Managing Mississippi Ponds and Small Lakes

A LANDOWNER’S GUIDE

CONTENTSSources of Assistance ................................................................................................................... 5 Planning .................................................................................................................................................................... 5 Management ............................................................................................................................................................. 5

Planning ..................................................................................................................................... 6 Setting Objectives .................................................................................................................................................... 6 Site ............................................................................................................................................................................. 6 Topography ............................................................................................................................................................... 7 Water Supply ............................................................................................................................................................. 7 Soil ............................................................................................................................................................................. 7 Permits ...................................................................................................................................................................... 8

Constructing ............................................................................................................................... 8 When to Build ........................................................................................................................................................... 8 Size ............................................................................................................................................................................ 8 Depth ........................................................................................................................................................................ 8 Dams ......................................................................................................................................................................... 9 Water Control Structures ........................................................................................................................................10 Banks ....................................................................................................................................................................... 10 Seepage ................................................................................................................................................................... 10 Pond Bottom ........................................................................................................................................................... 10

Stocking .................................................................................................................................... 11 Selecting a Supplier ................................................................................................................................................ 11 Stocking Options .................................................................................................................................................... 11

Managing .................................................................................................................................. 15 Fishing .................................................................................................................................................................... 15 Management Options ............................................................................................................................................ 16 Determining Fish Balance ...................................................................................................................................... 16Corrective Management Measures ........................................................................................................................ 17 Managing for Trophy Bass ..................................................................................................................................... 18 Crappie Management ............................................................................................................................................. 20

Controlling Aquatic Vegetation .................................................................................................. 20 Physical Control ..................................................................................................................................................... 20 Mechanical Control ................................................................................................................................................ 21 Biological Control ................................................................................................................................................... 21 Chemical Control .................................................................................................................................................... 23 Common Problem Plants ....................................................................................................................................... 25

Liming Ponds ............................................................................................................................. 26 What is alkalinity? .................................................................................................................................................. 26 What is the recommended alkalinity? .................................................................................................................. 26

Managing Mississippi Ponds and Small Lakes

A LANDOWNER’S GUIDE

What if alkalinity is less than 20 ppm? ................................................................................................................. 26 Soil Testing ............................................................................................................................................................. 26 Liming Agents ........................................................................................................................................................ 27 When to Apply ........................................................................................................................................................ 27 Lime Application .................................................................................................................................................... 27

To Fertilize or Not to Fertilize? .................................................................................................. 28 When Not to Fertilize ............................................................................................................................................ 29 When to Fertilize .................................................................................................................................................... 29 Type and Rate of Fertilizer .................................................................................................................................... 29 When to Apply Fertilizer ....................................................................................................................................... 30 How to Apply Fertilizer .......................................................................................................................................... 30 Important Points on Fertilization ......................................................................................................................... 31

Muddy Water ............................................................................................................................. 31

Feeding ..................................................................................................................................... 32

Drawdowns ............................................................................................................................... 32 Drawdown for Aquatic Weed Control ................................................................................................................... 32 Drawdown for Fish Management .......................................................................................................................... 33

Unexpected Fish Kills ................................................................................................................ 33 Oxygen Depletions and Pond Turnovers .............................................................................................................. 33 pH and Mineral Problems ...................................................................................................................................... 34 Infectious Diseases and Parasites .......................................................................................................................... 34 Fire Ants ................................................................................................................................................................. 35 Determining Factors in Fish Kills .......................................................................................................................... 35 Transporting and Shipping Samples ..................................................................................................................... 35

Attracting Fish .......................................................................................................................... 36 Trees as Fish Attractors ......................................................................................................................................... 36 Gravel Beds as Fish Attractors ............................................................................................................................... 36 Other Fish Attractors ............................................................................................................................................. 37

Renovating Ponds ...................................................................................................................... 37 What Is Rotenone? ................................................................................................................................................. 37 Preparing the Pond ................................................................................................................................................. 37 How to Apply Rotenone ......................................................................................................................................... 37 When to Restock .................................................................................................................................................... 38

Nuisance Species ........................................................................................................................ 38 Turtles ..................................................................................................................................................................... 38 Other Problem Animals ......................................................................................................................................... 39

Other Considerations ................................................................................................................ 39 Private Pond Consultants ...................................................................................................................................... 39 Making Money from Your Pond ............................................................................................................................ 40

For More Information ................................................................................................................ 40

Farm Pond Management Calendar ............................................................................................. 41

Farm Pond Harvest Record ......................................................................................................... 42

Appendix A: Common or Problem Plants .................................................................................... 43

You must decide before construction begins how the pond will be used so you can cre-ate a proper management plan for the pond. Keep in mind that all objectives cannotbe met in a single pond, and compromises may be necessary. Landowners with multi-ple ponds may consider applying different management plans on different ponds.

After the pond is completed, success or failure depends on using practices to estab-lish and maintain good fish populations. Proper stocking with the correct speciesand numbers of fish, stocking at the proper time of year, a balanced harvest, waterquality management, and aquatic weed control are basics you should understand.Many unmanaged ponds could produce many more pounds of fish than they nowproduce if good management practices were followed.

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Ponds and small lakes are abundant in Mississippi and are favorite fishing places for Mississippi anglers. A pond that consistently produces good catches of fish is a result of proper planning,construction, and management. Poor planning, improper construction, or lack ofproper management results in lakes and ponds that are relatively unproductive orproblematic.

It is critical that as a landowner you clearly define your objectives in the beginning,before the first soil is moved.

Mississippi has more than 160,000 water bodies with fewer than 100 acres,

totaling more than 190,000 acres.

Do you want to catch good numbers andsizes of bass and bream? Or do you want

trophy bass? Maybe you prefer to catch bigbream? Or just channel catfish? How much

will the pond be fished? Will the pond beused for purposes other than fishing?

SOURCES OF ASSISTANCEIf you need assistance in planning a new pond or in managing an old one, contact one of the following agen-cies or one of their field offices located throughout the state:

PlanningNATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE100 West Capitol StreetSuite 1321, Federal BuildingJackson, MS 39269601/965-5205(District office in each county)www.ms.nrcs.usda.gov/

DEPARTMENT OF WILDLIFE, FISHERIES, AND AqUACULTUREMississippi State UniversityExtension ServiceBox 9690Mississippi State, MS 39762662/325-3174(Extension office in each county)www.msucares.com

ManagementMISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT OF WILDLIFE, FISHERIES, AND PARKS1505 Eastover Dr.Jackson, MS 39211-6374601/432-2400(Regional offices: Enid, Canton, and Magnolia)

DEPARTMENT OF WILDLIFE, FISHERIES, AND AqUACULTUREMississippi State UniversityExtension ServiceBox 9690Mississippi State, MS 39762662/325-3174(Extension office in each county)www.msucares.com

NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE100 West Capitol StreetSuite 1321, Federal BuildingJackson, MS 39269601/965-5205(District office in each county)www.ms.nrcs.usda.gov/

All of the information contained in this guide and much more is at your fingertips at

www.MSUcares.com.

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PLANNINGSetting ObjectivesPerhaps the most important decision you make as apond owner is deciding what purposes the pond willserve. If the pond is to be used for something otherthan fishing—like irrigation, fire protection, swim-ming, wildlife habitat, livestock water supply, orhome cooling—these uses may require different de-sign considerations from those for fishing alone.Design of fishing ponds is described below.

Determine the species and sizes of fish youwould like to catch in the planning stages of thepond. is is called the “management objective.”Stocking and management differ based on this ob-jective. Some pond owners prefer bream fishing andmanage the pond to produce a good crop of largebream. Some prefer a good all-around fishery. Manywant only a chance at catching trophy bass, while

others are happy with quality catfish. Usually, apond can be managed successfully for only one man-agement objective at a time.

SiteSite selection is extremely important. Natural Re-sources Conservation Service (NRCS) personnel canassist in site selection, soil suitability, engineeringsurvey, and design. ey can estimate the cost of theearthwork, make quality control checks during con-struction, and provide information on other aspectsof planning, design, and construction. is service isfree and may save you money in future reconstruc-tion costs needed to fix a poorly designed or sitedpond. Also, be sure to download Agriculture Hand-book Number 590 Ponds – Planning, Design, and Con-struction from the NRCS. Search the complete titleto find an available source.

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!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Figure 1. Considerations for pond site selection. Pond A is in full view of a highway that invites tres-passers; runoff from the vegetable garden may enter the pond; and the emergency spillway flows to-ward the barn. Pond B is in a better location, since it is not visible from the road, nor are there issueswith runoff or water release.

The first step in a successful pond construction project should be to contact the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).The NRCS office nearest you can help with site selection, soil testing, pond sizing, and other construction considerations.

Before you select your pond site, consider theshape of the land (topography), water supply, andsoil type. If possible, consider more than one loca-tion, and study each one to select the most practical,attractive, and economical site. Consider potentialproblems, such as runoff from agriculture, past landuses, or potential to attract trespassers (Figure 1).

TopographyConsider topography first, because it directly affectsbuilding costs and management. Place the pondwhere enough water can be held with the leastamount of earth fill. A good site is usually one whereyou can build a dam across a narrow section of a val-ley and where the slope of the valley floor lets youflood a large area. Such sites are ideal and minimizeareas of shallow water (water fewer than 2 feetdeep). Avoid large areas of shallow water becausethey become too shallow to use in late summer andfall dry periods, and they encourage the growth ofundesirable aquatic plants. Likewise, steep slopingvalleys may make the pondtoo deep, which may lead topoor fish production and pos-sible fish kills. Also avoid loca-tions with constantly flowingcreeks or streams, as theseflush the pond and make itdifficult to manage pondwater chemistry.

Water SupplyWater availability should beadequate, but not excessive,and may be provided bysprings, wells, or surfacerunoff. Check well water forpotentially high levels of dis-solved substances, such asiron, which may cause prob-lems in the pond. Also, welland spring water may be lowin oxygen when it is pumpedor flows out of the ground. Donot use standing surface water(such as pumping from creeksand sloughs) to fill ponds ifyou can avoid it, because it is asource of unwanted fish, para-sites, and fish diseases.

For ponds where surfacerunoff is the main source ofwater, the contributingdrainage area should be large

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Figure 2. A soil triangle can be used to determine the type of soil present in potential pondsites. To use the triangle, the percent of each component (clay, sand, silt) must be deter-mined from a sample. The soil type is where the lines for percent clay, sand, and silt meet.

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enough to maintain a suitable water level during dryperiods. e drainage area should not be so large,though, that expensive overflow structures areneeded and water exchange occurs too frequently.As a rule, a pond should have 5 to 10 acres ofdrainage area for each acre of impounded water inMississippi. e amount of runoff from a watersheddepends on local climate, topography, soil type, andplant cover.

SoilSuitable soil is one of the main factors in selecting apond site. e soil should contain a layer of clay orsilty clay material that water will not seep through.Sandy clays are also usually satisfactory. e moreclay in the soil, the better it will hold water. At least20 percent clay is necessary to hold water (Figure 2).To determine soil suitability, take soil borings at fre-quent intervals and have them analyzed. e Natu-ral Resources Conservation Service office can assistwith this evaluation. Not evaluating the soil prop-erly could result in a pond that will not hold water.

It is much easier to check the soil for lime re-quirements and to lime the pond bottom just afterconstruction before the pond begins to fill withwater (see the section on Liming Ponds in this publi-cation). Your Extension county agent can advise youhow to collect soil samples for analysis to determinethe lime requirements (of the pond bottom) for thesite you have selected. e State Soil Testing Labcharges a small fee for this analysis.

PermitsMississippi law requires that anyone proposing tobuild, modify, or repair a dam must get written au-thorization from the Mississippi Department of En-vironmental Quality (MDEQ) before beginningconstruction. Written authorization is not requiredif the dam is fewer than 8 feet high, impounds fewerthan 25 acre-feet of water at the top of the dam, orthe dam does not impound a watercourse with acontinuous flow of water (as long as failure of thedam would not threaten public safety downstream).A surface water im-poundment permitmay be required,even if written au-thorization to buildthe dam is not re-quired. e im-poundment permithas a fee of $10 andis good for 10years. Penaltiesmay be imposed forfailure to file. Formore information,contact the MDEQDam Safety Divi-sion at (601) 961-5061 orwww.deq.state.ms.us (click on the link titled DamSafety).

If the construction is expected to disturb be-tween 1 and 5 acres (construction of the dam andarea excavated for dirt used in the dam), then smallconstruction permit conditions will apply. If theconstruction is expected to disturb more than 5acres, then a large construction permit will be re-quired. For more information, contact the MDEQConstruction and Building Materials Branch at(601) 961-5207 or www.deq.state. ms.us (click onthe link titled Environmental Permits Division).

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Landowners are also urged to check with theU.S. Army Corps of Engineers to see if a 404 permitwill be required. To find your local district contactinformation, visit www.usace.army.mil/CECW/Pages/cecwo_reg.aspx.

CONSTRUCTINGWhen to BuildYou can build a pond any time of the year, but sum-mer is usually the best because weather and soil con-ditions allow use of heavy equipment. Fall andwinter rainfall fills the new pond and lets you stockfish at the right times.

SizeDetermine pond size by your needs and desires. Big-ger is not always better. Small ponds (1 to 3 acres)provide enjoyable fishing if you follow good plan-ning and proper management guidelines. Largerponds and lakes provide many other uses, such as

water supply, limitedirrigation, swim-ming, boating, andhunting, and theyare less susceptibleto water levelchanges. For surfacerunoff ponds, usethe area of land thatflows into the pondto determine thepond’s size (seeWater Supply). Ingeneral, 5 to 10 acresof drainage area arerequired for eachsurface acre of pondwater.

