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Recreational Pond Management: How to improve sport fishing: 

Recreational Pond Management: How to improve sport fishing Forrest Wynne Aquaculture Extension Specialist Kentucky State University

Ponds are built for some of the following purposes:: 

Ponds are built for some of the following purposes: Livestock watering Domestic uses Fire control Irrigation Recreation Aquaculture Aesthetics Flood control Borrow pits

Many ponds serve either single or multiple uses: 

Many ponds serve either single or multiple uses Not all uses are compatible! Prioritize uses Manage the pond accordingly

Primary pond uses may conflict with fish production! Not all ponds will support fish!: 

Primary pond uses may conflict with fish production! Not all ponds will support fish!

Site selection – Get Help!: 

Site selection – Get Help! County Farm Services Office - soil maps and advice – it’s free! Extension personnel – pond layouts, general features- it’s free! Private excavators – Experience, references, cost estimates

Testing sub-soils: 

Testing sub-soils 4 test borings per acre in limestone (karst) areas at dam site and if pond bottom soils are variable Avoid exposing rock formations Avoid sand seams

Amount of watershed in acres required for a 1 acre pond: Get Farm Services Office help!: 

Amount of watershed in acres required for a 1 acre pond: Get Farm Services Office help! Depends on: Vegetation Soil type Rainfall Slope In general: Mostly pasture with heavy soils ~5:1 Wooded land with sandy soil ~30:1 Too much or not enough watershed should be avoided!

Floodplains: 

Floodplains Locate ponds above the 25 year flood plain Ponds located within the 100 year floodplain requires a permit from the Division of Water Dam heights exceeding 25 feet require and Army Corps permit

Proper clay content?: 

Proper clay content? At least 20% clay content Proper moisture Compact in 6 inch blankets

Clay content in soils: 

Clay content in soils Contain at least 20% clay Clay soils >40% clay Sandy clay 35-55% clay Silty clay 35-50%

Pond seepage: 

Pond seepage Poor site selection Inadequate soils Improper soil compaction Most difficult pond management related problem!

Lined ponds – a very expensive option!: 

Lined ponds – a very expensive option!

Proper dam construction: 

Proper dam construction Anti seep collar for drain Core trench Quality, packed clay around drain pipe 18 inches of freeboard

Pesticide free soils?: 

Pesticide free soils? Look for signs of insects and crawfish Know crop history Have soil tested Most pesticide contamination occurs in the top soils

Pond construction costs:: 

Pond construction costs: $2,000 - $5,000 per acre depending on the site, weather and equipment used

Pans: 

Pans Build ponds of any size Tractor pulled or bulldozer assisted Can carry soil long distances $.80-1.25 per cubic yard of earth moved

Bulldozers: 

Bulldozers Used for clearing, saving and spreading topsoil Stump removal Constructing small ponds < 2 acres Use with sheep’s foot roller for compaction $60-100 per hour

Adding Agricultural Limestone: 

Adding Agricultural Limestone To increase total alkalinity by adding Calcium Carbonate Best done before flooding!

Stabilize soils: 

Stabilize soils Establish grass cover on dam and slopes ASAP Do not allow woody vegetation on dam Provide a 50-100’ grass buffer strip around pond

Emergency spillway: 

Emergency spillway Saves the dam and the pond! Usually located at the junction of the land and dam Don’t screen the spillway – it’s better to lose some fish! Grass spillways are more than adequate

Pond Drain: 

Pond Drain A drain is a useful management tool Anti-seep collar installed around drain

Pond cost share ? – check with county Farm Service office: 

Pond cost share ? – check with county Farm Service office Some cost share opportunities may be locally available Specifically where soil conservation may benefit Wetland mitigation from roads etc. Not generally provided for recreational ponds

Anti-seep collars: 

Anti-seep collars Use one collar on each pipe in the center of the dam Keeps water from traveling along the outside of the dam Should radiate 2 feet out from the outside of the pipe

Lets improve fishing! : 

Lets improve fishing!

To establish good fishing: fish species you want!: 

To establish good fishing: fish species you want!

Fish Stocking Rates and Times: 

Fish Stocking Rates and Times Bluegill fingerlings – 400 per acre during fall Channel catfish (optional) – 50 per acre during fall Red ear sunfish (optional) Stock 150 red ear and 250 bluegill fingerlings Largemouth bass – 120 per acre in May

Objective: to produce harvest size bluegill and largemouth bass: 

Objective: to produce harvest size bluegill and largemouth bass Bluegill > 1/4 lb Largemouth Bass > 1 lb

Optional: red ear sunfish and channel catfish may be stocked: 

Optional: red ear sunfish and channel catfish may be stocked Supplemental species – not needed to support bluegill and largemouth bass populations

Forage base: 

Forage base Bluegill may spawn multiple times when water temperatures reach 80oF providing forage fish for largemouth bass

Proper steps in getting started:: 

Proper steps in getting started: Assess the current fish population Remedial stocking may be an option for unbalanced populations Reclaiming entire fish population

Bass – Bluegill Pond Advantages: 

Bass – Bluegill Pond Advantages Ponds may produce 300 lbs of fish per acre per year without additional inputs May be able to use already established ponds Low cost method of fish production Self sustaining Environmentally friendly

Stocking self sustaining bluegill and largemouth bass populations is a widely accepted fisheries management practice : 

Stocking self sustaining bluegill and largemouth bass populations is a widely accepted fisheries management practice Swingle and Smith conducted the initial research at Auburn University in 1930’s to 1950’s Practice adopted by many state fish and game agencies

How to determine if the fishing is good? Fish the Pond!!!!: 

How to determine if the fishing is good? Fish the Pond!!!! Most ponds are under-fished! Determine quality of fishing by fishing!

Test seining to determine fish population balance: 

Test seining to determine fish population balance Conducted during summer or fall Should see relatively low numbers of 3-5 inch long bluegill compared to larger and smaller bluegill No unwanted species

Young of year present?: 

Young of year present? Both species should be present Larger fish may be caught check their overall condition

Species you don’t want!: 

Species you don’t want!

Problems: Unbalanced fish populations: 

Problems: Unbalanced fish populations Bluegill crowded – too many small bluegill a few, often hard to catch largemouth bass Bass crowded – many small bass often in poor condition, but may produce large bluegill Unwanted species – may result in stunted populations of small fish

Do not over harvest largemouth bass!: 

Do not over harvest largemouth bass! Stunted bluegill populations will result! May require remedial stocking of bass Rotenone treatment

Lots of frogs and crawfish in your pond?: 

Lots of frogs and crawfish in your pond? Often an indication of no or few bass

Reclaiming ponds with Rotenone: 

Reclaiming ponds with Rotenone Restricted use pesticide Works best at water temperatures of 60oF May take 1-4 weeks to dissipate depending on water temperature 1 to 2 mg/L treatments are common Cost ~ $90.00/gallon

Quality fishing may be difficult to achieve in some ponds due to:: 

Quality fishing may be difficult to achieve in some ponds due to: Excessive depth Low fertility, acid soils Rapid water exchange Extensive in-pond structure or cover Poor security Size, too large or too small Conflicting uses

Optional inputs to increase fish production to 400 lbs/acre, or more: 

Optional inputs to increase fish production to 400 lbs/acre, or more Agricultural limestone Gypsum Fertilizer Prepared fish feed Aeration

Agricultural Limestone: 

Agricultural Limestone Add if total alkalinity of water is less than 30 mg/L Pond mud should be near pH 7.0 Purchase area requires ~ 3 to 4 tons per acre Have pond mud tested May be hard to get in small quantities.

Gypsum or CaSo4: 

Gypsum or CaSo4 May clear turbid water Add when total alkalinity exceeds hardness

Fertilization Program – Only if the Pond will be fished hard!: 

Fertilization Program – Only if the Pond will be fished hard! Check for lime requirement No vegetation problems Apply every 2-3 weeks during spring once water temperatures reach 60oF Liquid is easiest to dilute and apply Look for transparency of greater than 24 inches and re-apply Continue through October Apply year after year

Feeding Fish: 

Feeding Fish No more than 25 lbs/acre/day without aeration Largemouth bass have to be feed- trained early in life Everything else will eat it! Use a complete feed Do not use moldy feed

Adding pond structure or fish habitat: 

Adding pond structure or fish habitat Not generally a good idea in ponds less than 2 surface acres Mark structure with a buoy and use the types that can be removed from a small boat

Fence off livestock, or allow limited pond access where gravity fed water tanks can not be used!: 

Fence off livestock, or allow limited pond access where gravity fed water tanks can not be used!

Aeration – Good Insurance!: 

Aeration – Good Insurance! Aerates and helps de-stratify ponds during warm months Can be put on a timer Provides a refuge for fish when dissolved oxygen becomes low

Oxygen stressed fish: 

Oxygen stressed fish

Turtles don’t hurt ponds!: 

Turtles don’t hurt ponds! Adult sliders eat plants Snapping turtles eat water fowl but will not eat many fish All are hard to keep out!

Pond Management Things to avoid:: 

Pond Management Things to avoid: Shallow areas less than 2.5 feet when building ponds Depth over 8 or 10 feet if possible submerged “structure” for fish in ponds less than 2 acres Catfish spawning containers in small ponds Fish from other ponds or bait buckets Excessive nutrient loading Do not over harvest bass Do not apply pond algaecides or herbicides during hot weather

Things not to do……: 

Things not to do……

Things to do….: 

Things to do….

Things to do:: 

Things to do: Fish the pond! Keep catch and other management records Manage vegetation and water quality Control fishing access Control shoreline vegetation Check the pond often and though-out the year Make the pond and its surrounding environment an enjoyable place!

Steps to control aquatic vegetation: 

Steps to control aquatic vegetation Identify plants or algae Other pond uses? Physical nature of the pond Water chemistry

Methods of control: 

Methods of control Mechanical – mowing, cutting, pulling Chemical – liquid, granular Physical – winter draw-downs, deeper ponds, fertilization Biological – triploid grass carp for soft stemmed vascular plants and branched algae.

Filamentous algae control: 

Filamentous algae control Copper sulfate Check water alkalinity Greenclean Diquat Do not treat whole ponds during hot weather

Cattails, Rushes and Sedges: 

Cattails, Rushes and Sedges Spray with glyphosate 2,4-D Isopropylamine salt (Habitat) Remove before they get well established!

Duckweeds: 

Duckweeds Hard to control Fluridone-expensive! Diquat Habitat 2,4-D liquid Reproduces very rapidly Reduce nutrient load in water

Water Lily and Watershield: 

Water Lily and Watershield 2,4-D granular Glyphosate Fluridone Isopropylamine salt (Habitat)

Watermeal: 

Watermeal Fluridone Hard to control Reduce nutrient loading if possible

Water Primrose: 

Water Primrose 2,4-D Glyphosate Isopropylamine salt (Habitat) Try mechanical removal

Pondweeds: 

Pondweeds Triploid grass carp Diquat Endothall Fluridone

Triploid grass carp: 

Triploid grass carp Eat branched algae and soft stemmed vegetation Stock 0 – 50 per acre Grow quickly! Should be 10 inches in length

Expert advice is of great comfort – even when it’s wrong…: 

Expert advice is of great comfort – even when it’s wrong…