BYC Café

[OrganicFarmWife]

G'night Scott, heading for bed now (4:45 am.) have to get up at 8 am and put the garbage out.(then go back to bed) Maybe I am part werewolf or vampire - sleep most of the day, up at night ????

I know the feeling. Except I don't sleep during the day either.

I do not have a ton of say in what he puts in his pond, but I would love to start harvesting.
I agree, they are eating frogs mostly. I imagine there maybe minnows, just not enough for the numbers of bass. But there are no bluegill.

If they a aren't over populated defiantlyneed more food....I would think you would want a lot more bluegill .....mugh better eating than bass....and if it's your pond there shouldn't be a legal size limit.

Technically there is not, until you get on a public road with small fish. The likelihood of actually getting caught is just about zero.
Yes I agree, and cannot say why they choose bass except they are fun to catch. In laws family is much more keen on the catching then the eating. I was raised on fresh fish, deer, rabbit and duck, DH was raised on old cow and hotdogs
ETA: I think they are over populated

 

[Tumbling K]

if ya'll care to, go catch some fish, to asses what you have.

in a perfectly balanced pond, you'd have an abundance of bass, in the 1-2# range, and would catch perch at least 6" long, regularly.

too many perch, would leave you with many 3"-5" perch, and bass over 2#

too many bass, would leave you with bass less than 1# and larger perch.

eta link

http://theurbanrancher.tamu.edu/retiredsite/aquatic/farmpond.pdf

 

[OrganicFarmWife]

if ya'll care to, go catch some fish, to asses what you have.

in a perfectly balanced pond, you'd have an abundance of bass, in the 1-2# range, and would catch perch at least 6" long, regularly.

too many perch, would leave you with many 3"-5" perch, and bass over 2#

too many bass, would leave you with bass less than 1# and larger perch.

eta link

http://theurbanrancher.tamu.edu/retiredsite/aquatic/farmpond.pdf

That is alot more reading then I can do at 630 in the morning . I know what it has in it, leeches, frogs, and small bass. It is actually not I guess a "small" pond because it is over an acre and really deep.
Someday, fixing that pond is a great idea. Right now my life is completely occupied by babies and chickens. I take the girls fishing, but I do not plan on catching anything right now

 

[sourland]

Good morning!

Quick update on my birds, I think all is well. I spent more time with them last night and I think I may have just overreacted. At least I hope so.

You, overreact ?

Never

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Technically there is not, until you get on a public road with small fish. The likelihood of actually getting caught is just about zero.
Yes I agree, and cannot say why they choose bass except they are fun to catch. In laws family is much more keen on the catching then the eating. I was raised on fresh fish, deer, rabbit and duck, DH was raised on old cow and hotdogs

ETA: I think they are over populated

See, I'd think those who enjoy the catching would like the blue gill--they put up an impressive fight for their size and are fish you can catch all day long.

Good morning!

Quick update on my birds, I think all is well. I spent more time with them last night and I think I may have just overreacted. At least I hope so.

That's great news!

 

[OrganicFarmWife]

Technically there is not, until you get on a public road with small fish. The likelihood of actually getting caught is just about zero.

Yes I agree, and cannot say why they choose bass except they are fun to catch. In laws family is much more keen on the catching then the eating. I was raised on fresh fish, deer, rabbit and duck, DH was raised on old cow and hotdogs

ETA: I think they are over populated

See, I'd think those who enjoy the catching would like the blue gill--they put up an impressive fight for their size and are fish you can catch all day long.

Good morning!


Quick update on my birds, I think all is well. I spent more time with them last night and I think I may have just overreacted. At least I hope so.

That's great news!

They stocked bluegill, but the bluegill died out. Mind you this was years ago.

 

[Tumbling K]

They stocked bluegill, but the bluegill died out. Mind you this was years ago.

was it a brand new pond, with no cover, or escape grasses for the perch?

 

[MissWiggles]

Good morning....I need coffee....soooo tired.

The sun is shining, and of course I have to go to work. Then it's supposed to rain until next Tuesday...great!

I have nothing to add to the fish conversation, I eat them, not catch them. More baby lamb pictures!

 

[OrganicFarmWife]

They stocked bluegill, but the bluegill died out. Mind you this was years ago.

was it a brand new pond, with no cover, or escape grasses for the perch?

Yes that is very possibe

 

[Tumbling K]

Yes that is very possibe

first year, should use flathead minnows........they are slow swimming minnows good for first year forage for the bass. Then hopefully during that time, cover grasses will grow to allow the blue gills some safety.

personally, I wouldn't stock bluegill the first year. I'd wait and see what mother nature brought me in terms of bluegill.......their eggs get carried pond to pond, buy egrets and herons. same with frogs.

it's also a good idea to stock a few sterile grass carp, so the pond doesn't get over grown with grasses. a one acre pond is good size, and should produce bunches of edible fish. heck, I'd throw some channel, or blue cats off in there also.