DepthPonds in Mississippi should have an average depthof about 5 to 6 feet and be no more than 10 to 12feet deep. About half of the pond should be in waterthat is 4 to 5 feet deep. is lets fish forage on thebottom, even in summer when low oxygen concen-trations are common in deeper water, while main-taining enough depth to sustain the fish duringdrought. But about 20 percent of the pond bottomshould be at least 6 feet deep to provide winterrefuge and summer refuge in extremely dry years.During summer, evaporation can reduce water levels

Sowing a temporary cover of browntop millet (25pounds per acre broadcast from May to July) or win-ter wheat (90 pounds per acre broadcast from Au-gust to November) protects exposed surfaces andprovides wildlife food and cover.

Lime, fertilize, and seed the dam with an appro-priate grass as soon as construction is complete. We recommend mulching the dam and other slopingareas. It is very important to prevent erosion of the dam.

Complete the pond in summer before stockingfish in the fall. If practical, do not let the pond fillwith water until just before stocking. is preventsthe pond from becoming contaminated with un-wanted fish species, lets grass cover the pond bottom,and helps prevent muddy water.

Do not let trees or shrubs grow on the dam, sincethey weaken the dam and increase the likelihood ofleaking or failure. But if large trees are growing on anolder pond dam, don’t remove them, because theirdecaying root systems may weaken the dam.

A properly maintained

dam can be mowed, front

and back. NEVER let trees

become established

on new dams.

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at a rate of up to ½ inch per day, and ponds may lose2 feet or more in water depth. e pond banksshould drop quickly to at least 3 feet deep to mini-mize risk of aquatic plants becoming established.Deep ponds are not necessary for productive fish-eries and may lead to water quality problems, suchas low dissolved oxygen, which can kill fish. MostMississippi ponds have low oxygen levels at depthsgreater than 4 feet in summer.

DamsDams should be at least 8 to 12 feet wide at the top,depending on the height of the dam. Dams fewerthan 12 feet high require an 8-foot top width. Damsbetween 12 and 15 feet high require a 10-foot topwidth, and those higher than 15 feet require a 12-foot top width. Dams with tops wider than the re-quired minimum are much easier to maintain. If youplan to use the dam as a road, it should be at least16 feet wide across the top.

In many areas of Mississippi, soil types are suchthat dams must be cored with clay to prevent seep-age. e slope of the dam should be no steeper than3:1 on the waterside. On the backside, a 4:1 slopelets you safely maintain the vegetation on the dam.For example, a dam with a 3:1 slope will have a 1-foot rise for every 3 feet of horizontal measurement.

Establish suitable perennial vegetation on thedam as soon as possible to prevent erosion, muddywater, and maintenance problems. Nonnativegrasses such as Bermuda and Bahia are commonlyplanted because they estab-lish a sod quickly and toleratefrequent mowing to just a fewinches in height. A good,deep-rooted native grass(such as switchgrass or bigbluestem) is an alternativeperennial cover that providesbetter wildlife habitat, re-quires less mowing, and toler-ates drought better thannonnative grasses. If nativegrasses are established ascover on the dam, do notmow them shorter than 6inches in height.

If dam construction iscompleted before or after therecommended planting dates,plant a temporary cover tolimit soil erosion until thepermanent cover establishes. Figure 3. Diagram of recommended pond levee and water control structures.

Drain valve Clay core

Bottom withdrawal device

Standpipe

Drain Cementsupportslab

Anti-seep collar

Water Control StructuresA combination drain and overflow pipe (Figure 3), as well as an emergency spillway, are necessary forgood management. It is very important that youplace the drainpipe on the pond bottom so you cancompletely drain the pond. Controlling the waterlevel is important for weed control and fisheriesmanagement. A drain is necessary to managethe pond efficiently. e overflow pipe is the out-let for normal water flow through the pond. eemergency spillway is an area lower than the top ofthe dam on one side of the dam to safely release ex-cessive runoff from heavy rainfall.

Overflow and drainpipes may be corrugatedmetal, aluminum, steel, or polyvinyl chloride (PVC).Some materials are more durable than others andmay be preferred. For example, PVC pipe, althoughinexpensive, is prone to breakage and vandalism. Besure the pipe meets the standards for use in a ponddam. You can add drains to existing ponds, but youwill need professional assistance.

It is also a good idea to fit a larger pipe over thestandpipe, starting 18 inches off the bottom and ex-tending 12 inches above the surface (Figure 4). ispipe will draw water from the deeper areas of thepond, where there is no oxygen. During periods ofwater flow through the pond, this improves thewater quality in the pond, increases usable habitat,and reduces the risk of a fish kill. e outside pipemust be at least one and a half times the interiorwidth of the standpipe to allow for maximum flow.

BanksBanks should be moderately sloped until reaching awater depth of 3 feet near the shoreline to eliminateshallow water areas around the pond edge whereaquatic plants often start. Use a 3:1 slope wherepossible (the depth increases 1 foot for every 3 feetaway from shore) until reaching the minimumdepth. Cattle may cause bank erosion and muddywater. Fence the pond to limit or prevent damage by livestock.

SeepageSeepage in new ponds sometimes develops. Oftenyou can correct seepage by draining the pond andcompacting the bottom. If the bottom soils havemarginal water-holding capacity, a blanket of clay or other soil sealant packed with a sheepsfoot rollermay reduce the seepage. If the seepage problem per-sists, contact any Natural Resources ConservationService office or Mississippi Department of Wildlife,Fisheries, and Parks district office.

Pond BottomMany pond sites have trees in the basin, most ofwhich should be cut and salvaged or piled andburned. It is acceptable to leave some trees, bushes,and brush piles. During construction, decide whichtrees to leave, clear unwanted trees, and develop fishattractors. Such underwater cover provides habitatfor certain aquatic organisms fish eat, as well as coverfor game fish. Be sure you can find these areas afterthey are flooded.

Usually 10 to 25 percent ofthe pond bottom should havesome tree cover (fish attractors)where possible. It is importantto leave tree cover in theright areas. Leave bushes andtrees in deeper water areas,along creek runs, and in themiddle of the pond or lake.Leave trees in small clumps. Cut standing trees about 2 feetabove the normal water level,and anchor brushy tops to thebase of the tall stumps. esestumps will serve as permanentmarkers to brush top locationsand avoid the dangers of fallinglimbs in later years. Do notleave trees or bushes in shallowareas, narrow coves, or alongthe bank, because these areas

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Figure 4. Schematic of a bottom draw-off device used to remove deep, low-oxygenwater, which increases water quality and available habitat.

Good water quality

Poor water quality

12”

18”

Selecting a SupplierAs a pond owner, you face decisions in selecting afish supplier. Here are some questions to ask beforemaking an informed decision:

• Is there a warranty on the fish? Keep in mindthat fish may be delivered alive but may die sev-eral days later because of hauling stress, insuffi-cient tempering to the pond water, or disease.Get it in writing!

• Does the supplier produce the fish or buythem from a third party? Vendors who pro-duce their own fish are more likely to know thehealth history of the fish.

• What species and sizes of fish do they sup-ply? Not all suppliers sell all species of fish, andthe sizes, strains, or reproductive capacity mightnot be right for your pond.

• References! Ask to contact some of theirsatisfied customers! Check out the companywith the Better Business Bureau from its state.Remember, commercial fish producers arein the business of selling fish. It is not inyour best interest to get your stocking rec-ommendations from them. Your county Ex-tension agent, local Mississippi Department ofWildlife, Fisheries, and Parks biologist, specialistfrom the Wildlife, Fisheries, & Aquaculture Department at Mississippi State University, orNRCS biologist can assist you with stockingplans free of charge.

Stocking OptionsBass and Bream CombinationsA healthy pond has a balance between predator andprey populations. In ponds of at least 1 acre, large-mouth bass and bluegill provide this balance betterthan any other species. You can add a few otherspecies, specifically redear sunfish (shellcracker orchinquapin), channel catfish, triploid, grass carp,and fathead minnows, to provide a variety of fishingopportunities. ese species, when stocked at rec-ommended rates and managed properly, can provideyears of good fishing (Table 1).

You can stock channel catfish with bass andbream or alone, but do not stock other species of cat-fish in ponds. Crappie are never recommendedfor small lakes and ponds fewer than 50 acresbecause they tend to overpopulate, resulting ina pond full of small, skinny crappie, bream, andbass. Crappie compete with bass for food, andshould not be stocked into lakes fewer than 500 acres

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will become difficult to fish and may develop aquaticvegetation problems. Too much cover in shallowwater makes it hard for bass to feed on the bream.You should be able to navigate the entire shorelineby boat.

If there are no trees or brush to leave for cover,you can establish fish attractors during pond con-struction. See the section on Fish Attractors formore detailed information. Prepare the pond bot-tom during construction because equipment andlabor are available then. Use excess earth from construction to make underwater contours, piers,and islands. Most landowners are unwilling to drainthe pond later for necessary bottom improvements,so it is important to complete all work during con-struction.

Lime the pond bottom after all other diggingand dirt work are complete. Liming is extremely important and is discussed in greater detail later. Before flooding, prepare gravel fish spawningbeds, and build wooden and/or earthen piers.Plant wheat, rye, millet, or other suitablegrasses in the pond bottom to produce lots ofaquatic life when the pond is filled and to re-duce erosion and siltation.

STOCKINGStock ponds with fish only from reliable fishhatcheries to prevent bringing in undesirablefish species, parasites, or diseases. Consult thedistrict offices of the Mississippi Department ofWildlife, Fisheries, and Parks, your Natural Re-sources Conservation Service office, or your countyExtension office for a list of licensed game fishhatcheries in Mississippi. Ask for Publication 2525Sport Fish Suppliers and Stocking Guidelines for Stock-ing Mississippi Ponds available online atmsucares.com/wildfish/fisheries/farmpond/pdfs/hatcheries.pdf from the Mississippi State UniversityExtension Service.

if trophy bass fishing is the desired objective. If youwish to stock crappie in lakes larger than 50 acres,consult a fisheries biologist for recommendations. If you have a pond with crappie already established,the two options are to renovate the pond and startover (see the section on Pond Renovation) or to man-age the pond for crappie. For more information onmanaging for crappie, see the section on CrappieManagement.

Largemouth bass are predatory and eat a varietyof foods. eir diet includes small fish, frogs, craw-fish, and insects. Largemouth bass are well adaptedto ponds and reproduce successfully, usually spawn-ing only once a year. ey grow rapidly in pondswhere food is plentiful, generally reaching sexualmaturity and spawning at 1 year of age. In thespring, when water temperatures reach 60 °F, ma-ture males fan out depressions or “nests” on thepond bottom. Females lay their eggs in the nest. e male fertilizes the eggs, and they usually hatchwithin 4 days.

e two strains of largemouth bass commonlystocked in ponds and lakes are the northern large-mouth bass (native to all parts of Mississippi) andthe Florida largemouth bass (not native). Crossesbetween these two, called hybrids, are also available.Although some research has been conducted to de-termine which, if any, of these largemouth bassstrains or hybrids are best for stocking farm pondsand small lakes, no conclusive answer has been

found. A few observations, based partly on scienceand partly on field experience, are described belowto help you decide which largemouth bass strain tostock. Your ultimate success in managing yourbass depends more on the quality of your man-agement program (including bass harveststrategy) than on strain selection. • Northern, Florida, and hybrid largemouth bass

have all been used with success in Mississippi.e Florida strain and hybrid have the greatestgenetic potential to attain trophy size. Evidenceexists that the Florida strain is, on average,harder to catch than northern or hybrid bass.

• Many hatcheries no longer maintain pureFlorida strains, but rather hybrids with varyingpercentages of mixed northern/Florida genes.

• It is not known at this time whether all hybridsare equivalent in growth and catchability. For ex-ample, a hybrid that is 50 percent Florida and 50percent northern MAY perform differently froma hybrid that is 25:75.

• F1 hybrid bass are first generation hybrids(50:50) and may experience enhanced growth.e offspring, though, are likely to experiencereduced growth as compared to their parentsand possibly lower than the pure strains.

• e strains usually have no cost difference.

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Stocking Recommendations for Ponds 1 Acre or LargerIt is important to stock a pond in the proper orderand with the recommended numbers to achieve abalanced fish population. To begin, choose the de-sired stocking combination from Table 1, and stockthose species as follows:

• Stock fingerling bream (bluegill and redearsunfish), catfish, triploid grass carp, andfathead minnows in the fall or winter. epond should be at least half full and filling.‰ Stock 500 bream per acre. is can be all

bluegill or, if desired, 350 bluegill and 150 redear sunfish.

‰ If you want channel catfish in your pond, stockat 50 catfish per acre.

‰ Stock five triploid grass carp per acre to avoid weed problems. For lakes larger than 10 acres that have much open water, stock three grass carp per acre.

‰ Fathead minnows can be stocked at 3 pounds per acre with bluegill in the fall or winter to provide additional prey (optional).

• Stock 50 largemouth bass per acre the fol-lowing spring when the bream and fatheadminnows are ready to spawn. is ensuresthat small bream and minnows are available forthe small bass.‰ e stocking ratio of bream to bass should be

10 to 1.

Bluegill and redear sunfish fingerlings stocked in thefall and winter will spawn the next spring. Stocklargemouth bass fingerlings in the spring to coincidewith the first bream spawn. ey feed on the smallbream, preventing an overpopulation of bream. Fat-head minnows provide supplemental winter foragefor largemouth bass and bream. If timing is suchthat you cannot stock the pond in this order,consult a fisheries biologist to discuss an alter-native stocking strategy that might work. Sinceall situations are different, no single recommenda-tion easily applies to all cases.

Bluegill (commonly called bream) and redear sunfish(shellcracker, chinquapin) are also well adapted toponds and eat a variety of foods. When small, theyeat microscopic plants and animals. As they grow,their diet changes to include insects, snails, craw-fish, and small fish. If enough food is available, thesefish grow rapidly, reaching sexual maturity at 1 year.When water temperatures reach 70 to 75 °F in thespring, redear sunfish begin spawning, followed bybluegill, when temperatures reach 80 °F. Bluegillmay spawn several times in one season, while redearsunfish normally spawn only once or twice. Breamspawn in groups, and their collections of nests arecalled spawning “beds.”

e two strains of bluegill commonly stocked inMississippi are native bluegill and a Florida straincalled coppernose bluegill. Biologically, the two arevery similar, as are general growth rates and othercharacteristics. Opinions vary regarding the prosand cons of stocking coppernose instead of nativebluegill, and many questions have yet to be an-swered. Both are readily available from hatcheries inMississippi. Ultimate performance of thebluegill, regardless of strain, depends more onthe quality of your management program thanon strain stocked.

Size of the pond has a direct influence on futurefishing potential, but limitations are very few if youhave reasonable expectations. A farm pondstocked with bream and bass should be at least1 acre in size, preferably larger. Although smallponds can normally provide unlimited bream fish-ing, there is a potential for overharvesting the bassin ponds smaller than 1 acre. See the section onSmall Pond Recommendations for information onmanaging ponds smaller than 1 acre.

13

If you plan to immediately implement and continuously maintain a fertilization program, follow the fertilized stocking

rates in Table 1 for quicker results and to avoid bream crowding.

You can stock a properly fertilized pond with 1,000bream per acre in the fall, either all bluegill or 700bluegill and 300 redear sunfish, followed by 100largemouth bass per acre the following spring. Youcan stock up to 100 catfish per acre in fertilizedponds. Keep triploid grass carp stocking rates at fiveper acre for weed prevention.

After you complete the initial stocking of fin-gerling fish, do not add any fish to the pond except on the recommendation of a fisheriesbiologist.

Adding fish to the pond year after year can leadto overcrowding and stunted fish. is has ruined thefishing in many ponds in Mississippi. With propermanagement, a correctly stocked pond generally re-sults in a balanced fish population, ensuring goodfishing for years to come. You can restock catfishafter you remove more than half of the fishfrom the original stocking. Remember to stocklarger (8- to 10-inch) catfish to avoid feedingcatfish to your bass in established ponds.Stocking Options for Ponds Smaller than 1 Acree bass-bream stocking combination tends to beless successful in ponds smaller than 1 acre in sizebecause bass are easy to overharvest and the breambecome too abundant to grow to a harvestable size.But other options are available. ese are catfish-only and hybrid-bream combinations.

Catfish-only PondsChannel catfish grow well alone, with few diseaseproblems, stocked at 100 to 150 per acre. Whenstocked alone, fish grow faster with supplementalfeeding. Natural foods include decaying organic mat-ter, plant material, crawfish, small fish, and insects.e relatively low stocking rate (100 to 150 per acre)ensures good growth to a harvestable size in a rea-sonably short time. You do not want to encouragecatfish spawning because of potential crowding anddisease problems. To control the possibility ofunwanted spawning, stock 25 largemouth bassper acre to the ponds to eliminate any finger-lings smaller than 6 inches. You can restock cat-fish after you remove more than half of the fishfrom the original stocking. Remember to stocklarger (8- to 10-inch) catfish to avoid feedingcatfish to your bass in established ponds.

One of the most common mistakes pondowners make is stocking too many catfish. Recre-ational catfish ponds are intended to be much less in-tensively managed than their commercial

counterparts. In general, most farm ponds can sup-port no more than 500 pounds of fish per acre with-out supplemental aeration. When you stock and growcatfish to catchable sizes (1 to 3 pounds), you exceedthe limit when more than about 150 catfish are pres-ent. Attempts to exceed this natural limit in farmponds without supplemental aeration and feedingusually cause stress and disease in the catfish, andoxygen can be depleted to low levels where total fishkills may occur.

Hybrid Sunfish PondsHybrid sunfish are a good option for small ponds be-cause they grow quickly, especially when fed, andthey are easy to catch. e most commonly used hy-brid sunfish results from crossing male bluegill withfemale green sunfish. ese hybrids are 85 to 95percent males, readily accept artificial feed, andgrow faster than bluegill or redear sunfish undersimilar conditions.

Successful hybrid sunfish ponds require that youcarefully follow the stocking rates and harvest rec-ommendations. You can get best growth by stocking750 hybrids and 50 bass per acre and then feeding acommercially prepared feed of at least 28 percentprotein. Commercial catfish pellets are the most eco-nomical feed. Never give the fish more food thanthey will eat in 5 to 10 minutes, and adjust theamount as fish grow. If fish do not eat all the feedoffered in that time, you probably are overfeedingand wasting feed and money.

A demand-type or automatic fish feeder is agood investment. One problem with hand-feeding isthat someone has to be there to do it! Most peopletire of the novelty of feeding fish within the firstseason, and then the fish may become neglected. In-stalling a feeder ensures that the fish receive feed ona regular basis, regardless of your schedule andavailability.

Never stock hybrid sunfish into ponds managedfor other objectives, and never stock themin combination with other bream species.

Hybrid bream will not produce enough offspringto yield good bass growth rates, and they will cross-breed with other sunfish species and create undesir-able offspring. Hybrid sunfish should only bestocked in small ponds following the exact recom-mendations found in this section.

Always stock hybrids in combination with apredator fish because, contrary to popular be-lief, they are not sterile. Most hybrid populations

14

Calendar on page 41 for more information on tim-ing of management activities.

Fishing Fishing and harvest are critical to good pond man-agement. To ensure a balanced fish population,release all of the bass that are caught the firstand second years of fishing. In most cases, afterthe first year of fishing, you can remove as manybream as you desire without harming the popula-tion.

By the third year, harvest 15 pounds of bassper acre per year from ponds that are not fer-tilized. In fertilized ponds, this number will need tobe doubled. Harvest primarily small bass fewer than13 inches, and release intermediate-sized bass (14to 18 inches). is will ensure rapid growth of bass,an adequate number of bass for reproduction, aswell as control of the bream. Underharvest of bassleads to bass stockpiling and slow growth of bass,which is a common problem in Mississippi ponds.

The biggest mistake most pond owners make in managing their ponds

is they do not harvest enough bass and bream from the pond.

This leads to crowding and slow growth of their bass.

If you want quality bream fishing, remove45 pounds of bream per acre per year.

Although less common than bass underharvest,removing too many bass can lead to bream crowd-ing. When bass are overharvested, the remainingbass can no longer eat enough bream, and the breambecome overcrowded and grow very slowly. Oncebream become overcrowded, bass reproduction is re-duced or stopped completely.

Keep a record of fish harvested, and askothers who fish the pond to tell you the num-ber and size (at least length) of bass and breamthey remove from the pond. A record sheet isprovided on page 42 of this publication.

If the pond is also stocked with channel catfish,spread the catfish harvest over 3 to 4 years. Channel

15

are 85 to 95 percent males and thus have lower re-productive potential. ey do reproduce, and theywill overpopulate unless largemouth bass have beenstocked with them. Hybrid sunfish offspring do notshare the same qualities as their parents and are notdesirable.

When stocked with bass, most hybrid offspringdo not survive because the bass quickly eat them.is prevents overpopulation and provides condi-tions for best growth of the originally stocked hy-brids. Hybrid sunfish are best suited to ponds of 3acres or fewer.

It is important to remember that hybridsunfish management is for production of bigbream, and bass growth will be less than desir-able. Bass are stocked primarily as a managementtool to eat the hybrid offspring. Return all bassthat are caught to the pond to maintain highpredator numbers. Also, this is a “put and take”fishery, meaning that hybrids are grown, caught,and replaced by other hybrids stocked in futureyears. In this sense, hybrid ponds are more like cat-tle feed-lot operations than some other, more tradi-tional pond management options.

Periodic restocking is necessary to sustaina fishery for more than a few years. Record thenumber of hybrids removed and plan to restockwhen 50 to 70 percent of the originally stocked fishhave been caught and removed. At restockingtime, stock larger hybrid sunfish fingerlings (3 to 4 inches), since they are less likely to beeaten by the bass than smaller fish. Restock atthe same rates as the initial stocking. You may wantto check with local suppliers before starting a hybridbream pond to make sure larger fingerlings are avail-able. If they are not, you will need to drain or poisonthe pond and start over when fishing quality de-clines.

For more information on managing hybrid sun-fish, request Extension Publication 1893 ManagingHybrid Sunfish in Mississippi Farm Ponds from yourcounty Extension agent.

MANAGINGYou can enjoy good fishing for years if you follow asound pond management program. Building thepond properly, stocking the correct species at rec-ommended rates, and controlling weeds are neces-sary first steps for proper pond management.Continued good fishing depends on harvestingthe correct number, sizes, and species of fisheach year. See the Farm Pond Management

catfish may reproduce, but offspring usually do notsurvive because of bass predation. Restock withchannel catfish when 60 percent of the originallystocked catfish have been removed. In a bass andbream pond, it is necessary to restock with 8-to 10-inch channel catfish fingerlings to ensurethe bass do not quickly consume these finger-lings. Do not overstock catfish, since overstockingleads to poor growth and possible disease problemsas well as excessive competition with bream forfood.

Management Options After the second year, you must decide the kind offishing experience you want the pond to provide. Abass-crowded condition commonly occurs inMississippi ponds where bass fishing is prima-rily catch and release. In such ponds, most basscaught are fewer than 12 inches long with poor bodycondition, and the bream are hand-sized and ingood condition. If you want large bream, a bass-crowded pond will produce these results (Figures 5and 6). If you want good fishing for both bass andbream, follow the harvest recom-mendations in the Fishing section.is management situation is suit-able for most ponds. Trophy bassfishing will require careful protec-tion of certain sizes of bass, usu-

16

ally through a protective slot size limit, and also har-vest of most of the smaller (fewer than 12 inches)bass to prevent them from becoming crowded (seeManaging for Trophy Bass).

Determining Fish BalanceSeining—the use of a net to capture fish—is a quickand easy way to determine the condition of yourpond, and an investment in a good seine is highlyrecommended for all pond owners. A 30-foot seinethat is 6 feet deep and made of ¼-inch mesh workswell. You can purchase it from any net maker. Attachthe seine ends to wooden or metal poles to makehandling the seine much easier.

Check balance using a seine every year in late-May to July. During this period, both bass andbream have reproduced and the young are still smallenough to be caught effectively using the seine.

Fishing the seine is easy. You can use a “swing-ing gate” or perpendicular haul (Figure 7) in severalareas of the pond to capture young fish. Just makesure you keep the weighted line of the seine on thebottom at all times, or the fish will escape under the

Figure 5. Managing a pond to be bass-crowded can produce trophy bream(see Figure 6B).

!!!!!!!!!!

Figure 6. Management options for bass-bream ponds in Mississippi. A) Balanced bass-breampond with wide size ranges of both predator and prey. This scenario is best for good bass andbream fishing. B) Bass-crowded pond with many small, thin bass and few but large bream.The scenario provides fast action with small bass and extra large bream for the panfish enthu-siast. C) Bream-crowded pond with no large bream and very few but large bass. This scenariocan lead to trophy bass but requires additional management efforts to be successful.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Figure 7. Two easy seining techniques for determining bass and bream repro-duction in ponds. Ponds should be assessed using a seine from late-May to July.

net. Make about five hauls around the pond, andthen compare your catch to Table 2 to determinethe condition of your pond.

You can also determine balance of bass andbream by close examination of your catch throughfishing. is is much easier if you keep good catchand harvest records throughout the year (see sampleharvest record on page 42). Make sure to use a vari-

17

Bass-crowded pondsIf catching large bluegill is your objective, a bass-crowded pond is the desirable situation. But if youwant large-sized bass, the following recommenda-tions may help you improve bass growth and size. In1 year, remove 35 pounds of bass per acre that arefewer than 13 inches long. In a fertilized pond, re-move 50 pounds of bass fewer than 13 inches.

Return alllarger bass tothe pond. Re-assess the pondthe followingyear, and re-peat intensivebass harvest asnecessary.When annualbalance checksindicate thepond is onceagain in bal-ance, revert toharvesting bassand bream atthe normal rec-ommendedrates describedpreviously.

In rare cases,bream can beeliminatedfrom bass-crowded pondsthrough heavy

predation. If seine sampling or angling revealsno bream present, remove bass as describedabove and then stock 250 advanced fingerling(3- to 5-inch) bluegill per acre. Bream-crowded pondsIf aquatic weeds are a problem, eliminate the weedsfollowing recommendations in the section on Con-trolling Aquatic Vegetation. Remove many interme-diate bluegill using rotenone along shorelines in theearly fall; see Extension Publication 1954 UsingRotenone to Renovate Fish Populations for more infor-mation. After bream removal, stock 35 adult (10- to12-inch) largemouth bass per acre to eat smallbream, and use a winter drawdown (see section onDrawdowns) to help the bass more effectively feedon the small bluegill.

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ety of types and sizes of lures or baits. When fish-ing produces large numbers of small bass andlarge bream, you probably have an overpopula-tion of bass. When only a few large bass and manysmall bream are caught, the pond is probably over-populated with bream. Good catch rates of both bassand bream of all sizes indicates the pond is in balance(Table 3; Figure 8).

Corrective Management Measures Corrective actions for pond balance problems vary,depending on the cause of the problem. Recommen-dations for common balance problems are listedbelow. While these recommendations can lead toimprovements in fish size, they may need to bemodified as conditions change within the pond. Insome cases, ponds may be so far out of balancethat the only solution is to renovate the pondand to restock. For information, see the section onPond Renovation.

Undesirable fish populationIf the pond contains significant populations of gar, bullhead catfish, green sunfish, crappie, or otherspecies not recommended, renovate the pond andrestock with recommended species and stockingrates. For information, see the section on Pond Ren-ovation and Extension Publication 1954 UsingRotenone to Renovate Fish Populations.Balanced populationMaintain recommended harvest rates, keep accuratecatch and harvest records, and reassess the pond the following year.

Managing for Trophy BassLargemouth bass are one of the most popular sportfish in Mississippi, and a favorite management op-tion for ponds is trophy largemouth bass. Growingbig bass consistently requires careful management.It is critical to follow water quality, fertilization,aquatic weed control, and fish management pro-grams as defined in this publication or as prescribedby a fisheries professional.

e way to achieve big bass is through theirstomachs! A basic bass and bream combination canproduce big bass, but you can increase your success

18

by increasing food available to each bass. You can dothis in three steps:

• Increase prey production by managing waterchemistry and fertility.

• Add new prey species or supplement prey.

• Manage bass size structure and abundance by re-moving small bass.

You can increase prey production through properwater chemistry and pond fertilization. Check to seeif the lake needs agricultural limestone (see LimingPonds section for details), and consider implementinga fertilization program. Trophy bass ponds can bene-fit from a properly conducted and maintained fertil-ization program, since fertilizing can double or triplethe pounds of fish per acre, which can be manipulatedto produce bigger bass. (See To Fertilize or Not to Fer-tilize? for more details.)

Two additional prey species are commonly recom-mended for supplemental prey in Mississippi ponds:

Fathead Minnows — good prey for bass withno negative impacts on the fish community. Butbass feeding quickly eliminates these fish fromMississippi ponds, and you have to restock them

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19

Buy threadfin only from li-censed distributors to ensureproper species identification.Never collect shad from the wild,because it is very difficult todistinguish threadfin shadfrom gizzard shad! Do not stockgizzard in ponds because they tendto grow too big for bass to eat; theycan overpopulate and will competewith other prey species.

Producing big bass requires acommitment to proper harvest ofbass. Do not harvest bass the first2 years after stocking. Beginningin year 3, harvest 15 (30 forfertilized ponds) pounds ofbass per acre each year that arefewer than 12 inches. Removingthese small bass reduces competi-tion with remaining bass, provid-ing more food for those thatremain. Also, remove 5 pounds(10 for fertilized ponds) of bassper acre that are 12 to 15inches each year. Release all bassover 15 inches unless you har-vested them as trophies. Harvestbream as desired. Important: Sup-plying additional food alone willnot produce trophy bass. Bass har-vest must occur consistently!

0

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Bluegill

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Balanced population

Bass-crowded population

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Figure 8. You can construct simple bar graphs such as these from fishing catch data ifyou keep good records. These bar graphs are important management tools you canuse to diagnose population balance problems.

often. It is best to stock this species fall tospring, when water temperatures are cooler. readfin Shad — excellent forage fish forlargemouth bass and provide abundant prey yearafter year. readfin shad are cold sensitive anddie when water temperatures fall below 36 °F.is may occasionally result in threadfin shaddie-offs in northern Mississippi during the cold-est winters. readfin shad will need to be re-stocked the following spring. readfin shadmay compete some with bream, so stock themonly in ponds where you want trophy bass.

The biggest mistake in

bass management is

catch and release of

all bass. Small bass

need to be harvested

to allow more food

for fast growth of

intermediate-sized bass.

Crappie ManagementWe do not advocate stocking crappie in pondssmaller than 50 acres. But many ponds have crap-pie already, and many people do not wish to reno-vate the pond and stock the recommended species.Although bass and bream ponds may produce goodfishing with crappie for several years after stocking,the eventual result is a pond with small, skinny bass,small, skinny crappie, and small, skinny bream.

If you have a pond with crappie, you canmanage it to produce decent crappie fishing.e secret is to maintain a population of manysmall bass, which eat most of the crappie re-production. us, the few crappie that survive cangrow to larger sizes. But you will not grow manylarge bass using this approach. Catch and removeall largemouth bass that are longer than 15inches, and return all smaller bass to the pond.Fish for crappie often, and never throw a crappieback in the pond. If bass catch rates decline or crap-pie appear skinny and slow growing, stock 35 to 50bass (10 to 12 inches long) per acre to eat morecrappie. If possible, use a drawdown every winter toconcentrate the fish and make it easier for bass tocatch and eat crappie. See the section on Draw-downs for more information.

CONTROLLING AQUATIC VEGETATIONAquatic plants fulfill many natural functions and arevital in aquatic and wetland environments. Someaquatic plants are desirable and serve as foodsources for waterfowl and other wildlife, habitat forfish, and a substrate and food source for inverte-brates (such as insects and snails). Some plants maybecome too plentiful and interfere with fishing,swimming, and boating in private ponds and lakes.Many plant species should be controlled only whenthey become pests by interfering with the preferreduse of a particular pond or lake. Others, particularlynonnative species, must be dealt withwhen they first appear.

Prevention should always beyour first action, if practical, sinceit is usually easier and cheaper toprevent an aquatic weed problemthan it is to cure one. Preventivemethods include proper pond location,design, construction, and drawdown.Refer to the sections on Site Selection,Pond Construction, and Drawdowns forspecific details on these aquatic weed

20

prevention measures. Also, stocking five triploidgrass carp per surface acre into ponds that donot have weed problems helps prevent weedsfrom becoming established. If you use properpreventive methods, aquatic weeds are seldom aproblem.

If aquatic weeds become a problem, you cancontrol them through physical, mechanical, bio-logical, and chemical methods. Each method hasadvantages and disadvantages, and combining meth-ods into an integrated weed control plan is usuallymost effective.

If you have a weed problem in your pond,follow these steps in aquatic weed control:• Identify the problem weed.• Choose the most economical and efficient

control method or combination of methods.A combination of techniques usually providesthe best long-term control.

• If you select a chemical method of control,be sure it is economical, safe, and effective.Calculate pond area or volume to be treated, andfollow label instructions.

• Pay close attention to use restrictions fol-lowing herbicide treatment.

Physical ControlRooted plants cannot grow where sunlight does notreach the bottom, so deepening shallow pond edgesso they drop quickly to 3 feet deep is an effectivemeans of reducing weed coverage. Use a 3:1 (1 footincrease in depth for each 3 feet from shore) slopeso the bank remains stable and does not collapse.

Another physical technique, called a drawdown(a reduction in water level), can be effective and eco-nomical in controlling many kinds of aquatic weeds.For detailed information on winter drawdowns, seethe Drawdown section in this booklet or request Ex-tension Information Sheet 1501 Winter Drawdown:A Useful Management Tool for Mississippi Farm Pondsfrom your county Extension agent.

You can use pond dyes to control submersedaquatic weeds by shading the plants so they do not get enough sunlight. Use dyes only in pondsthat have little outflow, since flowing water washesthe dye out of the pond. Also, dye reduces pond productivity and should not be used in ponds thatare fertilized.

Although pond liners are a form of physical con-trol sometimes used for aquaculture and municipalponds, they are generally too expensive and imprac-tical for private ponds.

Mechanical Control is may be as simple as cutting a willow tree or re-moving a few unwanted plants (such as cattails) thathave just gotten started along the water margin, orit may involve raking or seining algae on the bottomor free-floating at the surface. While cutting and re-moving a few plants by hand can be effective insmall and limited areas, mechanical aquatic weedcontrol on a large scale is generally difficult and im-practical. Mechanical plant removal is usually not apermanent solution, as plants may grow quickly andrecolonize, but it can be used to clear the majority ofplants to improve effectiveness of other techniquessuch as biological or chemical control.

Biological Control Biological control uses an animal or other living or-ganism to control the weeds. Biological control hasmany advantages over other weed control means. Ittakes much less human effort than most mechanicalcontrol means and does not require expensive andsometimes hazardous aquatic herbicides. And usinganimals provides longer-term control than othermeans, since the animals usually live several years.Triploid grass carp (white amur) from Chinaare commonly used for aquatic weed control.

How much vegetation grass carp will consumedepends on several environmental conditions, suchas water temperature, water chemistry, and the kindsof plants available. Consumption rates also vary withfish size. For example, until they reach weights ofabout 6 pounds, grass carp may eat 100 percent oftheir body weight in vegetation per day. As they growlarger, consumption decreases; up to about 13pounds, they will eat 75 percent of their body weightper day, and above 13 pounds, they slow down toabout 25 percent of body weight per day.

Grass carp prefer soft, low-fiber aquaticweeds such as duckweed and various underwa-ter plants. But grass carp cannot necessarilycontrol some of the plant species they “prefer”

21

to eat. ese plants grow very quickly, and grasscarp may not be able to eat them quickly enough.Duckweed is a good example of a plant that grasscarp love but usually cannot control. One solution isto increase the density of grass carp, but this carriesits own risks. In cases where 15 or more grasscarp per acre are stocked, it is a good idea toremove many of these fish once weeds are con-trolled.

Table 4 lists plants that grass carp typicallycontrol. If the species of plants they want are notavailable, carp feed on new growth of less-desirableplants and on plants above the water surface. It isthis strong appetite for plants that makes grass carpuseful in controlling aquatic weeds.

e number of grass carp required to controlweed problems varies, depending on the degree ofweed infestation, kind of weed, size of pond or lake,and size of fish stocked. e general rule in farmponds is to stock enough grass carp to control theweeds in one to two seasons but not so many thatthey quickly eat all vegetation. e best approach isto consider the grass carp as a weed maintenancetool rather than a total elimination tool.

For most farm pond situations where weedshave already become a problem, 5 to 10 grasscarp per surface acre usually achieve desiredweed control. In ponds with severe weed problems,higher rates of 15 to 20 grass carp per acre may benecessary for plant control. In such cases, it is some-times more effective to treat the pond chemicallywith an herbicide first, and then stock moderatenumbers of grass carp to prevent weed regrowth.You can get assistance in diagnosing the situation bycontacting your county Extension agent or a fish-eries biologist from other state or federal agencies.

In new ponds where you stock triploidgrass carp for weed prevention, five fish peracre usually is sufficient. Grass carp are very goodat preventing weed establishment, and even eatnonpreferred plant species when they first begin togrow and are still soft and tender. In new ponds, fin-gerling triploid grass carp may be successfully

22

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23

stocked anytime before the bass are stocked. Oncebass are present, however, you must stocktriploid grass carp that are at least 8 incheslong to ensure bass cannot eat them. Althoughthis size fish costs more, larger fish are necessary forthem to survive.

Although regular “diploid” grass carp will not re-produce in ponds, they may reproduce if they arewashed downstream into rivers. ey can have envi-ronmental impacts on native plants and animals, somany states have restricted or prohibited the use ofgrass carp. ey are not permitted for control ofplants in farm ponds in Mississippi. Triploid grasscarp are sterile, so they cannot reproduce if they es-cape into the wild. Only triploid grass carpshould be stocked in Mississippi ponds.

Chemical Control Identifying a problem weed is the first step tocontrolling it. Herbicides are generally species spe-cific, meaning they are effective only on certainplants. Herbicides are expensive, so it would not bewise to randomly select an aquatic-approved herbi-cide, since it may not be effective.

Chemical control requires using aquatic herbi-cides (and surfactants) that have met strict Environ-mental Protection Agency (EPA) standards for use inan aquatic environment. e herbicides are of lowtoxicity to fish and wildlife (and humans) when usedaccording to guidelines, rates, and restrictions speci-fied on the label for each herbicide. Some herbicideshave limited livestock (cattle) restrictions beforereentry into treated areas and limited irrigation useimmediately following treatment.

Chemical control has its limitations. Applyingherbicides may require specialized equipment andexpertise. Some herbicides can be very expensive,and some may not provide prolonged weed control.Rooted aquatic plants usually develop in water thatis too shallow or too clear. Even after treatment ofthe vegetation, the conditions may still be presentfor aquatic weed recolonization. Return of the sameor another weed problem is often likely, requiringmore applications of herbicides. It is important toeliminate the conditions that encourage thegrowth and spread of aquatic plants.

Before using any chemical control, cor-rectly identify the aquatic weed to be treatedso you can select the most effective and eco-nomical herbicide. For assistance with aquaticweed identification, contact the Mississippi StateUniversity Extension Service (your county agent),the Natural Resources Conservation Service, or theMississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, andParks. In most cases, you can ship or mail a sampleof your weed in a Ziploc® bag wrapped in a damp(but not wet!) paper towel to any one of these of-fices, and a biologist can make an accurate identifica-tion. You can also email close-up, clear, detaileddigital photos to these agencies for proper plantidentification and recommendations.

Table 4 lists many of the common aquatic weedsthat occur in Mississippi and the herbicides that areusually effective in their control. Table 5 lists the userestrictions for the herbicides listed in Table 4. Youmust know the surface area and/or volume ofwater in the pond, since the amount of herbi-cide to use is determined by either the surfacearea or water volume to be treated. Pond vol-

Box 1. Useful calculations and conversion factors of herbicide application.

