Ponds as a Resource Building and Managing Ponds for Fishing · Dr. Chuck Cichra UF / IFAS School of...
Transcript of Ponds as a Resource Building and Managing Ponds for Fishing · Dr. Chuck Cichra UF / IFAS School of...
12/9/2009
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Building and Managing Building and Managing Ponds for FishingPonds for Fishing
Dr. Chuck CichraDr. Chuck CichraUF / IFASUF / IFAS
School of Forest Resources & ConservationSchool of Forest Resources & ConservationFisheries & Aquatic SciencesFisheries & Aquatic Sciences
Ponds as a ResourceFishingIrrigationLivestock WaterAestheticsAestheticsFire ProtectionHuntingBoatingNon-game Wildlife
Ponds for FishingPonds for Fishing
BuildBuild it Right!it Right!St kSt k it Ri ht!it Ri ht!StockStock it Right!it Right!FishFish it Right!it Right!
BuildBuild it Right!it Right!
Size?(Think Garden)
Depth?(Mean / Max)(Mean / Max)
Soils?
Type?(Construction)
Permits?
Pond Permitting?Pond Permitting?Counties Counties –– 25% require a permit to build25% require a permit to buildFWC FWC ––StockingStocking ‘restricted’ species:‘restricted’ species:
Grass carp Grass carp –– eat aquatic plantseat aquatic plantsTilapia / Nile perchTilapia / Nile perch food / eat algaefood / eat algaeTilapia / Nile perch Tilapia / Nile perch –– food / eat algaefood / eat algae
Aquatic Aquatic weedweed controlcontrol: (: (waswas FDEP)FDEP)If pond If pond >>10 acres in surface area10 acres in surface areaoror pond has >1 ownerpond has >1 owner
Water Management Districts (WMD)Water Management Districts (WMD)For pond constructionFor pond construction
WMD Construction Permits (Call!)WMD Construction Permits (Call!)UplandUpland sitessites
<< 5 acres in surface area5 acres in surface area< 50 acre< 50 acre--feet of waterfeet of water
FreeFree permit / ‘Rubber Stamped’permit / ‘Rubber Stamped’‘Engineered’ plan ‘Engineered’ plan notnot requiredrequired
WetlandWetland sitessites<< 1 acre in surface area1 acre in surface area
Fee and mitigation requiredFee and mitigation requiredRequires ‘engineered’ planRequires ‘engineered’ plan
If >1 acre If >1 acre Governing Board ApprovalGoverning Board ApprovalUS Army Corps of Engineers US Army Corps of Engineers –– copied on permitscopied on permits
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WhyWhy do you want a fish pond?do you want a fish pond?
Fish to eatFish to eatHow many?How many?Food preference?Food preference?
Place to fishPlace to fishLots of fish / all sizesLots of fish / all sizesBig fish Big fish –– bass or panfishbass or panfish
StockStock it Right!it Right!(fingerlings)(fingerlings)
Largemouth Bass Channel Catfish
Single SpeciesSingle Speciesis theis the
Simplest OptionSimplest Option
(especially for food)(especially for food)
Channel CatfishChannel Catfish
Feeding?Feeding?Stocking Rate: 200 Stocking Rate: 200 -- 5,000 / Acre5,000 / Acre
Smaller ponds are more productive per acre
Spawning ContainersSpawning Containers
Sometimes, you get too many small catfish!
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Sunshine BassSunshine Bass(Hybrid Striped bass)(Hybrid Striped bass)
Stock200 - 1,000 per Acreper Acre
Feed them floating
catfish feed
FishFish it Right!it Right!Catfish or Sunshine BassCatfish or Sunshine Bass
Harvest fish when they are big enough to Harvest fish when they are big enough to keep. Why let them die of old age!keep. Why let them die of old age!P d f h t d d t f diP d f h t d d t f diPounds of harvest dependent on feeding Pounds of harvest dependent on feeding rate and productivity of pond:rate and productivity of pond:
Think pasture! Think feedlot!Think pasture! Think feedlot!Keep good records of Keep good records of harvestedharvested fish.fish.
