Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Evaluating and adjusting fish populations Chain Pickerel in a small pond - good or bad idea?

Turtlemtn,
I would try to engage in friendly dialogue, always giving him plenty of respect for his position and expertise. I would explore more your options. You can agree with his position that perhaps it won't be so advisable for everyone but you would like to test it out in your own private pond and are willing to take the losses on your own account if it doesn't work out. Try to explore if it is not advised or illegal. It sounds like they are purposing straying away from giving you a yes/no on the legal issue by scaring you off based on practicality reasonings.

I have the same situation with HSB in Michigan. It is a grey area. I was first told it can't be done because they won't do well, or they aren't suited for small ponds, or they won't reproduce so they aren't a good idea. Obviously folks here on the PB forums think otherwise, and in Michigan not reproducing is fine with me as that is one of my goals, control predator numbers. The HSB are not on the excluded "invasive species" list and thus I started some dialogue with the DNR.

We had several very civil email exchanges. I then gently tested the situation to determine if this was a legal issue or just an advisory against it. When I tested where the boundaries were, the DNR officer brought my case up the chain to his superiors. They decided that since my pond has no inflow or outflow and no access to other water that they really had no jurisdiction over my pond. It was like fingernails on the chalkboard for them to admit that, but that was the verdict. They still strongly suggested against it. They really wanted me to use flathead catfish or channel cats and bluegill instead but admitted that they could not prevent me from putting them in my pond.

They still felt I was crazy to do so, but I was hopeful that I could get a listening ear by explaining how HSB would serve my goals very uniquely and how I'm hoping to stay well within the reach of what is legal. I gently asked if it could be allowable to do something a bit out of the norm for them and it was clear that this makes them uncomfortable. In fact the knowledge and experience they brought to bear on this is about a whole generation behind what is being actively done/discussed here on this forum.

After the Flint, MI water crisis some shaking up might take place in the Michigan DEQ/DNR, local EPA office etc.

So, see if you can be a test case (providing your pond doesn't have a situation where overflow could directly put them in a river or nearby lake where it would be a potential problem) Offer to have them come and check up on your progress from time to time? Tell him to take his fishing rod.