|
Pond time
May 28, 2020 19:08:42 GMT -6
via mobile
Post by Catscratch on May 28, 2020 19:08:42 GMT -6
Make yourself at home I saw a snapper about that size crossing the highway today. Up on his toes marching along like a dinosaur with traffic swerving to miss him. Nobody wants to hit a 20lb turtle.
|
|
|
Post by sd51555 on May 28, 2020 19:21:37 GMT -6
Looks like you need to put a section of treadmill on the dock for that guy. He looks like he's been eating a little too well.
|
|
|
Post by benmnwi on May 31, 2020 21:29:29 GMT -6
Two years ago my neighbor built a dam that created a half acre pond that partially backs up on my land. We haven't fished it until today, when my 7 year old son said he saw a nice trout while they were hunting for tadpoles. We went out tonight and he caught a crappie, bass and 18 1/2" rainbow trout in about 5 minutes. The trout swallowed the hook, so he is in the freezer. The fish were chunky, so they are eating well. Never thought we would catch a trout on my land. That makes me want to build my own trout pond, but fishing one someone else built and paid for is nice too-
The trout's belly was filled with small snail shells, which I though my was odd.
|
|
|
Post by benmnwi on May 31, 2020 21:49:25 GMT -6
|
|
|
Pond time
May 31, 2020 22:21:39 GMT -6
via mobile
Post by biglakebass on May 31, 2020 22:21:39 GMT -6
Geezus!
|
|
|
Post by sd51555 on May 31, 2020 22:49:49 GMT -6
Two years ago my neighbor built a dam that created a half acre pond that partially backs up on my land. We haven't fished it until today, when my 7 year old son said he saw a nice trout while they were hunting for tadpoles. We went out tonight and he caught a crappie, bass and 18 1/2" rainbow trout in about 5 minutes. The trout swallowed the hook, so he is in the freezer. The fish were chunky, so they are eating well. Never thought we would catch a trout on my land. That makes me want to build my own trout pond, but fishing one someone else built and paid for is nice too- The trout's belly was filled with small snail shells, which I though my was odd. That is awesome! I assume that's a cold water source dammed up? That's a huge trout. I fished down there for few years and couldn't crack 16".
|
|
|
Post by Catscratch on Jun 1, 2020 5:56:15 GMT -6
Do trout grow that fast? 2 yrs? Was he something that a guy threw in there? A buddy and I stopped and fished a little pond for shits n giggles one day. The pond wasn't bigger than most people's living rooms. We instantly caught a couple of bass that were over 5, then nothing else even though we fished it a few more times. Told the old guy that also fished the place and he just laughed. Turns out he had put a couple of smaller one's in there just for the hell of it. They had all the food they wanted with no competition and grew fast.
My dad stocked his fish pond with channelcats. He fed them but not a regular basis. They grew fast though and were a blast to catch. Once they got eating size we started cleaning them and always found a belly full of snails. Learned how important inverts are to a pond ecosystem. We also discovered that you could catch the fish without bait. Put a trotline out and snails crawl all over it. Catfish will move down the line pulling the snails off until they get hooked. It was kind of cool doing that and figuring out what was going on.
|
|
|
Post by benmnwi on Jun 1, 2020 6:09:49 GMT -6
There are two small seasonal springs on my land that flow towards this pond and apparently they keep the water temperature pretty cool. They usually quit flowing in the summer, but apparently the 15'+ depth and that aerators he added give it the temperature and oxygen levels needed for rainbow trout. I can't believe the dam holds any water - the entire dam is made of sand that was excavated to create the main deep section of the pond. When the seasonal spring quits flowing in dry times the water level can drop 6' in the pond and I only have a small portion on my land. We have received more rain than average the last two years and the springs have been flowing more of the year than usual, so I'm not sure how the trout will do when we have a drought and the water quits flowing for several months.
My son has asked me 42 times if we can go fishing there tonight.
|
|
|
Post by benmnwi on Jun 1, 2020 6:22:15 GMT -6
My neighbor apparently stocked the pond with some random fish he caught in the area, including some 10" trout he caught while ice fishing a pond stocked with trout a few miles away. The fish would have been released about a year and a half ago, so they have grown pretty quickly. I saw a rainbow trout in there last summer and I thought it was about 14" then. If they can survive another year or two they could be real trophies.
My kids caught a boone and crockett class tadpole last night along with a bucket full of tiny tadpoles, so there are plenty of food options right now. The 3 fish my son caught were all very chunky for their length, so they are finding something to eat.
|
|
|
Pond time
Jun 1, 2020 6:46:26 GMT -6
via mobile
Post by Catscratch on Jun 1, 2020 6:46:26 GMT -6
You kind of lucked out on that pond. Do you have access to any shoreline other than what is actually on your property? My grandpa had a little section of pond. Put a boat in and you could go anywhere, but on bank we didn't roam. All the neighbors were in agreement. It ended bad though.
I sunk 3 more structures yesterday. I'm making a line near our dock that goes from shallow to deep water. Hope to find fish there often.
|
|
|
Post by mnfish on Jun 1, 2020 6:56:38 GMT -6
Pond management rocks
|
|
|
Post by benmnwi on Jun 1, 2020 7:05:49 GMT -6
You kind of lucked out on that pond. Do you have access to any shoreline other than what is actually on your property? My grandpa had a little section of pond. Put a boat in and you could go anywhere, but on bank we didn't roam. All the neighbors were in agreement. It ended bad though. I sunk 3 more structures yesterday. I'm making a line near our dock that goes from shallow to deep water. Hope to find fish there often. My neighbor's property is really narrow, so he really couldn't build a pond of any size without having it back up on my property. When he built it two years ago he asked if it could back up on my land and I told him that's fine as long as the water level doesn't flood a field driveway I have 100 yards upstream. We stay on our side of the fence and he stays on his. The main body of the pond is wide open with no trees or brush, but I believe he did sink a few trees for structure. On my side of the fence it is shallower and shaded and I dropped a bunch of trees in some shallow areas to give the bugs and minnows a place to hide. It seems to be working since my son caught the fish in the section of water between the main pond and this shallow brush filled area.
|
|
|
Post by benmnwi on Jun 1, 2020 7:07:07 GMT -6
That is a chunky channel cat! Did he eat the rest of your fish? Did you keep him or let him go?
|
|
|
Post by mnfish on Jun 1, 2020 7:23:38 GMT -6
That is a chunky channel cat! Did he eat the rest of your fish? Did you keep him or let him go? This one went to science and eventually the grill. Im sure she ate her fair share of fish. Lots more cats in that pond
|
|
|
Post by sd51555 on Jun 1, 2020 7:59:52 GMT -6
That is a chunky channel cat! Did he eat the rest of your fish? Did you keep him or let him go? This one went to science and eventually the grill. Im sure she ate her fair share of fish. Lots more cats in that pond Are you sure that damn thing didn't go up on shore at night and eat clover too? What a monster!
|
|