What happened to all of my What happened to all of my catfish?catfish? MultiMulti--SpeciesSpecies
StockingStocking
CombinationsCombinations
Bluegill / Brim / BreamBluegill / Brim / Bream Redear Sunfish / ShellcrackerRedear Sunfish / Shellcracker
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Largemouth BassLargemouth Bass Stocking Rate:Stocking Rate:Fingerlings per AcreFingerlings per Acre
500 bluegill500 bluegilloror 400 bluegill and 100 redear sunfish400 bluegill and 100 redear sunfishandand 100 largemouth bass100 largemouth bass
Stock BG and RE first, then bassStock BG and RE first, then bassCould be accomplished with adult fishCould be accomplished with adult fish
Channel catfishChannel catfishinin a bassa bass--bluegill pondbluegill pond
Bass ‘like’ to eat small catfish, so:Bass ‘like’ to eat small catfish, so:Stock bluegill and catfish first, then bass. Stock bluegill and catfish first, then bass. The catfish will grow large enough that The catfish will grow large enough that g g gg g gthey can’t be eaten by the bass.they can’t be eaten by the bass.Stock BIG catfish into existing bassStock BIG catfish into existing bass--bluegill pond.bluegill pond.Grow catfish in cage for 1 to 2 months, Grow catfish in cage for 1 to 2 months, then release them into the pond.then release them into the pond.
Species That Should Species That Should NOTNOT be Stockedbe StockedNOTNOT be Stockedbe Stocked
Black Crappie / Speckled PerchBlack Crappie / Speckled Perch
One 12-inch female = 100,000 eggs!
Blue Tilapia / Nile PerchBlue Tilapia / Nile Perch
Permit?
Winter Kill
Spawning Beds!
Can be difficult to catch
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“Georgia Giants” ?“Georgia Giants” ?
NOTNOT LEGAL in Florida!LEGAL in Florida!NOTNOT sterilesterileNOTNOT sterilesterileAlmost always, will result in an Almost always, will result in an overpopulation of small stunted green overpopulation of small stunted green sunfishsunfish
Bass Bass -- PanfishPanfishManagement OptionsManagement Options::
Balanced populationBalanced populationBig largemouth bassBig largemouth bassBig panfishBig panfish
FishFish it right! it right! –– Bass / BluegillBass / Bluegill
Be careful with stocked fish Be careful with stocked fish –– Let them Let them spawn! spawn! Pounds of harvest dependent on feeding Pounds of harvest dependent on feeding p gp gand productivity of pond and productivity of pond –– Think pasture!Think pasture!You have to “balance” your harvest. You have to “balance” your harvest. Generally, harvest 5 to 10 pounds of Generally, harvest 5 to 10 pounds of panfish for every pound of bass harvest.panfish for every pound of bass harvest.
Want Big Bass?Want Big Bass? “Out“Out--ofof--balance” pond:balance” pond:Stock it that way Stock it that way 25BG / 1LMB25BG / 1LMB
oror Harvest smaller bassHarvest smaller bass
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Want Big Panfish?Want Big Panfish?
Stock1 panfish for each l thlargemouth bassandnever harvestthe bass
Stunted Bass PondStunted Bass PondGood or Bad?Good or Bad?
Big panfishBig panfishHigh catch rates of smallHigh catch rates of smallHigh catch rates of smallHigh catch rates of smalllargemouth basslargemouth bassTrophyTrophy--size largemouth basssize largemouth bass
OtherOtherPond ManagementPond Management
TechniquesTechniquesTechniquesTechniques
Feeding your fishFeeding your fishTypes?
FloatingSinking
Size?FingerlingGrow-out
When?Morning / eveningTemperature
How much?Fish densityMaintenance / growth
Storage?Feeders?
Fertilization Fertilization –– Purposeful Addition Purposeful Addition of Nutrients to the Waterof Nutrients to the Water
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LimingLiming Assessment?Assessment?
What do you catch? What size are they?
What if Your Pond has What if Your Pond has ‘Unwanted’ Fish?‘Unwanted’ Fish?
Wrong KindWrong Kind(G d b fi )(G d b fi )(Gar and bowfin)(Gar and bowfin)
Wrong SizeWrong Size(Stunted panfish)(Stunted panfish)
‘Renovate’ the Pond ‘Renovate’ the Pond –– Rotenone?Rotenone?
Restricted-usepesticide:
License required
Removes( Kills )all fish!
Restock
Too many small fish?Too many small fish?Often, the problem is not enough Often, the problem is not enough
predators: Stock them!predators: Stock them!
Advanced Bass Fingerlings
WaterWater--level Drawdownlevel Drawdown
Means to ‘rejuvenate’ a pond / lake
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Effects of DroughtEffects of Drought
No water, no fish!
Too Many Aquatic Plants!Too Many Aquatic Plants!
Chemical / Mechanical / Biological methods
Where to get help?Where to get help?UF / IFAS Cooperative Extension ServiceUF / IFAS Cooperative Extension ServiceFlorida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation CommissionCommissionCommissionCommissionUSDA Natural Resource Conservation USDA Natural Resource Conservation ServiceServicePrivate pond managers / applicatorsPrivate pond managers / applicators