Alien Invasion - I want my pond back !

[txdon]

This connected to your big blue. . .
and when you are finished you can use it as a landscape rake.


Pond Rake - YouTube

 

[Luke'sScreenName]

I like that idea!

 

[rd_macgregor]

How about you get a toothed chain harrow and spread it out on the far side of the pond, then pull it across the width of the pond with a tractor or truck with (very strong) winch?

 

[Redneck in training]

Industrial fishermen use a net with weights on the bottom rim and floats on the top rim to concentrate fish where they can remove it. Something similar could work to pull crasula out of pond.

 

[txdon]

Eric your Crassula is like our mesquite, you never get rid of it it's a life long maintenance project. At least yours doesn't cause flats.

 

[Eric Salop]

Thanks, some good ideas for next year there.

Summer 2016
With my new waders keeping me nice and dry, I was content to leave the tractor at home and while away a few summer evenings with that piece of weld mesh. I soon scooped out enough of the alien plant to be reasonably confident that it wasn't about to take over the pond again, at least not in the short term. I realize I can't eliminate it completely, so I'm trying to find a compromise, leaving enough in to do some good. It does give somewhere for any small fry to develop and also offers a little shelter for bigger fish against any hungry cormorants, which I have been warned keep visiting other waters in this area. This picture was taken when there was enough breeze to show which parts I didn't clear.



Would you leave it like this, or take some more out while it is still warm and shallow enough to go paddling ?

Part way through the summer, alien number two, the water fern, made an appearance. This time I was prepared for it, using my Mk 2 scoop to get most of it out before it multiplied out of control. I finally formed a sort of peace pact with it and left it alone where the Crassula was growing as it would help by blocking out some sunlight.


Not far from the pond are the sheep pens and they get a fair bit of use during summer, particularly as lambs become ready to go to market. Each time I was up there I would take with me a few pieces of bread and throw them in the pond. The bread would go untouched while I was watching it, but on still mornings I occasionally would hear a splash and when I looked up, there would be ripples radiating out from what must surely have been a fish. As summer drew to a close there was conclusive evidence that the fish introduced over winter had not only survived, they must have spawned too, as tiny fish could be seen within seconds of any bread hitting the water.



Time to get out the fishing rod and see how big their parents had grown.

 

[bindian]

I read your whole thread awhile back. I don't remember, have you tried pond dye? I use Blue Bayou and before that, Aqua Shade. I like the Blue Bayou better. It slows down aquatic growth by filtering sunlight. That and the Cornmeal sunk in old pantyhose keeps my algae eliminated.
hugs, Brandi

 

[Eric Salop]

Brandi, I had fun with dye last year. The stuff I bought came as a blue powder and despite trying to be careful, I found it far too easy to mark just about everything I touched blue. A year on and we are still finding new traces of blue in the house!

 

[Eric Salop]

Gone fishing
I still have a 10 6 hollow fibre glass fishing rod that I bought when I was 11. Initially I intended to use this for the first proper fishing outing, however that childhood nostalgia trip will have to wait for another time, as when I went to get the rod, I found one that my late father in law won in a fishing club competition and has not been used since he passed away a good few years ago. He would have loved to have fished this little pond, so I took that rod and fond memories of our occasional fishing trips together with me one misty morning in September.

Over 10 years since starting this project, I caught my first fish from the pond. It was not a hesitant bite, the float twitched then immediately disappeared. Actually, it took me by surprise for two reasons. Firstly, this was the first cast and secondly, I hadn't even put any bait onto the hook yet, as I was still checking the float was shotted down correctly. This fish was obviously desperate to be the first and get it's picture onto TBN !

Not exactly the biggest fish I have ever caught ! What made this remarkable was that all the fish were 4-6" when they went in, so this one of their offspring and has done well to get to this size in it's first year.

In the next couple of hours I caught many more, as I suppose you would expect from somewhere that has never been fished before. All had grown quite a bit in length and girth since they went in last winter. These are typical English farm pond fish, the sort I would dream of catching as a child - and I've never grown up much past that point.

Some are bright silver

[Rutilus rutilus aka "roach"]


Others more golden brown

[Carassius carassius - "crucians"]

And some have a distinct green tinge, with a bright red little piggy eye

[Tinca tinca = "tench"]


I am thrilled to get my pond back and this weekend, if the weather holds, I will take my grandson to hopefully catch his first ever fish.

 

[Luke'sScreenName]

Dude! I am so happy for you! Congrats. :thumbsup: