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just dug a pond

tazzertazzer Member Posts: 16,837
edited September 2006 in The Fishing Hole!
Hey guys I just finshed digging a pond on my 9 acres and want to know
about stocking it with catfish.
Its about 18 to 20' on the dame side and is about a 1/2 acre or so.
I hit a spring and its already got 2' of water in it.
How many cats do you think I should put in it when it fill's up.
and should I go ahead and put some kind of structure in it if so what,

thanks
clay
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Comments

  • longbow589longbow589 Member Posts: 60 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Hi I have worked with the WV. DNR on transplant of catfish in my state and they have found that ponds that have Rock or gravel bottoms produce bigger and "happier" cats. The bull head or flat head cat grow the fastest and blue channel cats live longer in ponds. Cats eat a lot and need forage fish."IE" shad, blue gill or flat head minnows. They also require some plant growth like lily's or monofoil.for CO2 absorption and O2 production. You may also need an aerator to move the water until plant growth is sufficient to supply O2.
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  • tazzertazzer Member Posts: 16,837
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by longbow589
    Hi I have worked with the WV. DNR on transplant of catfish in my state and they have found that ponds that have Rock or gravel bottoms produce bigger and "happier" cats. The bull head or flat head cat grow the fastest and blue channel cats live longer in ponds. Cats eat a lot and need forage fish."IE" shad, blue gill or flat head minnows. They also require some plant growth like lily's or monofoil.for CO2 absorption and O2 production. You may also need an aerator to move the water until plant growth is sufficient to supply O2.

    thanks for the info
    Im thinking of channel's and plan of feeding them daily untill they get so big but also plan on stocking some flathead minnows to.do you how many a half acre pond would hold as I dont want to over stock it.
    clay
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  • iwannausernameiwannausername Member Posts: 7,131
    edited November -1
    Contact your local fish & game -they should be able to point you in theright direction. Or make some friends over at www.monsterfishkeepers.com and just get a few aripima to put in there... :)



    Seriously, check with F&G or DNR or whoever, and try to build a balanced ecosystem so it can be self-maintaining.
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  • kimikimi Member Posts: 44,719 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I've heard that some states will dig the pond for the owner(s) of the property and will stock it free of charge. If such is the case where you live the game and wildlife officials might be able to help you out with some or maybe most all of your questions.
    What's next?
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  • longbow589longbow589 Member Posts: 60 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    The formula we use is 1lb fish per sq ft of H2O. Total yield of fish. Now that is total up fish max yield. Your fish will stop growing when you reach this max yield number. A 20" cat waighs1.5 lb Your pond holds 20,000 sq feet of water that's about 13,000 fish at max weigh of 1.5 lbs per fish. Now this is for farm production not a back yard fishin hole.
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