Pond Project Success

PondKeeper · Aug 25, 2004

Last year I moved my attention from trout to large mouth bass. I tended to ignor them more and consequently I saw a marked drop in the LMB size. The bass in the attached picture is 23 inches, about 7#'s by the charts. A clear sign my effort is working.

BTW, the trout are still doing fine in the same pond; contrary to many beliefs, they can be managed in the same pond.

Michael M.

gsganzer · Aug 25, 2004

That's a nice fish!!

It'd be awesome to have trout in a backyard pond, unfortunately it's not possible in Texas. Can you imagine going out early in the morning and catching fresh trout for breakfast? I'm drooling on my keyboard thinking about it.

I have bass and catfish in my pond, stocked it 3 - 4 years ago. They both need to get thinned pretty soon. Some of the bass are about 18"-20" and the catfish run about the same size.

I hooked a small 10" bass the other week. As I was reeling it in, a monster bass grabbed it but unfortunately didn't get the hook and came off. My knees almost buckled when I saw the size of him. I've been going down to my pond every night since, in hopes of evening the score.

cmhyland · Aug 26, 2004

I have a neighbor up here in CT with a man made trout pond.

It's in has front yard and I've fished it alot. He has Brown and Rainbow trout in it. The pond is spring fed and the water stays in the low 60's even in the heat of summer.

The Brown trout average, AVERAGE, 7lbs.. The Rainbows average 5 lbs..... You fish there and it kinda takes the fun out of going anywhere else....

After you've landed 40lbs of trout on an ultralight rod in one afternoon the little stocked trout just don't seem the same...

Regards,
Chris

gsganzer · Aug 26, 2004

When I was growing up in MA, I'd trout fish at Small Pond in Sturbridge. I think it flows into Quabog?? They had lots of browns and rainbows at ice-out.

cowboydoc · Aug 26, 2004

Ok you've touched on a subject I would love to learn how to do. I have thought and thought about how to make my pond habitable for trout. Is there anyway that you can make it happen? We get frequent rains and my pond drains regularly but it isn't spring fed. What are the ins and outs of having a pond specifically for trout?

LGinIA · Aug 26, 2004

Here is a good link for all kinds of pond information.
http://www.pondboss.com

LarryRB · Aug 26, 2004

you were fishing in Lead Mine pond.. I'm less than a mile from that pond.. And luckily, ten from the Junkman /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

RebelYell · Aug 27, 2004

Nice fish, how about a few pics of the pond it came from and pics of the trout.

fishman · Aug 27, 2004

gsganzer,

Actually, it is possible to have trout in your pond in Texas. Texas Parks and Wildlife stocks trout in city and park ponds from late November through February. A very popular program.

If you want some for your pond, you have to buy them direct from the grower. There's a company based in Missouri that comes down to Texas every year and delivers trout to private pondowners. I think they are called Crystal Farms, but I haven't been able to locate them on the net. If you call a local private lake manager they might be able to help you, or you can PM me and I'll put you in touch with someone in your area.

gsganzer · Aug 27, 2004

Fishman,
I thought they were for "put and take"? Do they survive the warm months?

fishman · Aug 27, 2004

No you are right, put and take only except in coldwater discharges from the bottom of a large dam. In a small pond you can have trout for about 5 months out of the year. Buy some 12" fish and have a ball.

Best for small, small ponds unless you have some $

Hey, it's not for everyone, including me. But,even in the land of big bass, folks love trout.

cowboydoc · Aug 27, 2004

Do they die then fishman? No way to raise them year round?

Bird · Aug 27, 2004

( Do they die then fishman? No way to raise them year round )

Richard, I know John (fishman) knows a whole lot more than I about any of the fish, but I know several years ago they dumped a bunch of trout in a little lake in a city park here (Carrollton, TX - suburb north of Dallas) every winter and only kids up to a certain age were allowed to fish there. According to news reports they didn't think any would survive the summer. I don't know whether they're still doing that or not.

They also used to stock the Brazos River below Possum Kingdom dam every year, late Fall or early Winter, and anyone could fish there (with the proper license, of course). And the last I heard, it was believed that some survived year round but did not breed and/or spawn. So there is some fresh water trout fishing in Texas, but not a lot. In fact, in addition to your regular fishing license, you have to buy a "Fresh Water Trout Stamp Endorsement" that cost $7 a couple of years ago if you're going to fish for trout; not sure what it costs now. The daily bag limit was 5 with no minimum length limit.

PondKeeper · Aug 29, 2004

Rebel

This is a scan of my larger pond; it is where I have trout year round. It is 24 feet deep at the deepest point. Two years ago I lost every trout to a very warm year. I had ice out by the end of February when normally ice is there until the end of March the soonest. This is also the pond where the big bass are. I cull the bass into my smaller pond. I have about 200 trout in this pond, 100 of them are 18-20 inches, browns and rainbows. Temperature is the biggest issue with trout, the surface temp should not exceed 70 for very long (days) or there will be a problem. My ponds are bottom spring fed and I use a surface aerator every night for five hours. Bottom aerators are good for bass not trout. I aerate at night from 1am to 6a, that is the time when there has been the most O2 depletion. Plants use O2 in the dark and make it in the sunlight so you need to aerate at night, or reduce the number of fish who obviously also use the O2.

Michael M.

fishman · Aug 30, 2004

Pondkeeper,

You have a beautiful lake and obviously know what you're doing. My compliments to you.

To answer a previous question by GSGanzer, yes here in Texas, the trout just die when water temps get much above 75 degrees F. Not too big of a deal with the ones TPWD stocks in city park ponds, because we get very high utilization (read catch and eat) soon after they're put in.

Bird, in the Dallas area there's lots of lakes that get stocked with trout, probably 20 or 30. This year you don't need a trout stamp, but you do need the new freshwater fishing stamp. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

Bird · Aug 30, 2004

( This year you don't need a trout stamp, but you do need the new freshwater fishing stamp )

John, I haven't bought a fishing license for the past two years; just no time for fishing. I used to buy the salt water stamp every year and go to Port Aransas fishing, but never bought the trout stamp. The only place I've fished for trout was Colorado and Alaska.

fishman · Aug 30, 2004

( just no time for fishing )

Ironic, considering my career, but I have the same problem. I do have the satisfaction of providing good fishing for everyone else though. Yippee. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif