Pond ManagementPond ManagementChapter 21Chapter 21

Ponds or Small Ponds or Small ImpoundmentsImpoundments

<2.5 hectares or 6 <2.5 hectares or 6 acresacres

Usually privately Usually privately ownedowned

Various usesVarious uses Some especially Some especially

for fish for fish productionproduction

Others for Others for irrigation, irrigation, livestock wateringlivestock watering

North American PondsNorth American Ponds

Fish Management GoalFish Management Goal Provide annual Provide annual

crops of crops of harvestable-size fish harvestable-size fish (within constraints (within constraints of pond fertility)of pond fertility)

Sustained or Sustained or improved fishingimproved fishing

Favorable Favorable cost/benefit ratiocost/benefit ratio

High catch rates, High catch rates, above-average sizesabove-average sizes

Fish Management GoalFish Management Goal

Problem - Problem - private private ownershipownership

Owner Owner responsible for responsible for implementing implementing management management practicespractices

Fish Management GoalFish Management Goal

Lack of Lack of understanding understanding or unwillingness or unwillingness to do what is to do what is necessarynecessary

Leads to Leads to unbalanced fish unbalanced fish populations and populations and poor fishingpoor fishing

Dependence on StockingDependence on Stocking

Artificial habitats Artificial habitats almost entirely almost entirely dependent on dependent on stockingstocking

WarmwaterWarmwater Southern - Southern -

bass/bluegillbass/bluegill Northern - Northern -

bass/otherbass/other Coldwater - troutColdwater - trout

Stocking/Management Stocking/Management OptionsOptions

Provide good Provide good fishery quicklyfishery quickly

Meet needs of Meet needs of pond ownerpond owner

Relate to Relate to physical, physical, monetary limitsmonetary limits

All-Purpose OptionAll-Purpose Option

Good bass, Good bass, bluegill fishing bluegill fishing (maybe also (maybe also catfish)catfish)

Often use slot Often use slot limit for basslimit for bass

Harvest Quota OptionHarvest Quota Option

Remove set Remove set number or number or biomass of bassbiomass of bass

Stop harvest Stop harvest once quota is once quota is reachedreached

Panfish OptionPanfish Option

Focus only on Focus only on panfish - usually panfish - usually bluegillbluegill

Single-species Single-species fish communityfish community

Big Bass OptionBig Bass Option

Maximum size Maximum size limit for bass limit for bass (larger fish must (larger fish must be returned)be returned)

Lots of little Lots of little bluegill (children bluegill (children fishery)fishery)

Catfish-Only OptionCatfish-Only Option

Most often used Most often used only in muddy or only in muddy or small pondssmall ponds

Single-species Single-species fish communityfish community

Bass-Only OptionBass-Only Option

Focus only on Focus only on bass (usually bass (usually largemouth)largemouth)

Single-species Single-species fish communityfish community

Trout OptionTrout Option

Rainbow troutRainbow trout

Coldwater pond Coldwater pond - usually spring-- usually spring-fedfed

Stocking Rates for Stocking Rates for FingerlingsFingerlings

SpeciesSpecies Number per hectareNumber per hectare

Largemouth bassLargemouth bass 250250

BluegillBluegill 2,5002,500

Channel catfishChannel catfish 500 (single), 250 500 (single), 250 (multi)(multi)

TroutTrout 600 (west), 1,500 (east)600 (west), 1,500 (east)

Growth ManagementGrowth Management

PredatorsPredators HarvestHarvest SpawningSpawning Supplemental Supplemental

feedfeed FertilizationFertilization LimingLiming

Balance?Balance?

Can balance be expected?Can balance be expected?

Artificial system - low stabilityArtificial system - low stability

Some TargetsSome Targets

Relative weight - Relative weight - WWrr

WWrr of all species of all species should be close should be close to 100to 100

Some TargetsSome Targets

Proportional Proportional stock densitystock density

Quality/stock X Quality/stock X 100100

Largemouth Largemouth bass - 40-60%bass - 40-60%

Bluegill - 20-Bluegill - 20-40%40%

Size to StockSize to Stock

Some TargetsSome Targets

Biomass indexBiomass index F:C ratioF:C ratio F = forage fishF = forage fish C = carnivoreC = carnivore 3.0-6.03.0-6.0

Managing Old PondsManaging Old Ponds

Do nothingDo nothing

Corrective Corrective stocking - stocking - usually predatorusually predator

Reclamation Reclamation

Managing New PondsManaging New Ponds

Use Use Size - area, Size - area,

depthdepth Drain Drain Fish coverFish cover

Underwater Underwater structurestructure

MacrophytesMacrophytes