Calculations for amount of herbicide needed on basis of parts per million by weight (ppmw)Volume of pond: V (acre-feet) = A x D Ditch or canal: W = A x L x C x 0.0000625 Lake or pond: W = A x D x C x 2.71

SymbolsA = Pond surface area (acres) D = Average pond depth (feet) W = Pounds of active ingredient neededL = Length of channel (feet) C = Desired concentration of herbicide in parts per million by weight (ppmw)

Useful conversion factors1 acre = 43,560 feet2

1 acre-foot = 43,560 feet3

1 foot3 = 7.48 gallons1 gallon = 4 quarts1 quart = 2 pints1 pint = 2 cups1 cup = 8 fluid ounces1 pound = 16 ounces

Conversion for various volumes to attain one part per million (ppm)Amount active ingredient Per unit of volume2.71 pounds acre-foot0.000998 ounces cubic foot8.34 pounds million gallons

Consult your county Extension agent, NRCS representative, or regional MDWFPoffice for assistance with determining herbicide dosages and pond volumes.

24

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25

ume is determined by multiplying the surfaceacreage by the average depth of the pond, and ismeasured in acre-feet. Several important calcula-tions are provided in Box 1. For additional assis-tance in calculating treatment levels and pondvolumes, request Information Sheet 673 CommonCalculations Used in Fish Pond and Lake Managementfrom your county Extension agent.

For effective aquatic weed control, youmust select the appropriate herbicide andapply it properly. Some herbicides may be used di-rectly from the container; others must be mixedwith water or with water plus a surfactant beforebeing used. Use care when selecting a surfactant, be-cause ionic surfactants (detergents) are not legal foraquatic use and may kill fish. Always follow label in-structions and precautions when applying herbi-cides. Some may be applied by hand (low volume,spot spray), while others require the use of powersprayers (high volume, tank mix) or drip lines. Time of Applicatione time to apply herbicides is very important. Usu-ally, treatments applied in the spring or earlysummer when the weeds are actively growingbring the best results. Herbicide applications inthe late summer and fall are generally less effectivefor many species. Failure to control some problemaquatic plants can result in an increase in the af-fected area requiring treatment. Many of theseplants make mature seeds by midsummer thatsprout the following year.

In hot weather, be careful not to depleteoxygen by killing too many weeds at one time.Low dissolved oxygen levels can result from the nat-ural decay of treated (killed) aquatic plants. Fish killsmay result if the dissolved oxygen level becomes toolow in your pond. It is seldom safe to treat morethan half the pond at one time in the summerunless you are treating marginal aquaticweeds.

A good rule to prevent oxygen depletion is to treat one-third of the pond; wait

1 week, and then treat another one-third of the pond;

wait a week, and treat the remaining one-third.

For many types of marginal (shoreline) vegeta-tion problems, you may simply spot treat as neededto maintain good control. On older ponds and lakeswhere aquatic vegetation is well established, seekprofessional help to gain the control you need.

It is against federal law to use any chemicalother than aquatic herbicides approved andregistered by the EPA. Improper use of chemicalsmay result in serious environmental damage, fishkills, contaminated water supplies, and danger tohuman health.

Diuron (Karmex®) is not approved for generalaquatic use. Never apply it to recreational fish-ing ponds. It is also illegal to use Round-Up® inwater, and Round-Up® in ponds may kill fish.

e legal aquatic herbicides listed in Table 4 arefor educational purposes only and generally repre-sent various products on the market at the time ofpublication. Reference to commercial products ortrade names is not an endorsement and is madewith the understanding that no discrimination is intended against other labeled products that mayalso be suitable or become available in the future.Read and observe label precautions beforeusing any chemical in an aquatic environment.

Common Problem PlantsPlant Growth FormsAquatic plants can be generally classified into twogroups. e algae are primitive plants that have notrue roots, stems, or leaves, and do not produceflowers or seeds. e higher, more advanced group isthe vascular plants, which usually have roots, stems,and leaves, and produce flowers and seeds.

e algae come in many forms but can be gener-ally classified as 1) planktonic – microscopic simpleplants (not all are true plants) suspended in thewater or floating on the surface as “scums,” 2) fila-mentous and colonial – long strands, mats, clumps, orwebs of algae that may start growing from the pondbottom and then rise to the surface to form mats,and 3) macroalgae – a more advanced group that re-sembles vascular plants in growth habits.

e vascular plants typically exhibit one ormore of three potential growth forms—submersed,emergent, or floating—and are often categorizedusing these criteria.

Submersed plants spend their entire life cycles ator below the surface of the water, although theflower parts of the plants may extend above the sur-face of the water. Usually the plants are rooted inthe soil, but masses of plants may tear loose and

26

float free in the water. Some submersed plants mayappear to be emergent or floating plants, particu-larly when support structures for flowers are pres-ent. Some of the most noxious aquatic plant speciesare submersed.

Emergent plants are rooted in the bottom soil,and their leaves, stems, and flowers extend abovethe surface of the water. Many can grow in bothaquatic and terrestrial environments. ese plantsare rigid and do not require the water for support.Many emergent plants may appear as submersedplants during the early growing season before they“top out,” and a few species may remain submersedindefinitely. In addition, a few may form extensivefloating mats and, therefore, appear to be floatingplants. Emergent plants are typically marginal ex-cept in water bodies that have extensive shallowwater, or where they form mats that extend out todeeper water.

Floating plants include both free-floating plantsnot rooted or attached to the bottom soil and thefloating-leaf plants with roots that attach to the bottom, stems that extend toward the surface, andleaves that float on the surface. A few species maymature to have leaves that extend well above thesurface, making them appear more like emergentplants. Likewise, some species of floating plants mayappear to be submersed plants during certain sea-sons, growth stages, or under certain environmentalconditions.

ere are many species and subspecies, and ac-curate identification is critical for selecting a controlmethod. Appendix A has photos of some com-mon plant species in Mississippi ponds.

LIMING PONDSJust like many gardens in Mississippi, some pondscan benefit from the occasional addition of agricul-tural limestone. is is true for ponds that have analkalinity less than 20 ppm. Ponds with low alkalin-ity are unproductive, even when sufficient nutrientsare in the water either naturally or because the pondis fertilized. Fertilizing a pond with alkalinityless than 20 ppm is a waste of time and money.

What is alkalinity?Alkalinity is the measure of the buffering capacity ofthe water. In waters with low alkalinity, pH mightfluctuate from 6 or lower to as high as 10 or aboveevery day, which can make fish sick or grow slowly.Alkalinity is related to hardness, so soft water (lowhardness) usually has low alkalinity.

What is the recommended alkalinity?For fish production and health, alkalinity of atleast 20 ppm is recommended. Greater produc-tion in bass-bluegill ponds is attained in high alka-linity waters because this buffering capacity makesphosphorus and other essential nutrients moreavailable to the plankton. Also, fish are stressed byextremes in pH and by rapid changes in pH and tendto grow more slowly and be more susceptible to ill-ness when alkalinity is low. After oxygen, poor waterchemistry is the next-most common cause of fishkills in ponds. When alkalinity is very low, stressedfish may die during weather changes and rainevents, with a few fish of all species dying each day.A pH value between 6.5 and 9.0 is optimum for fishponds.

Alkalinity testing kits are widely available atmany pool and spa stores and at county agricultureco-ops. ese test kits are easy to use. Also, mostcounty MSU Extension offices or NRCS Service Centers can test water alkalinity.

Note: When treating algae using a copper-containing compound, a minimum alkalinity of 50 ppm is required to prevent copper toxicity that may kill fish.

What if alkalinity is less than 20 ppm?For ponds with alkalinity less than 20 ppm, pondhealth can be substantially improved by increasingalkalinity. e most common method of increas-ing alkalinity in waters is by adding agricul-tural limestone (calcium carbonate). Addinglime to these ponds elevates alkalinity and increasespH in the water. Neutralization of bottom soil withlime prevents phosphate from adhering to it,thereby increasing phosphorus concentrations inthe water (the primary nutrient in ponds). As a re-sult of these changes in water quality, phytoplank-ton blooms develop, and pH fluctuates less.

If a pond has a high rate of water flow in andout, liming may not be a solution. Such a pond has a low water retention time, and the lime washes out quickly.

Soil Testing If you are building a new pond, have the MSUExtension Soil Testing Laboratory test the soilto determine how much lime is needed beforefilling the pond. Soil sample boxes, instructions,and information sheets are available at your countyExtension office.

The soil analysis report from the MSU Soil Testing Labo-ratory will provide a liming recommendation in tons peracre. However, this recommendation is for pure cal-cium carbonate, which is 100% active. Commercial lim-ing materials vary in their ability to neutralize soil dueto chemistry and particle size.

The neutralizing value (NV) depends on the chemi-cal itself. Pure calcium carbonate has an NV of 100. Agri-cultural limestone may have NV values between 85 and109 depending on its specific chemical composition.

The neutralizing efficiency (NE) of agricultural lime-stone depends on the fineness of the mixture. Finelycrushed agricultural limestone contains different sizes ofparticles. Small particles dissolve more quickly and com-pletely and are more reactive than larger particles.

The liming requirement (from the soil test), NV, andNE (ask limestone distributor for both values) can beused to calculate the precise amount of lime needed asshown below. If either of these values is not available,use NV = 0.85 and NE = 0.75 as a conservative estimate.

Liming RequirementTons needed =

(NV × NE)

Example:CaCO3 recommendation: 3 tons/ac

Crushed lime NV: 0.85Crushed lime NE: 0.75

3 tons/acreTons needed =

(0.85 × 0.75)= 4.7 tons/acre

Multiply 4.7 by the surface acreage of water to get total lime requirement.

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Here is how to sample pond soils:

• If pond is larger than 3 acres, partition the pondinto 3-acre blocks, and sample each block sepa-rately. (If the pond is fewer than 3 acres, collectthree samples per acre.)

• Collect about a pint of soil from each of 10 loca-tions per block.

• oroughly mix the 10 samples together in abucket.

• Take one sample from the mixture and air-dry.Place this sample in a soil sample box and sub-mit to the Soil Testing Lab at Mississippi StateUniversity. Be sure to indicate in the “cropgrown?” window on the submission form thatthis sample is for a farm pond (Code 50).

• Repeat this procedure for each 3-acre block inthe pond. e sample will be analyzed, and youwill receive a report indicating if your pondneeds lime and how much to apply. Importantnote: this liming recommendation will needto be adjusted based on the agriculturallimestone available in your area. See Box 2for information on conversion.

To collect a soil sample from a pond containingwater, use a tin can nailed perpendicular on a longstick (depends on pond depth) or a long PVC pipe tocollect bottom mud. Use an S-shaped pattern to col-lect samples as described above.

Ponds in the Delta generally do not need addi-tional lime, and ponds in the Black Belt and thick andthin loess soils need only small amounts. Ponds in thered clay hills of north and central Mississippi usuallyneed 2 tons of lime per acre, and the sandy soils ofsouth Mississippi usually need from 2 to 3 tons oflime per acre (see Figure 9).

Liming AgentsOnly agricultural limestone should be used for exist-ing ponds with fish populations. is is the sameform of lime farmers use on their crop and pastureland. You can buy it in bulk or bag form. Never usequicklime, hydrated lime, slaked lime,builder’s lime, or other more potent limingagents! ese other forms are different chemi-cal compounds that are very caustic and maykill fish.

When to ApplyIt is best to lime the pond in fall or winter atleast 2 months before the growing season. Lim-

ing a pond in the spring increases pH, removes solu-ble phosphorus, and reduces free carbon dioxide.is affects the productivity of the pond. By limingthe pond in the fall or winter, it has time to equili-brate before the growing season.

Lime ApplicationIt is easiest to apply lime when the pond is dry. Forthe lime to be effective, spread it evenly over the en-tire pond bottom. To accomplish this, a spreadertruck or tractor spreader can be driven along thepond bottom, or the lime can be spread by hand. It isnot necessary to disc the lime into the soil, but thisaccelerates its neutralizing activity.

Box 2. Conversion of soil testing laboratory lime recom-mendations to specific liming materials.

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It is more difficult to apply lime in ponds thatare full of water, but this is more often when pondsare limed. e lime needs to be spread acrossthe entire pond surface as evenly as possible.Remember, you are liming the soil, not thewater! For small ponds (smaller than 1 acre), it may be possible to back the spreader truck up to the pond in several locations and broadcast the lime.

Figure 9. Location of major soil types in Mississippi.

Fertilizer stimulates growth of microscopicplants, called phytoplankton. Phytoplankton formsthe base of the food chain, and small animals eatthese small plants and serve as food for bream,which in turn are eaten by bass. Phytoplanktonmakes the water turn green, or “bloom,” which alsoshades the bottom and discourages growth of trou-blesome aquatic weeds.

Most ponds should not be fertilized. If onlya few people fish a larger pond, it does not necessar-ily need fertilization to have good fishing. But in aheavily fished pond, proper fertilization producesthe best fishing. Fertilization significantly increasesthe total weight of fish produced in a pond, increas-

For larger ponds, it will be necessary to loadthe lime onto a boat or barge and then shovelor wash the lime uniformly into the pond.

If you have one or two johnboats, you canmake a simple liming barge. One boat workswell but cannot handle very much lime at atime. Two boats tied together are better, be-cause these boats can handle more lime pertrip. Attach a large sheet of heavy plywood (½inch or larger) across the bow of the boat(s),and load a safe amount of lime. You canshovel the lime across the pond or use a spraywasher. Using a standard water or trashpump, pull water from the pond and sprayacross the lime pile, washing it into the pond.

