Question about Channel Catfish in a new pond

[kc5dlo]

Finished up digging a half acre pond at my house and stocked it the last weekend of March this year. I added 5 lbs of Flathead minnows, 100 Red Ear Perch (Shellcrackers) and 250 4" to 6" channel cats. The cats were on the small side of that range. I have an aerator and feeder on the pond. Upon doing my research for stocking, It was advised not to add structure for the fish so as not to over populate the pond. Recently I noticed schools of baby catfish about a half to 1 inch in length. I can't believe my catfish are mature enough to be spawning yet and I purposely kept out any structure to prevent too many catfish. Is this something I should be concerned about?

 

[EddieWalker]

Did you get your fish from Tyler Fish Farm?

Who advised you of those ratios? seems kind of low on the perch.

When I stocked my pond, I put in the minnows and bluegill the first year, and then added bass and catfish the second year.

I created as much structure as I could when I dug my pond. It was my understanding that by having all that structure in there, I would ensure the safety of my fingerlings and allow them time to grow. This also gives my predators areas to hunt. Without structure, how do you keep the predators from eating all your prey fish?

I have no idea how long it took my catfish to reproduce. The last time we fished for them, they where about 5 pounds each and a couple years earlier, a guy that has since passed away, caught a 13 pound channel cat in my pond. My goal is to have big fish, which means catching lots of little ones and taking them out of the pond.

 

[kc5dlo]

Got my fish from a place in Caddo Mills called Texas Fishing. I dont have any bass in my pond so the catfish probably are the predator. Considered only catfish but the minnows and perch were recommended encase I did not use a feeder. Figured it would not hurt and it has been fun to watch the minnows also. I dont see much of the perch yet. The Texas Parks and Wildlife website says "****** maturity is reached in two or three years in captivity".

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

I've always figured you need structure for the small fry to have a chance of propagating.

Does your pond have a way for mud cats to get into it from upstream or downstream?

 

[murphy1244]

You need some structure for sure and I would not use channel cats unless they were sterile. They will take over a pond.

 

[oosik]

I have five acres of cattails in my ten acre lake. I have bass - both large & small mouth. The cattails probably are a good area for the young to feed. Most importantly - the cattails are a good place for the young to hide. Bass will chow down on their young. Aerial view of my 80 acres. The cattails are down at the far end - where the little lake drains into the big lake. A view of the little lake off the front porch.

View attachment 665689 View attachment 665690

 

[2LaneCruzer]

I think I recall farmers cutting small cedar trees and putting them in the new ponds to provide cover. An interesting side note on cattails; I am aware that certain nuclear facilities that had effluent with low levels of radioactive isotopes and some toxic metals like Selenium, used to plant cattails at the exit of the retention ponds because they had a tendency to absorb these elements. Seems that living organics have a tendency to absorb radioactive materials; I recall an old Uranium miner telling me that when they ran into a fossilized tree in the mine, it was always a hot spot; the fossil was many times higher in radioactivity than other areas of the mine.

 

[Mat4644]

Central Ohio channel catfish stocking rates is more like 100 per acre. If you want huge ones the initial stocking should of been 30 to 40 small ones for a 1/2 acre. If raising for harvest when they get fillet size higher stocking rates are used. Spawn will not hatch and survive unless your pond has sand or gravel beds. They also prefer moving water. Since they don't overrun a mud bottom pond here they are a desired variety.

Ponds self populate with fish eggs brought in by wildlife and it's possible the variety of catfish spawn isn't channel. Keep big predator fish in the pond and you will never be overrun with any type of small fish. I have a 3/4 acre pond and several 10+ pound channels. Few small fish can be seen.

PS - If anyone asks how close the pond is to the house tell them - Shotgun range.

 

[EddieWalker]

Are you sure it's 100 catfish per acre? From what I've read, you want 100 total pounds of predator fish per acre. That can be 100 fish that weigh 1 pound each, or ten fish that weigh ten pounds each. When you go over that amount, the predators become more then the feed fish can provide and you stunt the growth of your predator fish. My only rule for friends that fish my pond is that they never put anything back in after catching it. They have to keep what they catch. The goal is to get as many pounds of fish out of there. My pond is 4.5 acres, and it's not uncommon to catch over 20 one to two pound bass in an hour or two. One afternoon, my wife caught 24 in less then an hour!!!

