Silt Happens!

[jinman]

Our lake level is also really high for this time of year. The water is clear and blue, which means we will soon have moss growing up to the surface in the shallow spots. For now my shoreline is decorated with a nice patch of Texas Bluebells. I included a closeup just to show the detail of this beautiful wildflower.

 

[bindian]

We carried some floating catfish food with us this morning to draw in the cats and get them to pose for us. As soon as the food hit the water, in rushed around 50 very hungry fish.

Jim,
I like the water clarity you have there. Wish I could get something half that clear. It all looks beautiful and tranquil. Awesome job.:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:
hugs, Brandi

 

[GregbkH]

Jinman, do all those catfish require that you feed them?

BTW, they look delicious!!

 

[jinman]

Jinman, do all those catfish require that you feed them?

BTW, they look delicious!!

In my cleaned pond there is just not much food for the catfish. The banks are so steep there is little vegetation. To keep the fish growing and healthy, I try to feed them from time-to-time, but I don't have a regular feeding schedule. Even so, the fish seem to be spawning and doing okay. I have little schools of bluegill all along the shoreline too. What the pond needs most is a good aerator. It's on the project list.

 

[bindian]

In my cleaned pond there is just not much food for the catfish. The banks are so steep there is little vegetation. To keep the fish growing and healthy, I try to feed them from time-to-time, but I don't have a regular feeding schedule. Even so, the fish seem to be spawning and doing okay. I have little schools of bluegill all along the shoreline too. What the pond needs most is a good aerator. It's on the project list.

Is there enough vegetation to support a pound or two of fathead minnow? Catfish love them and can catch them. Forklift pallets in shallow water make excellent attach points for eggs.
hugs, Brandi

 

[jinman]

Brandi, I put in 3 or 4 lb of flathead minnows when I stocked with catfish. I should probably put in another few pounds and maybe some more bluegill too. I have a fish place nearby called Pond King (not to be confused with Pond Boss). They make floating docks and breed fish for stocking. I hate to stock fish/minnows in the heat of the summer, but by this fall, I think I'll be ready.

 

[pacerron]

Jim
Your latest pond pictures look like it is a very peaceful place. We used to feed
dry dog food to our catfish. They loved it so much they learned to associate the sound of the truck engine approaching and were jumping around before we got out of the truck to toss the first handful. We finally had to fish all but
5 out of the pond as they were eating all the keeper size blue gill, crappie and bass as well as the smaller ones.
We cleared up our muddy water by putting a couple rolls of hay in the water.
Getting rid of most of the catfish helped the clearing too.
Ron

 

[bruceha2000]

Lot of good work there Jim!

I just saw the thread today so I didn't have to wait for updates
When I read the title and the comment about being able to put a shovel into it a foot deep, I related to a ~ 7 acre family pond up here. It is getting really shallow and that is NOT good for the trout. They hang near the brook that feeds it. You can put a canoe paddle into it 3' deep, twist it and see all that really light silt float around. The only way to get it out would be to trash pump it up 1/4 mile to an old pasture and let the water seep back down (environmental law reasons). Not in anyone's budget. Looks like your silt is a few hundred tons of clay! I guess 'silt' is kind of a generic term

I suspect the new depth you have is excellent for the fish, they can find a temperature depth they like any time of year.

Wouldn't you need some weed beds for the bass to be happy? I'm not a fisherman but I have the impression people fish for bass in the weeds, not open water.

 

[jinman]

I don't really have plans for bass in this pond since we have those in our nearby soil conservation lake. I just want catfish mainly in this pond with minnows and hybrid bluegill. I did put rocks down where the slope from the outcrop goes down into the water. Here's a photo of the pond from last week. We've had terrible drought here this year, but the pond is holding its own. There's about 7' or 8' of water still in the center.