out. After they were in there for a while I fed the pond and I think a few actually ate. So far so good, lets see what the next weeks or so brings. Feels good to have some BOWS for the winter in there. Would feel even better if they summer over.

What size pond, depth and water source do you have?

Pond is 3/4 of a acre, the depth varys from 3 in the shallows to about 8 with most of the place at 6 ft. Its a spring fed pond. I would estimate about 5 to 8 gal a miniute. I havent noticed if there eating, the pond had woke up so there is lots of fish feeding and its hard to tell if the trout are eating. I dont see any dead ones so they must be OK. I dont expect them to summer over but if they do great.

I say it's doubtful Joey. Not enough flow for the size of the pond. Sorry.

The trout breeder said over 10 more like 15 but they should be fine until the water gets up in temp. The pond is just a new toy to me so I figure why not have trout this year for the cold months

Was such a nice day today i thought a would throw a nightcrawler for a while. Fished around the pond then zip.. I caught a Rainbow... my first one since I stocked them. Bam another one. They looked a little dull in color but otherwise looked good. I quickley put down the pole and went and got some feed. The trout ate great today, this is the first time i could confirm them eating. They were jumping right out of the water for it. Its the PGF although prob not the best choice for them, they seem to like it. I should have took a water temp, tomarrow I will because this is one for the log book. Was pretty neet had the trout feeding at the one end and the stripers at the normal feeding spot, I almost forgot it was winter.

Joey,

Many times I get more satisfacton out of feeding my fish and watching them grow than acually fishing. I think some pondmeisters will tell you the same thing. In NC you could get 3 or 4 more inches by the time the water gets too warm. 3 or 4 inches can really make a difference in weight. Feed them regularly with good trout feed and you will be amazed at how much they grow over the winter at your lattitude. Growth doesn't stop until about 38 F. You'll be O.K. up to about 70 F.

Thanks Cecil,

I saw the pond ice up one time last year but it cleared in a day. Most time the water was over 40. I kinda have a very slim hope the trout make it threw the summer. The pond is spring fed so with any luck they can find a cool spot and live. Even if they dont, I am sure I will do this again next year. I like the pond being alive in the winter to. They may be afraid to come to the normal feeding spot with the stripers there. The stripers are not big enough to eat them but are agressive to maybe scare the trout. I will keep trying to move the feed closser to the main spot and get the school to move or just feed them down the other end. It is amazing how much trout can grow per month.

Cecil,

Reference: Your 11/23/06 post, next to last sentence.

What do you mean by "Growth doesn't stop until about 38 F"?

Basically trout growth stops at 38 F. and even though they eat they are in a maintainence mode until water temps go back up. It has to do with metabolism. I know one trout farmer that will not feed his trout in ponds when water temps get that low. He claims you can actually kill them. I don't feed mine under the ice and they overwinter just fine. Even now at temps in the mid to lower 40's I only feed my trout every few days.

Question about the trout feeding. Water was 52 today in afternoon more like 49 in the morning. At these temps can or should I feed the trout 2 times a day? I did today and they ate really good in both morning and late afternoon. Just wanted to see if they would hit a spinner, first cast one blasted it. The fish actually had a plump belly. Can trout be overfed or will they eat all they can and stop. I am not overfeeding to the point feed is left over floating but let the fish eat all they want. At these temps is that OK.

52 F. is a great temp for feeding trout. My brook trout came from a hatchery that is only 45 F. year around! Don't worry about feeding them twice a day at that temp although I feed my trout once a day to satiation and they grow just fine. As long as you don't have any extra feed floating I wouldn't worry about it. Most likely they were fed 2 or 3 times a day at the hatchery.

Question?? The trout have been eating like nuts. The just STOPPED, yesterday I got like 5 hits and today absolutly none. There has been a cold front but the water is still 48. I am almost a little concerned to see them stop so ubruptly.

They may have wised up to your sharp hook! Fish do learn to avoid a painful experience!

No, I havent been fishing for them. I will wait till tomarrow and try again. Unless something else is spooking them.

When you said "hits" I assumed you were fishing for them. Do you mean hits at floating feed?

Any signs of an otter?

I was thinking the same thing, or a bird or hawk or something. The water is really clear a hawk or something might be able to see them. Either that or the was a bass there. Sometimes when there feeding all of a sudden they stop, like something just pulled in on them. I will feed them tomarrow and see what happens.

The trout are OK. Something got nto them but there back to feeding pretty good. Not as intense as normal but OK. Maybe the cold weather?

Trout Feeding

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Joey:
[QB] The trout are OK. Something got nto them but there back to feeding pretty good. Not as intense as normal but OK. Maybe the cold weather?

Absolutely. How many trout did you plant and what size again? Looks like 25 to 50 max there.