A lime treatment usually lasts from 2to 5 years, depending on how muchwater flows through the pond and howacidic the bottom soils are. A methodthat usually works well is to apply thelime the soil testing report calls for, thenapply a fourth that amount each year tobe sure the lime requirement continuesto be satisfied.

TO FERTILIZE OR NOT TO FERTILIZE?e decision of whether to fertilize afishing pond should be considered verycarefully. Proper fertilization significantlyincreases the total weight of fish produced ina pond, often by as much as three to fourtimes. But there are many reasons not to fer-tilize, including potential water quality is-sues, high expense, and the fact that it is along-term commitment. Consider the follow-ing when making your decisions.

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ing the number of fish that need to be harvested. Infertilized ponds, increase harvest to 30 poundsof small bass (< 13 inches) per acre each year,and remove 90 to 120 pounds of bream per acreeach year in fertilized ponds. Bream harvest canbegin in year 2, and bass harvest should begin inyear 3. In ponds that are not fertilized, only half asmuch harvest is required.

When Not to Fertilize Many Mississippi ponds should not be fertil-ized. Here are some cases where this is true: • Ponds not fished heavily. Fertilizing a large

pond is a waste of time and money if you fish itonly occasionally. You just produce more fishthat aren’t caught, increasing the possibility ofcrowding and slow growth.

• Muddy ponds. Mud keeps sunlight from pass-ing through the water and binds up phosphorusfrom fertilizer. is prevents good planktongrowth. If a pond stays muddy most of the time,do not fertilize the pond until the mud problemis corrected.

• Ponds infested with undesirable fish. If un-desirable fish dominate the pond, renovate thepond, restock, and then begin fertilizing. Re-quest Extension Publication 1954 UsingRotenone to Renovate Fish Populations in FarmPonds for details on renovating farm ponds.

• Ponds infested with weeds. During warmmonths, pond weeds use up the fertilizer the mi-croscopic plants should get. e pond stays cleareven after repeated fertilizer applications, andyou gain more weeds.

• Fish populations out of balance. If the breampopulation is overcrowded, it means there arenot enough bass to keep the bream down. Itwould be counterproductive to fertilize in thiscase.

• Ponds that are fed commercial feed. It is notnecessary to fertilize ponds if you follow a feed-ing program. Commercial feed adds nutrients tothe water, and adding fertilizer can degradewater quality.

• Too much water flow. In some spring-fedponds, too much water flows through the pondto maintain plankton blooms. In this case, fertil-izer constantly being diluted has little positiveeffect.

When to Fertilize Some Mississippi ponds benefit from fertilizer. Hereare some cases where this is true:

• Ponds that are heavily fished. Ponds that re-ceive heavy fishing pressure may be at risk ofoverharvest or poor fishing. Fertilization can in-crease the abundance of fish to compensate forheavy fishing.

• Ponds managed for trophy fish. Producingbig bass relies on overabundant prey and lowbass density. A fertilization program and re-moval of small bass can achieve good results.

Type and Rate of Fertilizer Fertilizer is always marked with three numbers sep-arated by dashes. ese numbers indicate the per-centage of the fertilizer product that is made ofnitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K), re-spectively. A fertilizer with an N-P-K of 13-37-0 is13 percent nitrogen, 37 percent phosphorus, and 0percent potassium. e key ingredient for ponds isphosphorus (middle number), so select a fertilizerwith high phosphorus content.

Several types of fertilizer can be used, and allcan be effective if the pond soil pH and water chem-istry are in the correct ranges. Pond fertilizers areavailable in liquid, granular, or powdered forms. Liq-uid fertilizers dissolve most readily, followed bypowders, and then granular types.

Typical formulations for liquid fertilizers include10-34-0 and 13-37-0. Apply these fertilizers at therate of 1⁄2 to 1 gallon per surface acre, depending onpond location and soil fertility (Table 6). Powdered,highly water-soluble fertilizers, such as 12-49-6 or10-52-0, are available and have proven to be effec-tive and convenient. ese formulations are typi-cally applied at the rate of 2 to 8 pounds per surfaceacre, again depending on pond location and soil fertility (Table 6).

Granular fertilizers are less expensive and areavailable in many formulations. Most older pondsrespond well to a phosphorous-only fertilizer suchas Triple Super Phosphate (0-46-0), which is themost economical formulation. Rates range from 4 to12 pounds per acre per application. In some areas, itmay be difficult to buy 0-46-0, but 0-20-0 is usuallyavailable. If it is, use twice the amount recom-mended for 0-46-0.

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When to Apply Fertilizer Begin fertilization when water temperatureshave stabilized at 60 °F or higher. Usually thistemperature occurs around March 15 in south Mis-sissippi and April 1 in central and north Mississippi.Early fertilization shades the pond bottom andhelps control filamentous algae, a common problemin Mississippi ponds in spring.

Make the first three applications of fertil-izer 2 weeks apart. is should establish a goodbloom. e ideal bloom makes the water green andresults in a visibility of about 18 inches. Use a yard-stick with a white tin can lid on the end to measurethe bloom, or make or buy a Secchi disk (Figure 10).When you can see the lid in 24 inches of water, it istime to fertilize again. is is usually about every 2to 4 weeks. When water temperature drops below 60°F in the fall, stop fertilizing for the year. In general,about 10 to 15 applications of fertilizer are requiredeach year.

How to Apply Fertilizer Never broadcast granular fertilizer,and never apply undiluted liquid fer-tilizer. e fertilizer will rapidly sink tothe bottom and be tied up in soils in-stead of becoming available in the water.You will not achieve a bloom and arewasting your money.

You can broadcast finely pow-dered water-soluble fertilizers intoareas at least 2 feet deep where it willdissolve before reaching the bottom.

If you use granular forms, applythem in a way that minimizes fertil-izer-soil contact. You can do this bymaking fertilizer platforms—one for

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Figure 10. A Secchi disk is useful for measuring water clarity to determine ifyou need more fertilizer.

each 5 to 6 acres of water. Build the platforms so youcan raise or lower them. Pour the right amount offertilizer on the platforms so 4 inches of water cov-ers them. Waves will distribute the fertilizerthroughout the pond.

Building a platform can be difficult in existingponds. An alternative method is simply to placebags containing the needed amount of fertil-izer in shallow water with the top side of thebag cut out. e bags separate soil and fertilizer,and waves dissolve and distribute the fertilizer.

Dilute liquid fertilizer with at least twoparts water to one part fertilizer before appli-cation. In small ponds, you can spray liquids effec-tively from the bank with hand-held sprayers. Boatsmake application easy in larger ponds. You can spraythe diluted fertilizer over the water surface or let itflow into the prop-wash of an outboard motor. Youcan pour or broadcast powdered formulations di-rectly on the water surface.

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New ponds, or those that have never been fertil-ized, sometimes fail to respond to fertilizer, and itcan be difficult to start up a plankton bloom. If yourfirst efforts to produce a bloom with 0-46-0 orother low-nitrogen fertilizer don’t work, evenafter liming the winter before, use a more com-plete (high-nitrogen) fertilizer, such as 20-20-5, at a rate of 40 pounds per acre on thespecified schedule until the pond gets a greenbloom. Continue with a normal application rate ofhigh-phosphorus pond fertilizers after that.

Important Points on Fertilization• Once you start fertilizing, you must

continue fertilization from year to year!Stopping fertilization leaves the pond with toomany fish for the food produced, and fish starveand crowd quickly, resulting in poor conditionand growth.

• Improper fertilization is worse than no fer-tilization. Follow the fertilization recommen-dations in this manual and maintain therecommended bloom density for the entiregrowing season.

• Do not try to kill aquatic plants by applyingfertilizer. Although fertilization can shade thebottom and prevent weed growth, fertilizationafter weeds are established usually just makesmore weeds.

• A bloom should develop after two to three applications. Many Mississippi fish ponds do not develop a satisfactory phytoplankton“bloom” when fertilized at recommended ratesbecause of low soil pH and water alkalinity. Limecan increase fish production in ponds with acidbottom mud and soft water by altering the soilpH and alkalinity of the water. If a bloom doesnot develop after four applications of fertilizer,check for lime requirements, too much wateroutflow, too many weeds, or muddy water.

MUDDY WATERMuddy water limits fish production in ponds be-cause the phytoplankton (single-cell plants) at thebase of the food chain must have sunlight to grow.Silt and mud deposits also cover fish eggs and fill thepond, and most pond fish feed using their sight.

Controlling the erosion in a pond’s watershed isessential for permanent control of most muddywater problems. Consult your local Natural Re-sources Conservation Service office for erosion con-

trol techniques and suggestions. If livestock aremuddying your pond, fence off the pond and installdrinking troughs below the pond. Some fish species,such as bullheads and common carp, can keep apond muddy. In this case, renovate the pond andstart over.

After you have identified and corrected thesource of muddy water, have your MSU Extensionoffice test your pond water for alkalinity. Ponds withlow alkalinity also tend to have low hardness andvariable pH, which can cause clay particles to remain in suspension for long periods of time. If alkalinity is less than 50 ppm, adding agricul-tural limestone may help clear the pond. Spread2 tons of crushed agricultural limestone per surfaceacre following the recommendations presented inthe Liming Ponds section. e limestone dissolvesand releases calcium and magnesium ions that settlethe clay over several weeks. Once the pond iscleared, the small algae begin to grow, and muddywater conditions are unlikely to redevelop.

If alkalinity is above 50 ppm or if addingagricultural limestone does not clear the pond,one of the following methods may help removethe clay from the water: • 500 pounds of organic material per surface acre

such as old hay (approximately 10 square balesper acre broken up and broadcast evenly overthe pond surface), cotton seed husks, compost,or other similar organic material. Be carefulusing organic material in the summer, since decomposition may deplete oxygenand cause fish to die.

• Apply 40 to 90 pounds of alum (aluminum sul-fate) per acre-foot of water. e dosage dependson the severity of the muddy water. Treat mod-erately turbid water (can see about 12 inches inthe water) at 40 pounds per acre-foot, but se-verely turbid water (can see less than 6 inchesinto the water) may require up to 90 pounds peracre-foot. is translates to about 200 to 450pounds of alum per surface acre of water for apond with 5-foot average depth. Alum removesalkalinity from ponds, lowers pH, and can leadto fish kills in ponds with low alkalinity. Tocounteract this, apply hydrated lime at the sametime as alum at half of the alum rate. Hydratedlime by itself can cause fish kills, so be care-ful when using this method to clear ponds.

• Use gypsum (calcium sulfate dihydroxide) at therate of 260 to 600 pounds per acre-foot of water,depending on the severity of the turbidity. is

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translates to about 1,300 to 3,000 pounds ofgypsum per surface acre of water for a pond with5-foot average depth. Spread the gypsum from aboat over the pond surface, and stir with an out-board motor. e gypsum keeps the water clearas long as the gypsum is not washed from thepond. When used according to recommenda-tions, it does not kill fish, change the pH of thewater, or harm livestock. When water clears, youcan return to your regular fertilization program.

FEEDING You do not normally have to feed fish in a healthybream and bass pond to produce good crops of fish.Natural food organisms are typically abundantenough to feed fish. But you can increase growth of bluegill with a supplemental feeding program.Bluegill readily accept feed and can be attractedquickly to feeding areas.

Always feed small ponds stocked at highdensity with channel catfish or hybrid sunfishto maximize fish growth. Not feeding givespoor results. Here are some points to considerabout feeding: • Feed at the same time and place each day.

• Use floating feed, with a pellet size small enoughto be easily eaten.

• Never feed more than the fish will eat in 5 to 10minutes. Keep in mind that uneaten feed maypollute the water.

• If fish quit eating, stop feeding for a few days.Watch for signs of disease.

• Do not feed in very cold or very hot water.

• Reduce the feeding rate as winter approaches toabout one-fourth of the feed rate of the previoussummer.

• Automatic feeders give good growth resultswhere small ponds are unattended for long periods.

• Do not try to feed fish up to large sizes withoutsome harvest to reduce the number of fish. Oth-erwise, crowded large fish may become diseasedand die.

Following these simple rules will provide goodgrowth rates while minimizing the risks of deterio-rating water quality.

DRAWDOWNS One of the most useful and inexpensive pond man-agement practices is called a “winter drawdown.”Water levels are reduced in a pond to some pre-determined level, generally exposing 35 to 50percent of the pond-bottom area. Winter draw-downs can be useful in controlling aquatic weedsand can help manipulate fish populations. ey arealso useful when repairing, redesigning, and limingponds. To perform a winter drawdown, make surethe pond has a drain pipe that lets the water levelsbe lowered and kept down throughout the winter.Ponds without a drainpipe can be retrofitted; de-tailed information on how to do this is availablethrough your county Natural Resources Conserva-tion Service office.

Drawdown for Aquatic Weed Control Aquatic weed problems are common in farm pondsand usually are challenging to manage. Of the fourbasic weed control methods (physical, mechanical,biological, and chemical), physical control can be theleast expensive and most convenient if it consists ofa winter drawdown. Winter drawdown exposesweeds to air-drying and freezing temperatures. iscan be an effective weed control technique, espe-cially if done in successive years.

For effective weed control, drop the water levelof the pond to expose aquatic weeds in the moreshallow portions of the pond. Usually, water levelsare reduced enough to expose 35 to 50 percent ofthe pond bottom, but this percentage may varygreatly, depending on topography and design of thepond. Maximum drawdown should be accom-plished by mid- to late November, and thewater level should remain low through Febru-ary. Spring rains will fill the pond.

