Anyone know alot about ponds/fish activity?

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Sniper82

Lifer
Feb 6, 2000
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I been fishing since I was about 8 (23 years old). I do fairly good each summer catching Largemouth Bass and some Cat Fishing in deep ponds/lakes. But my bro inlaw and sister just bought a house with this small pond. Not sure of its size but I can cast across it with a buzz bait/spinner bait if I try hard enough. Anyway when we first fished the pond we had no luck so we figured we would stock it up some.

Well since he bought it a month or so ago we have thrown in 40 catfish from other places we go to and he bought 20 or so smaller bass from Tractor Farm Supply. Out of the 40 catfish he said he found 3-4 that died. But for some reason we still can't catch anything more than a bluegill and every now and then 1 catfish(out of hours of fishing). We tried all times of the day other than the mornings. We just can't figure out the problem. Here are a few things about the pond and I am hoping someone can give me a idea on what the problem could be.

The pond is almost completely surrounded by trees(only a 2-3 good spots you can cast from), has some green crap growing on the bottom, is only 5-6 foot deep in the middle(might be just a hair deeper in places) thats about it that I can think of. But we have seen bigger 10-15 inch bass swimming around the edges but will not hit anything(lures or live bait). The water stays dirty most the time from the trees.

Any ideas? I was thinking that it being shallow might have something to do with it? Also sorry for the long post.

 
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91TTZ

Lifer
Jan 31, 2005
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Maybe the fish have all the food they need in the pond, and don't want your bait.
 
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Hottie

Senior member
Nov 29, 2002
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if you can cast across the pond it is quite small, 50yards?
Is it a relatively dead body of water or it have river connect to it?
Do you spot any kind of bait fish in there?
Is there other kind of veg in the pond?

Just trying to find out if that pond have the condition to support bigger fish.
 
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d3n

Golden Member
Mar 13, 2004
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I would pay attention to the baitfish. What kind are there? Try to get your lures or bait to match them. This time of year is the time of year is also the time of year for bass fish to spawn.

If you have a pond you might want to see if you can see any nests. They will be in the shallow flats and look like little craters. The water warms up in ponds faster so they may have already moved off of the nests, but if they are still on them you wont have any luck getting them to strike unless you get a reatcion strike from them becuase they bait is too close.

How big is the pond? Depening on the number of fish and the area they can only grow so big. Lots of medium sized fish equal few if any large fish.
 
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d3n

Golden Member
Mar 13, 2004
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Oh, right after if rains try fishing the pond. Thats when the fish will move to the shore to get food from run off. Try a crawfish or lizard looking bait.
 
DrPizza

DrPizza

Administrator Elite Member Goat Whisperer
Mar 5, 2001
49,601
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www.slatebrookfarm.com
if the bass are spawning, leave them alone...

Anyway, if the green stuff bothers you, (it's probably better for the fish)
to clean the bottom of the pond, get the springs from an old mattress (just burn it until all the fabric is gone) Attach a couple of ropes to it and drag it across the bottom of the pond. Keep a 2nd rope on it so you can back it up if it gets stuck. Keep going back and forth for a while. Then, add a cinder block to it, repeat.
 
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Sniper82

Lifer
Feb 6, 2000
16,517
0
76
Originally posted by: Hottie
if you can cast across the pond it is quite small, 50yards?
Is it a relatively dead body of water or it have river connect to it?
Do you spot any kind of bait fish in there?
Is there other kind of veg in the pond?

Just trying to find out if that pond have the condition to support bigger fish.
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I can't see much in the back of the pond for the trees but he said there is a small stream coming in from the back when water is up and a drain in the front. Guessing the size it might be 50 yards long and 30-40 wide. Its quite small really and is very shallow all around it with the middle being the deepest. Its only about a foot or two deep going out about 10ft all around the pond then drops to 3-6 foot in the middle. So its true fish only get so big according to the size of the area and fish? What if he throw in a 15lb Catfish(which he did) would it die eventually? He threw it in about 2 months ago and has caught it 2 times already.

We don't see alot of baitfish(minnows) but we do see a few small bluegill. He threw in 3-4 dozen minnows when he bought those bass. I have a couple ideas as to why the bass might not bite but what about the catfish?
 
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Hottie

Senior member
Nov 29, 2002
237
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fish need food(bait fish, crayfish..etc) and oxygen(veg) to live. And from what your said both are in short supply. I don't know how but see if there is any way you can get more veg, crayfish and bait fish in there. Since there is only 2-3 spot you can cast, try to build some structure around those spots. You can sink some wood, old tyes into a those spots. This will create shelter(sp?) for bass to hang around thus increase you chance of catching them.
 
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Sniper82

Lifer
Feb 6, 2000
16,517
0
76
Originally posted by: V00DOO
Are there any good fishing forum?
Click to expand...

guess I should have asked that aswell.

Anyway would the green slimy stuff on the bottom be veg? Also at the far end there is some logs and stuff in the water but I can barely cast that far because of trees in my way. I have noticed the 2-3 times I been there that they are alot of frogs around the pond. Theres also some cat tails growing on one side of the pond.

I still don't think theres alot of bass in there just a few. As for the cat fish does anyone have any ideas about them?

BTW if they had short food supply wouldn't that make them bite better(catfish anyway)? One last thing is it true a fish can only get so big depending on size of the area its in and how many fish is in it? How does this effect fishes growth?
 
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d3n

Golden Member
Mar 13, 2004
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Big catfish love to eat little bass. I wounld't get one too big. Try and get some shad minnows or something to toss in there.

The only reason I say that fish can only get so big in a certain area is thats how it works in lakes that are stocked with bass. Lots of medium size fish eat all compete for the same bait.
Since you just stocked its real hard to judge, best thing to do may be to wait and see.

 
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d3n

Golden Member
Mar 13, 2004
1,597
0
0
Try nybass.com, bassresource.com and tackletour.com

I was thinking, the catfish may only be active at night. Mainly from 3:00 to 7:00 am. Maybe the catfish ate all the bass? I dunno.
 
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ErmanC

Senior member
Oct 25, 2001
439
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0
Originally posted by: HomeBrewerDude
Originally posted by: d3n
Originally posted by: HomeBrewerDude
look here:

http://www.ca.uky.edu/wkrec/RecreationalFishProduction.htm
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nice read. My parents farm pond back in Ky could have used that.
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I'm glad someone appreciated it. ;)
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Yea, that WAS a useful link. I would also suggest try to contact your state's department of fish and wildlife, department of natural resources, and ag-extension agents if you have them. I know a lot of state fisheries have programs to help local landowners promote and improve wildlife and aquatic habitat on their land. Some states will even help with stocking programs and so forth. Good luck and don't give up.
 
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