Forage minnows were installed on Monday. 15lb FHM and 5lb GSH. I tossed a few handfuls of feed store catfish food out and was able to observe a few coming to sample the offering. I don't expect it will take long for the rest of them to figure out that Lamont's Free Soup Kitchen is open for business.

Had a nice visit with TJ on the phone this afternoon. Discussed the seeps that have popped up since the water has gotten close to full pool. I found another new one yesterday while mowing the grass on the dam, so that makes four very small leaks that I'm aware of.

It was agreed that a SoilFloc treatment on the area where the dam was re-cored would be worth the effort, so that is going to happen real soon now. I drove a piece of 3/4" pvc pipe with 1/4" graduations into the pond bottom so I can closely monitor the water level both before and after the SF treatment. Empirical data for the notebook.

We also discussed my stocking plan and the difficulties my local guy is having finding pellet trained YP this spring. TJ recommended another hatchery close to me where I should be able to get them, and that it would be best to wait until fall to put them in to make sure I'm not getting runts left over from last year.

He also offered PK shrimp once conditions are right at his place for harvest, so it looks like I'll be making a road trip to Lincoln sometime next month to stock up on those. The 20 that I bought off of ebay guy have been very prolific so far. I found two more groups of about two dozen baby shrimp this afternoon. I think tossing in another four or five hundred of them will be quite a boost to the food chain.

So, TJ, many thanks for taking the time to help me with this stuff. I hope to make it worth your while, one way or another.