33

If necessary, deepen the shoreline to 3 feet deepwhile water levels are reduced. is reduces the likeli-hood of weeds returning. After reflooding, if weedspersist and begin to sprout, apply an appropriateherbicide. e combination of a winter drawdown,shoreline deepening, and effective early spring herbi-cide application usually eliminates or greatly reducesaquatic weed infestations.

Drawdown for Fish Management Winter drawdown is also a good fish populationmanagement technique in largemouth bass/bluegillponds. By reducing the water level and pond area,you drive forage fish, such as bluegill, out of shallowwater refuges and concentrate them in open water,making them more available for bass to eat. is is agood technique to use in ponds having “crowdedbluegill” but still containing viable bass populations.

e increased feeding by largemouth bass onbluegill reduces bluegill numbers and provides morefood for the bass. Routine annual drawdowns canhelp maintain a balanced bass/bluegill fishery.

Drawdowns can make bass-crowded situationsworse. If you have a bass-crowded pond, follow therecommendations in the Managing section, and donot use winter drawdowns until pond balance is re-stored.

Winter drawdown also provides a good opportu-nity to do repairs on piers, docks, and boat ramps, aswell as minor dam repairs and shoreline renovation.Fish attractors, such as brush tops and gravel beds,can be more easily put in place while the water isdown, and this is a good time to deepen edges to therecommended minimum depth of 3 feet. You can usedirt from the shoreline-deepening operation to buildearthen piers at various locations around the pond.ese piers increase the shoreline area of the pondand provide increased access for fishing.

In most farm ponds, lowering the waterlevel 2 to 4 feet usually exposes the proper per-centage of the pond bottom. You must considerthe topography of the pond, amount of shallowwater, and pond shape and design. Reach the maxi-mum depth of drawdown by late November, and letthe water remain down through February. In southMississippi, the stand pipe can be raised a little ear-lier, perhaps mid-February, to let the pond refill andnot hamper bass spawning activities that begin ear-lier in that part of the state.

Winter drawdown can be a useful tool if you doit properly. It poses no threat to the fish populationand costs nothing if the pond is equipped with a

water control structure. Drawdowns should be doneonly in the winter—never in summer! e extremetemperatures in Mississippi summers, coupled withthe increased activity level of fish and reduced oxy-gen levels in warm water, will likely result in fishkills in a summer drawdown.

UNEXPECTED FISH KILLSOccasionally, a fish kill occurs in farm ponds becauseof water quality problems, infectious disease,swarming fire ants (in the spring), or misused agri-cultural chemicals (pesticides). In some cases, thelosses may be enough to affect the balance of thefish population. Get professional help to evalu-ate the fish population balance after a fish kill.In many cases, a phone call will provide enoughinformation.

Oxygen Depletions and Pond TurnoversBy far the most frequent cause of fish kills infarm ponds is low oxygen. Low oxygen can be theresult of two separate phenomena in ponds. efirst is simple oxygen depletion, which usually oc-curs July through September in the time of highestwater temperature. Dieoffs caused by low dissolvedoxygen levels result from natural biologicalprocesses, and preventive measures are rarely effi-cient except for running an expensive aerator everynight.

Following are factors that can contribute to low oxygen levels:

• Dense plankton blooms or dense stands of pondweeds.

• Several days of cloudy weather that reduce plantoxygen production.

• High temperatures, which decrease the solubilityof oxygen in water and increase oxygen con-sumption by plants and animals.

• Sudden die-off of plants or algae, especially asso-ciated with herbicide use.

• Unusual weather patterns, such as storm frontsand heavy, cold rain.

• Overstocking fish, excessive fertilization, or highfeeding rates.

• Input of organic matter, such as hay, straw, orcottonseed meal for turbidity or algae control,and materials such as animal manure or sewage.

Another condition, often called “pond turnover,” canoccur after heavy cold rains in late spring to early

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event early enough, you may be able to save somefish by using emergency aeration. A powerhouse-typeaerator works great, but most people don’t have ac-cess to aquaculture equipment. You can back a boatwith an outboard motor halfway into the pond and

tilt the motor at a 45-degree angle tothe water surface. Run the motor athigh speed to move a “rooster tail” ofwater into the air and across thepond. Any technique that mixeswater and air can help provide anoxygen refuge for fish.

Following a severe fish kill, somefingerling fish usually survive, butovercrowding bream tends to follow.After a severe fish kill, contact afisheries biologist to assess thestatus of your fish population.

pH and Mineral ProblemsPoor water chemistry is the secondleading cause of fish death in Missis-sippi ponds. Fish in acidic water withlow alkalinity and hardness are morelikely to get sick, especially duringtimes of stress, such as spawningseason or periods of rapid tempera-

ture change. A few fish, usually of different species(although catfish are especially sensitive), die everyday, and many may have sores or lesions. If this isthe case, have your pond water alkalinity measuredto determine if agricultural limestone is needed.Liming increases the dissolved minerals in thewater, which reduces stress on the fish. See the sec-tion on Liming Ponds for more information.

Infectious Diseases and Parasites Bream and bass generally do not have significantproblems with infectious diseases in well-balancedponds, although you may see an occasional sore onindividual fish during spawning season or after aninjury. is is normal, and these external sores donot pose any health hazard to humans.

e one known exception is Largemouth BassVirus (LMBV), which is not common in Mississippiponds. is virus becomes evident during the hotsummer, when largemouth bass are seen sick or deadon the surface and around the pond. A few bass dieevery day during warm weather, and larger fish seemto be more affected. When water temperatures coolin September/October, no more fish die from thevirus, but the virus persists in the pond. e bestway to avoid LMBV and other health problems is to

Figure 11. Stratification of water layers in pond during summer.

Surface layers contain high levels of oxygen pro-duced by the phytoplankton. e cooler bottom lay-ers are cut off from the surface layers and theirsources of oxygen, so oxygen levels drop over timebecause of normal biological processes. In fact, thesedeep waters can actually develop an “oxygen de-mand,” which is like having negative oxygen levels.When a heavy, cold rain enters the pond, or whenthere are sustained high winds, it mixes the two lay-ers of water. When this occurs, oxygen levelsthroughout the pond may drop too low for fish tosurvive.

A severe mixing event can kill nearly everyfish larger than an inch or two in one night. Itis not uncommon to find large dead fish on dry landin the watershed above the pond following aturnover. ese fish swam up the incoming rain wa-ters seeking oxygen. Adult fish die first, and inter-mediate-sized fish follow if the oxygen levels are toolow or if low oxygen conditions continue for manydays.

Usually, by the time you recognize there is anoxygen problem, it is too late to save your fish. Butan early symptom of a low-dissolved oxygen level isfish at the surface of the pond at sunrise. Fish appearto be “gasping for air.” If you discover the low oxygen

fall when temperatures drop suddenly. During calm,hot days, the pond develops temperature layerscalled “stratification.” e layer of water at the sur-face is exposed to the sun and warms quickly. iswarm layer weighs less than the cool water below, sothese layers do not mix (Figure 11).

35

follow stocking recommendations and to avoidstocking fish from other natural systems.

Occasionally, bass and bream have smallwhite or yellowish grubs imbedded in the flesh.ese grubs, although not pleasant to look at,pose no threat to humans. You can trim awaythe affected area, and the rest of the fish issafe to eat if properly cooked.

Infectious diseases and parasites of channel cat-fish are common problems in catfish ponds. Over-stocking, inconsistent feeding, and poor waterquality contribute to this in recreational ponds. Dis-ease and parasite problems of catfish rarely occurwhen you use low stocking densities (100 to 150 peracre). Stress from handling may cause die-offs of fishwithin 2 weeks of stocking new or establishedponds.

If you choose to stock catfish at rateshigher than recommended (100 to 150 peracre), plan to cope with problems that mayoccur. Your county agent can provide you with In-formation Sheet 667 Selecting and Shipping Samplesto Determine Cause of Fish Kills and help you ship cat-fish samples to Mississippi State University diagnos-tic laboratories. You must arrange for someone toreceive your catfish before you ship them. Do notsend fish samples to the Mississippi Department ofWildlife, Fisheries, and Parks or to any agency otherthan the Mississippi State University College of Vet-erinary Medicine.

Fire Ants Fire ants often wash into ponds or fly in duringbreeding swarms, and small and intermediate-sizedbream may die from eating these insects. Bass are

rarely affected. is generally does not hurt thepopulation balance.

Determining Factors in Fish KillsIf possible, send this information and the fishsample to the disease specialist:

• What species and sizes died?

• Number of fish lost since the die-off started.

• Approximate number of fish lost each day.

• Date and time of day the losses started.

• Were fish seen “gasping” at the surface of thewater?

• Size of pond (surface acres).

• Average pond depth.

• Number of fish stocked in the pond.

• Condition and color of the bloom before and after fish kill:

Light – You can see at least 18 inches deep, andthe pond has no accumulation of algae in thecorners or on the downwind side. Moderate – You can see 12 to 15 inches deep,and the pond may have some algae in the cor-ners or on the downwind side. Heavy – You can see no more than 12 inchesdeep.

Transporting and Shipping Samples Arrange for shipping and delivery. Samples

should arrive at the lab within 12 to 18 hours. Callthe lab and provide details on your case and the an-ticipated arrival time. Mississippi State Universityoperates two labs, one on campus (662-325-3432)and one at the Delta Research and Extension Center(662-686-3302).

Place live fish in a plastic bag with no water, andseal it. If you are sending catfish, clip the spines toprevent them from puncturing the bag in transit.en place the bag in an ice chest containingcrushed ice.

If the fish are to be hauled for a short distance,you may place them in a container or ice chest con-taining well-oxygenated water. Add a few chunks ofice to keep the water cool.

You can freeze fish for transport to the lab whenthere is no other way to keep them from spoiling.Frozen samples are hard to work with. Avoid themwhenever possible. Frozen samples are acceptable ifthey are for pesticide analysis.

Immediately ice down all dead fish that are stillacceptable for examination (freshly dead with gillsstill red) to slow further tissue breakdown.

ATTRACTING FISH e primary purpose for many farm ponds in Mis-sissippi is recreational fishing. With proper manage-ment, even small ponds can provide excellentfishing. One of the best ways to enhance thefishing experience is to create fish attractorsat strategic locations in a pond or lake with awell-managed fish population.

Game fish such as bass and bream are attractedto cover or shelter of all types. Shelters provideareas where prey fish can hide from predators andwhere predators can find prey species. ey also pro-vide spawning areas and harbor large numbers of in-vertebrates and insects that small fish feed on.Natural cover that provides shelter for fish includesditches, creeks, trees (standing or tree tops),stumps, vegetation, and other irregular features ofthe bottom. In ponds where natural shelter for fishis missing or is inadequate, you can establish artifi-cial structures to act as fish shelters that will attractand hold fish.

Trees as Fish Attractors You can develop fish shelters that will increasefish harvest and angling success in existingponds with small trees such as blackjack oak,post oak, or cedar. Discarded Christmas treesmake good temporary shelters, but they de-compose quickly and must be replaced often.For small ponds, bushy-crowned trees 10 to 15 feettall are sufficient. You can use larger trees in largerlakes. In ponds smaller than 1 acre, one brush shel-ter is enough. Larger ponds need one or two sheltersper acre.

Select attractor sites anglers can get to. Goodlocations are in water 4 to 8 feet deep nearcreek channels, near points, or at dropoffs.Drive a stake or use a floating buoy to mark theshelter site permanently. Place three to five treesat each location. Green trees will usually sink with-out weights. Some trees, such as cedar, will float.Add weights to these varieties to keep the sheltersin place.

Many new pond sites have trees in the basin.Cut and salvage most of these, then cut and pile orburn them. You can keep some trees, bushes, andbrush piles to use in establishing fish shelters. From10 percent to no more than 25 percent of the pondarea can have some tree shelter.

Leave bushes and trees in deeper water areas,along creek runs, and in the middle of ponds andlakes. Leave the trees in small clumps, then cut thestanding trees about 2 feet above the normal waterlevel, and anchor the brushy tops to the bases of thestumps. e tall stumps serve as permanent mark-ers for the shelter locations. Do not leave trees orbushes in shallow areas, in narrow coves, or alongpond banks, because these areas will become diffi-cult to fish and may develop weed problems. Also,too much cover in shallow water makes it hard forbass to effectively feed on bream and prevents navi-gation of the entire shoreline by boat. Fish will im-mediately inhabit brush-top shelters.

Gravel Beds as Fish Attractors Gravel beds are extremely attractive to breamfor spawning, and bream will use these gravel bedsfrequently throughout the spring and summer (Fig-ure 12). Select an area in water 3 to 4 feet deep

Figure 12. A pea gravel spawning bed has been installed in front ofthis fishing pier during water level drawdown. This gravel bed will at-tract bream during the spawning season, making them easy to catch.

36

that is convenient for fishing. Drive a stake tomark the spot, and place washed gravel (1⁄2-inch diameter) around the stake, creating abed of gravel 4 to 6 inches deep. A 3- to 5-cubic-yard load makes a gravel bed 12 to 15 feet wide.For best results, you can provide a frame to holdthe gravel in place. If the frame is made of treatedlumber or other material that can float, make surethe frame is securely anchored to the bottom. Youcan add gravel beds to flooded sites or strategicallyplace them during drawdowns. Avoid sites thathave a high silt erosion problem.

