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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