She loves to fish and this is one of my favorite pictures of her out at the pond.






This is her best bass, and the pond record at 7.5 pounds. she caught it one year after completing chemo and radiation treatment for colon cancer.





And here is Old Mose with the biggest catfish of his life. 13 pounds and still the pond record. Sadly, he passed away shortly after catching this channel cat.

 

[Mat4644]

This is initial stocking small fish in a new pond. Larger fish rates will be different. They count on some fish not surviving. I'm in a colder climate and Texas initial stocking rates might be different. The pond will self adjust to the available food as it matures. My rule is keep the mid size ones and the big ones stay.

 

[kc5dlo]

I guess I will just sit back and see what happens. The preferred fish in my pond is the channel cats. The reason I purposely did not provide structure was to keep the re population of the channel cats down. I only have a half acre pond so too small for bass. Also this is a dug pond and it's only source of water is from run off, no stream or creek involved.

 

[drssg]

I guess I will just sit back and see what happens. The preferred fish in my pond is the channel cats. The reason I purposely did not provide structure was to keep the re population of the channel cats down. I only have a half acre pond so too small for bass. Also this is a dug pond and it's only source of water is from run off, no stream or creek involved.

I don't know if it's different in Texas, but I also have a half acre pond that is filled from run off water in Ohio. I stocked it with bass and bluegill, and they've done fine. I didn't provide any structures in the water, but I'm not real dedicated at keeping the weeds out. If they aren't too bad, I figure they provide shelter for the small ones.

 

[drssg]

And here is Old Mose with the biggest catfish of his life. 13 pounds and still the pond record. Sadly, he passed away shortly after catching this channel cat.


View attachment 665714

It's nice that he was able to be active and enjoy life. Some people rot away in a nursing home years.

 

[aspg4]

Did you get your fish from Tyler Fish Farm?

Who advised you of those ratios? seems kind of low on the perch.

When I stocked my pond, I put in the minnows and bluegill the first year, and then added bass and catfish the second year.

I created as much structure as I could when I dug my pond. It was my understanding that by having all that structure in there, I would ensure the safety of my fingerlings and allow them time to grow. This also gives my predators areas to hunt. Without structure, how do you keep the predators from eating all your prey fish?

I have no idea how long it took my catfish to reproduce. The last time we fished for them, they where about 5 pounds each and a couple years earlier, a guy that has since passed away, caught a 13 pound channel cat in my pond. My goal is to have big fish, which means catching lots of little ones and taking them out of the pond.

Look at this site for fish attractors: porcupinefishattractor.com I put a few in my small pond. The Game and Fish Dept. are also putting some similar attractors in some of the larger lakes around here. They say that hooks will not get hung on these like they do on sunken trees.

 

[jaxs]

Based on more than 50 years of maintaining ponds in NC Texas primarily for livestock water and secoundarly for fish,here is my oberservations. Channels never overpopulated,even in ponds that were rarly fished. On the other hand,every pond that neighbors stocked with Crappie was over-run within 3 years. As few as 2 or 3 Appaloosa per acre eventually ate everything small enough to swallow which resulted in starvation for remaining fish and themselves. Channels grow much faster when fed,regardless what kind and how many prey fish/minnows are in pond. If you can't afford to feed recommened amount,feeding a lesser amount will stimulate channels to persue prey more aggressivly. I will expand on that because I believe you can use to help kids catch channels and sport fishermen can use to catch more in lakes and streams. The key when feeding for max growth is follow instructions on bag to feed only the amount they can eat in a measured time. No more,no less because channels will continue gorging themselves long after eating what they need. Just before dark,broadcast hog pellets in a likly looking hole on a lake or stream then return a few hours later to fish. Channels will eagerly take your bait in spite of being crammed full of pellets. To afford shade from Texas sun and safe retreat for small fish,lash cedar trees into floating rafts. Cats won't spawn amongest the branches but minnows will.