Pond Management Chapter 21

Ponds or Small Impoundments <2.5 hectares or 6 acres Usually privately owned Various uses Some especially for fish production Others for irrigation, livestock watering

North American Ponds

Fish Management Goal Provide annual crops of harvestable-size fish (within constraints of pond fertility) Sustained or improved fishing Favorable cost/benefit ratio High catch rates, above-average sizes

Fish Management Goal Problem - private ownership Owner responsible for implementing management practices

Fish Management Goal Lack of understanding or unwillingness to do what is necessary Leads to unbalanced fish populations and poor fishing

Dependence on Stocking Artificial habitats almost entirely dependent on stocking Artificial habitats almost entirely dependent on stocking Warmwater Warmwater Southern - bass/bluegill Southern - bass/bluegill Northern - bass/other Northern - bass/other Coldwater - trout Coldwater - trout

Stocking/Management Options Provide good fishery quickly Provide good fishery quickly Meet needs of pond owner Meet needs of pond owner Relate to physical, monetary limits Relate to physical, monetary limits

All-Purpose Option Good bass, bluegill fishing (maybe also catfish) Good bass, bluegill fishing (maybe also catfish) Often use slot limit for bass Often use slot limit for bass

Harvest Quota Option Remove set number or biomass of bass Remove set number or biomass of bass Stop harvest once quota is reached Stop harvest once quota is reached

Panfish Option Focus only on panfish - usually bluegill Focus only on panfish - usually bluegill Single-species fish community Single-species fish community

Big Bass Option Maximum size limit for bass (larger fish must be returned) Maximum size limit for bass (larger fish must be returned) Lots of little bluegill (children fishery) Lots of little bluegill (children fishery)

Catfish-Only Option Most often used only in muddy or small ponds Most often used only in muddy or small ponds Single-species fish community Single-species fish community

Bass-Only Option Focus only on bass (usually largemouth) Focus only on bass (usually largemouth) Single-species fish community Single-species fish community

Trout Option Rainbow trout Rainbow trout Coldwater pond - usually spring-fed Coldwater pond - usually spring-fed

Stocking Rates for Fingerlings SpeciesNumber per hectare Largemouth bass250 Bluegill2,500 Channel catfish500 (single), 250 (multi) Trout600 (west), 1,500 (east)

Growth Management Predators Harvest Spawning Supplemental feed Fertilization Liming

Balance? Can balance be expected? Can balance be expected? Artificial system - low stability Artificial system - low stability

Some Targets Relative weight - W r Relative weight - W r W r of all species should be close to 100 W r of all species should be close to 100

Some Targets Proportional stock density Proportional stock density Quality/stock X 100 Quality/stock X 100 Largemouth bass % Largemouth bass % Bluegill % Bluegill %

Size to Stock

Some Targets Biomass index Biomass index F:C ratio F:C ratio F = forage fish F = forage fish C = carnivore C = carnivore

Managing Old Ponds Do nothing Do nothing Corrective stocking - usually predator Corrective stocking - usually predator Reclamation Reclamation

Managing New Ponds Use Use Size - area, depth Size - area, depth Drain Drain Fish cover Fish cover Underwater structure Underwater structure Macrophytes Macrophytes