Pond Health

[Buckmaster]

I had 50 24-32” catfish in my pond at one time and they kept my pond fairly brown (not as bad as yours). I have since harvested about 15 and probably had another two dozen die off over the years. I stocked it 14 years ago so they are probably 15 year old catfish. My pond is much greener now that the population has been reduced over the years. I did not enable my pond with any catfish breeding pipes/boxes so I can control the population.

 

[Stressless]

Dad made a siphon with 100' of 4" corrugated black pipe, he sucked a couple vertical feet of muck out at the shallower end of the farm pond back in the day. An option for getting water and muck out at the same time. Never will forget that smell in the creek until a good rain came thru.... with that vertical drop you should get a magnificent suck

 

[GoetsTalon]

Ok I got to ask lol. With all this sucking going on how did your dad get the siphon going on a 4" pipe ?

 

[cspot]

Ok I got to ask lol. With all this sucking going on how did your dad get the siphon going on a 4" pipe ?

Took longer than I thought for this thread to go that direction once siphoning was brought up.

 

["J"]

Took longer than I thought for this thread to go that direction once siphoning was brought up.

I actually behaved myself….. For once

 

[cspot]

I don't think catfish are to blame for that being that muddy looking. Alot of small ponds have them in that and I have never seen that be an issue. They will muddy it some but that is during the spawn. Carp and turtles on the other hand are usually to blame.

Small ponds are very suspectable to winter die offs from lack of oxygen, so you may be surprised that you really may not have many fish in it at all.

If you own a pump or have the pipe to siphon it, I would draw it down and see what you have. That won't cost anything other than time. I am guess if the pond has been there forever that it probably isn't very deep at all. They can fill in over time, so you may need to do some excavation prior to restocking too.

 

[OhioWhiteTails]

I actually behaved myself….. For once

Getting soft in your old age...

 

[Hedgelj]

Getting soft in your old age...

There are prescriptions for that

 

[LonewolfNopack]

I agree, I don't think it would be caused by catfish, although it looks like a great bullhead pond. Our pond is a little bigger but still similar size and is full of big channel cat and has never been that color. It was dug about 20 years ago to 9 foot deep but has settled to about 7 foot average. Carp potentially? Ive definitely saw small shallow ponds look like that due to carp. I also bet that the pond may be more shallow then your assumptions. Other ponds that I've seen that color have all been very shallow. May be worth taking a kayak out and poking around on the bottom to get an idea. I see the buffer is grass but it appears all mowed down and steep slope. Wonder if in heavy rain events it still doesn't get substantial silted?

 

[giles]

Put the pipe in the pond upside down. Pull the tail/drain side out and roll it. The water will dump out creating a vacuum. Works better if you cover the tail end with plastic to capture the water. Then you just cut it open with your pocket knife.

 

[Snyder10]

Pond question guys: we have an over-stocked bass pond, they’re not growing so obviously they need thinned out. I was wondering if it’s safe/recommended to cast-net baby shad from our lake and transfer them to the pond? I’ve always read Tilapia are recommended to help the bass grow

 

[Sauger]

Why do you think it's over stocked? Most times when fish don't grow it has more to do with food. I am sure you could transfer shad but if they don't spawn you will be back to no food. Bluegills are the best option for food and they will spaw every year. For anyone having issues I highly recommend fenders fish farm. He has his own book on ponds and has everything you need to keep the pond healthy.

 

[Big Weff]

I would steer clear of the hybrid bluegill. We have them in our pond, they grow really fast and I think just compete with the bass more than anything. I’m a size 13 for reference in the photo.

 

[CJD3]

The bluegill probably taste better than the bass anyway. Just go after em with 2 lb test ultralight gear.

 

[Stressless]

+1 on Fenders - just talked with Steve yesterday on a restocking plan for my pond (rebuilt here) been stocking from him for 25 years back when I went with my father for catfish and some perch. Finally got the the water chemistry right with the help from PondBoss Gurus over the winter and building it back from an empty hole.

Why do you think it's over stocked? Most times when fish don't grow it has more to do with food. I am sure you could transfer shad but if they don't spawn you will be back to no food. Bluegills are the best option for food and they will spaw every year. For anyone having issues I highly recommend fenders fish farm. He has his own book on ponds and has everything you need to keep the pond healthy.

 

[giles]

Shad do not do well with change in environment.

 

[Snyder10]

Why do you think it's over stocked? Most times when fish don't grow it has more to do with food. I am sure you could transfer shad but if they don't spawn you will be back to no food. Bluegills are the best option for food and they will spaw every year. For anyone having issues I highly recommend fenders fish farm. He has his own book on ponds and has everything you need to keep the pond healthy.

It’s a 12 inch bass every cast, I literally caught 100 the last two days in just a couple hours. There’s an abundance of blue gill as well. I will definitely look into fenders

 

[Wiley E Coyote]

It’s a 12 inch bass every cast, I literally caught 100 the last two days in just a couple hours. There’s an abundance of blue gill as well. I will definitely look into fenders

I run a feeder from spring till fall on our small pond. The fish grow very fast and we eat sixty to eighty bluegills a year as they reach nine plus inches. Average eating around two dozen bass in the ten to thirteen inch range releasing the larger and smaller ones unless fowl hooked. We look at it like a garden for fish and it works very well since we love eating are own fish. The feeder is well worth it. It's amazing how fast they grow with it.

 

[Sauger]

The hybrids are designed to be harvested every 2-3 years. The do spawn but you don't get the fast meaty fish from the originals. We supplement feed as well for the bluegills and catfish

 

[5Cent]

@fivecent78 , who's got a load of tilapia on the way to help clean up the specific type of algea on the bottom. They won't survive winter so they'll be removed via fishing or bowfishing