MP360 Farm Pond Management for Recreational Fishing Fis ure / herie ult s C ac en u te q r A Cooperative Extension Program, University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and U f County Governments in cooperation with the Arkansas n f i u v l e B Game and Fish Commission r e si n ty Pi of at Arkansas Farm Pond Management for Recreational Fishing Authors University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Aquaculture and Fisheries Center Scott Jones Nathan Stone Anita M. Kelly George L. Selden Arkansas Game and Fish Commission Brett A. Timmons Jake K. Whisenhunt Mark Oliver Editing and Design Laura Goforth Table of Contents ..................................................................................................................................1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................1 The Pond Ecosystem .................................................................................................1 Pond Design and Construction Planning............................................................................................................................................2 Site Selection and Pond Design.......................................................................................................2 Construction…………………………………………………………………………… .............................3 Ponds for Watering Livestock..........................................................................................................3 Dam Maintenance ............................................................................................................................3 Spillway Barriers..............................................................................................................................3 Rehabilitating Old Ponds.................................................................................................................4 Fish Attractors....................................................................................................................4 Brush Shelters and Trees.......................................................................................................4 Gravel Spawning Beds ..........................................................................................................4 Catfish Attractors ...................................................................................................................5 Other Fish Attractors .............................................................................................................5 ...............................................................................................5 Pond Environment Management Liming…………………………………………………………………………………................................5 Fertilization ......................................................................................................................................6 Applying Fertilizer ...........................................................................................................................7 Monitoring the Bloom ......................................................................................................................7 Feeding..............................................................................................................................................8 Aeration.............................................................................................................................................8 Destratification.................................................................................................................................9 Nutrient Reduction...........................................................................................................................9 Livestock Ponds ................................................................................................................................9 .........................................................................................................9 Fish Species Recommendations Recommended Fish Species .............................................................................................................9 Largemouth Bass ...................................................................................................................9 Bluegill .................................................................................................................................10 Redear Sunfish .....................................................................................................................10 Channel Catfish ...................................................................................................................10 Grass Carp............................................................................................................................11 Supplemental Forage Species ........................................................................................................11 Fathead Minnow ..................................................................................................................11 Golden Shiner.......................................................................................................................11 Threadfin Shad ....................................................................................................................11 Tilapia ..................................................................................................................................12 Alternative Fish Species ................................................................................................................12 Black Crappie.......................................................................................................................12 Hybrid Sunfish.....................................................................................................................12 Hybrid Striped Bass ............................................................................................................13 Unwanted Fish Species in Farm Ponds........................................................................................13 White Crappie............................................................................................................13 Green Sunfish.......................................................................................................................13 Gizzard Shad .......................................................................................................................13 Bullhead ...............................................................................................................................13 Common Carp ......................................................................................................................14 Aquatic Nuisance Species ..............................................................................................................14 ..........................................................................................................14 Fish Stocking Strategies Obtaining Fish for Pond Stocking .................................................................................................14 Largemouth Bass and Bluegill ......................................................................................................15 Black Crappie Option.....................................................................................................................16 Channel Catfish Option .................................................................................................................16 Hybrid Sunfish Option ...................................................................................................................17 ..............................................................................................................17 Fish Management Strategies Evaluating Fish Populations .........................................................................................................17 Managing Fish Population.............................................................................................................17 Largemouth Bass Crowded............................................................................................................18 Bluegill Crowded ............................................................................................................................18 Channel Catfish..............................................................................................................................19 Drawdowns .....................................................................................................................................19 Starting Over..................................................................................................................................19 .................................................................................................................19 Aquatic Plant Management Aquatic Plant Identification ..........................................................................................................20 Algae ...............................................................................................................................................20 Higher Plants..................................................................................................................................20