Other Fish Attractors If trees or brush piles are not available, you canplace other types of structures in the pond to at-tract fish. Developing irregular bottom featuresduring construction, such as ditches and underwa-ter dirt mounds, also provides fish-attracting coverand creates excellent places to fish. Humps thatrise to 3- to 4-feet of depth and are sur-rounded by deeper water are fantastic fish at-tractors, especially in combination with brushpiles or gravel beds.

RENOVATING PONDS e ultimate fate of many farm ponds in Mississippiis an unbalanced fish population that is undesirableto anglers and has little recreational fishing value.Once a fish population reaches such a condi-tion, the best solution is usually to eliminatethe resident fish and restock with a desirablecombination of fish at recommended rates.Consult a fisheries biologist by calling any MDWFPdistrict office to determine the condition of yourpond and the possible need for a complete fish pop-ulation renovation.

e easiest way to renovate a pond is todrain and completely dry the pond. is alsolets you modify the pond or add habitat. If anypools of water remain in the basin, drain or poisonthem, because small fish can survive in these poolsfor a very long time and ruin your renovation at-tempts. Also, many ponds were not constructedwith a drain, and all of the water cannot be re-moved. ese ponds will need to be chemically ren-ovated.

Rotenone is a fish toxicant registered by the Environmental Protection Agency for removing unwanted fish.

37

What Is Rotenone? Rotenone is available at most farm and chemicalsupply stores. It is classified as a “restricteduse pesticide,” and you cannot buy it withouta private pesticide applicator’s certificate.You can get this certificate through yourcounty Extension agent.

Rotenone comes from the roots and stems ofseveral tropical plants. Rotenone has many com-mon and brand names, including Cube, Derris,Fish-Tox, Nox-Fish, Prentox, Nusyn Nox-Fish,rotenone dust, and Chem-Fish.

Rotenone keeps fish from using oxygen,but it does not remove oxygen from the water.Fish in ponds treated with rotenone move to theshallow water or to the surface of deeper watersoon after exposure to the chemical. Fish species re-spond differently to rotenone, so it is a good idea toknow what species you have before you treat thepond.

Rotenone breaks down when exposed to theenvironment. e breakdown is rapid and is af-fected by temperature, light, oxygen, and alkalinity.Most waters are safe for restocking within 5 to 6weeks. In general, the cooler the water, the longerrotenone lasts.

Preparing the Pond You can treat ponds of any size with rotenone, butit can be difficult to spread rotenone for an effec-tive fish kill in larger ponds or lakes. It is also ex-pensive to treat large volumes of water. For thesetwo reasons, you will need to reduce the waterarea and volume as much as possible beforetreating. You can do this by draining the pond aslow as possible with a built-in standpipe, pump, ora siphon device. e less water you have to treat,the more cost-effective the treatment. Also, lower-ing the water level pulls fish out of their shallowwater cover that can be difficult to treat.

How to Apply Rotenone Rotenone is available in a wettable powder or a liq-uid formulation. Liquids are easier to get into solu-tion and are more reliable for total fish kills. eliquid formulations typically contain 5 percentrotenone, although some contain 2.5 or 7 percent.

Treatment rates for a complete kill vary be-tween 0.1 and 3 parts per million rotenone, de-pending on the objective of the pond renovationand the species present (Table 7). All formulationsmust be diluted with water and evenly distributedthroughout the water column. You can spray the

38

chemical over the pond surface or drip it into theprop wash of an outboard motor. e key is to havean even distribution; otherwise, fish may find “safe”areas and not be killed. Application in a random “S”pattern throughout the pond maximizes coverage.

e best time to eradicate fish from a pondfor restocking is late summer or early fall.Water temperatures are at their highest at this time,and the weather is usually dry, allowing easy drain-ing. Killing the fish at this time reduces the time be-tween the kill and the restocking, which minimizesthe chance the pond will be contaminated by un-wanted fish before restocking. is is an importantconsideration, since letting in unwanted species candefeat the purpose for the renovation.

If you drain the pond, it is critical to poisonall remaining puddles to kill any fish there.Many small fish can survive in these pools,puddles, or stump holes for a long time. Youmust kill all fish to have a successful renova-tion. Otherwise, these surviving fish can contami-nate the new fish population, and the renovationwill have been for nothing. For more information onusing rotenone, request Publication 1954 UsingRotenone to Renovate Fish Populations in Farm Pondsfrom your county Extension office.

When to Restock It is important to wait until the rotenone dissi-pates before restocking. If you poison in earlyfall, the rotenone should be detoxified by the timeearly winter rains come to refill the pond. A goodgeneral rule is to wait 1 month. A simple test canhelp determine when it is safe to restock. Place a fewbream (bluegill or redear) in a small cage in the pondor in an aerated container with water from thepond. If the fish survive 24 to 36 hours, it is safe torestock the pond. Do not release these fish intothe pond unless they are part of your restock-ing plan!

NUISANCE SPECIESTurtlesTurtles usually aren’t a biological problem in farmponds, but they might sometimes compete with fishfor food items such as crawfish, insects, or othersmall food items. ey can, though, create a nui-sance to anglers when they are caught on hooks andmust be removed, when they take baits intended forfish on trot lines, or when they eat fish on stringersleft in the water. Turtles also become a problem inponds where fish are being fed, because turtlesquickly learn that fish food tastes good and repre-sents an easy and free meal.

But turtles can be beneficial. eir greatest serv-ice is as scavengers to eat dead fish and other ani-mals or to eliminate diseased or weakened fish.Except for snapping varieties, turtles do not capturemany live fish and should not be considered a prob-lem in this regard.

Before pursuing any type of controlmethod, consider whether or not turtles are agenuine problem in your pond. Unless numbersare high and the interference with other pond usesis severe, it is probably best to leave the turtlesalone. But if you have significant problems, you mayneed to consider removing some turtles.

Shooting turtles as they bask in the sun or asthey swim in the water is an old practice you shouldnever use. Shooting into or across water is dan-gerous! Shooting also creates the possibility ofkilling a protected species, since identification froma distance is impossible. You can’t use repellents ortoxicants, so trapping is the only choice.

Trapping can effectively reduce local popu-lations. e best seasons for trapping arespring, summer, and early fall. Most turtles areinactive through the winter and feed very little,which makes baited traps ineffective during thattime.

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39

Other Problem Animals Many animal species can take up residence on smalllakes and ponds. Beavers, muskrats, nutria, alliga-tors, and geese can be a nuisance or even cause dam-age. Burrowing and damming activities can causedam failure or flood adjacent landowners. Tree cut-ting and flooding can cause loss of valuable timber.Beaver dens or huts may be great places to fish, butit is at the landowner’s expense. Fish attractors cangive the same success with no sacrifices.

Otters can quietly steal your fish at night. Afamily of otters, although cute, can virtually elimi-nate catchable-size fish in a small pond.

e best control is immediate action at the firstsign of these animals living in your lake. For speciessuch as nutria, beavers, and muskrat, trapping is themost effective control. For detailed assistance,contact USDA Wildlife Services (662-325-3014)or your county Extension agent. If an alligatoris residing in your lake, contact your nearestMDWFP office to have this animal removed. Donot make repairs to animal damage until you havecontrolled the problem animals.

OTHER CONSIDERATIONSPrivate Pond Consultants Personnel from the Mississippi StateUniversity Extension Service, NaturalResources Conservation Service, andMississippi Department of Wildlife,Fisheries, and Parks are available toprovide advice free of charge. How-ever, at times you may want to hire aprivate consultant to handle specificmanagement tasks. Several reputablecompanies are licensed to work inMississippi. e guidelines on thenext page were developed by theSouthern Division of the Ameri-can Fisheries Society to help youmake an informed selection ifyou decide to hire a private con-sultant.

Figure 13. Simple turtle trap design. Floating PVC frame with a capture netbelow. Resting boards pivot under the turtle’s weight, dropping it into the collection area. Pivoting board returns to resting position, using counterweightonce turtle is collected.

Although you can trap snappers and soft-shelledturtles using underwater baited traps, you usuallydon’t have to remove these species from a farmpond. e more aggravating species are the“baskers,” which often crowd together in large num-bers on stumps, logs, or other structures above thewater surface. By taking advantage of this, you cantrap these species with a trap-box in the area turtlesnormally use. is trap has boards leading up fromthe water, with pivoting “balance boards.” When theturtles crawl onto these platforms, they weigh downthe boards, dropping the turtles into the collectionbox (Figure 13).

Check traps daily and remove all turtles, thentake the turtles to another location at least severalmiles away and release them into their natural habi-tat. Be careful not to violate state laws when trans-porting turtles, and do not carry them across statelines, since other states have different laws. If youdo not plan to visit the trap for a long while, flip itover on its side so turtles are not captured and leftin the trap.

Refer to Figure 13, and modify it using your ownideas and available materials. Your county Extensionagent or Natural Resources Conservation Service of-fice can provide you with other design illustrations.

40

Consumer questions for pond managementconsultants:

• How many years of experience do you havein this business?(An established business may have more expe-rience with unusual problems or needs.)

• Do you have a staff member with a fish-eries management degree?(A manager with a fisheries degree would bebetter trained in scientific pond management.)

• Do you carry liability insurance or bondingfor your services?(Insurance may protect the consumer if a prob-lem arises as a result of damage or mismanage-ment.)

• How will you survey my pond, and will I re-ceive a written report?(At a minimum, a qualified pond managershould check a pond firsthand and provide awritten report on findings and recommenda-tions to the pond owner.)

• Will you perform the needed management?(A good manager should be able to implementthe recommendations, not simply stock fish asa cure-all for your problems.)

• Can you provide me with a list of references?(An established, reputable manager shouldhave plenty of satisfied customers.)

• How are your fees based?(Managers may charge by the job or by thehour. Get an estimate in writing, up front.)

Making Money from Your PondFishing is a top recreational pastime in Mississippi,and many ponds and small lakes are visited everyyear in this pursuit. e increasing demand forquality fishing has led to congestion and overex-ploitation of some of our public waters. Fee fishingin private ponds can help alleviate the supplyshortfall for quality fishing opportunities, whileproviding the pond owner with a new source of in-come. Other revenue-generating opportunitiesfrom ponds may exist, as well, including waterfowlhunting and bird watching. For more informationon these and other natural resource enterprise op-portunities, visit www.naturalresources.msstate.edu.

FOR MORE INFORMATION is publication should be helpful as you develop,improve, or maintain your small lake or pond inMississippi. Trained professionals—county agents,district conservationists, and MDWFP fisheries bi-ologists—are available to answer more specificquestions to achieve your goals and objectives. Andthis service is free!

Many other sources of information are alsoavailable, such as publications, local workshops,and seminars. Contact any of the three agenciesthat have provided this publication for details. eMississippi State University Extension Service andthe Natural Resources Conservation Service main-tain offices in every county of the state. Also, youcan contact the Mississippi Department ofWildlife, Fisheries, and Parks district offices at anyof the following locations: Canton (601) 859-3421Magnolia (601) 783-2911Jackson (601) 432-2200 Enid (662) 563-6222

If you have questions about information in thispublication, or if you have situations or problemsnot mentioned here, we encourage you to seek pro-fessional help. Proceeding with management tech-niques when you are uncertain about the correctthing to do can be frustrating and sometimes ex-pensive! It can also delay the progress and develop-ment of your pond. It is wise to remember andheed the old adage, “A wise person asks many ques-tions”!

41

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ST R

ECO

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Planktonic algae: Green water is the sign of pro-ductivity, but if the water is too green (visibilityless than 12 inches) or there are severe surfacescums, this may indicate potential oxygen prob-lems for the pond.

Filamentous algae: Filamentous algae blooms area nuisance and can lead to water quality problems.e “slimy” forms are easier to treat than the more“cottony” forms.

Chara: Chara is easily distinguished from othermacroalgae by its rough texture and strong mustyor garlic-like odor. Individual internodes, or false“stems,” have whorls of six to eight branchlets thatdo not have further branching. Prefers hard water.

Nitella: Closely related to Chara, but is smooth tothe touch and does not emit a musty or garlic odor.It has six to eight branchlets along the internodes,but these branchlets have additional lateral and terminal branches that give a bushy appearance.

APPENDIX A: COMMON OR PROBLEM PLANTSe most common problem plant species found in ponds/lakes in Mississippi. Contact your county Extensionoffice for help with aquatic weed identification and control.

Algae

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Coontail: Coontail has dark green, relatively stiff,whorled leaves with many forks and small teethalong one edge. e tips of branches are crowdedwith leaves, making it resemble the tail of a rac-coon. e plant is very rough to the touch.

Watermilfoil: Watermilfoils have characteristicfeather-like leaves under the water. e nonnativeEurasian watermilfoil is the most likely problemspecies and usually has 12 or more pairs of leafletson each leaf.

Southern naiad: e stems and leaves of naiadsare slender, with short leaves, usually ¼ to ¾ inchlong. Leaves are opposite one another, and thischaracteristic can be used to separate naiads fromall similar species.

Slender spikerush: Slender spikerush can growcompletely underwater and appear as a submergedplant. Slender spikerush has very fine, long, brightgreen filaments that occasionally branch. isspecies looks like green hair and is sometimes re-ferred to as hair grass.

Submersed Plants

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Hydrilla: is nonnative plant’s leaves are smallwith obviously serrated margins, often with one ormore small tooth-like structures on the undersidemidrib, giving the plant a rough feel. e leavesgrow in whorls of three to eight.

Egeria: Egeria is a nonnative plant that has leavesin whorls of four to six that become denser towardthe ends (near the surface). Egeria does not havemidrib teeth and feels smooth.

Bladderworts: Bladderworts are carnivorousaquatic plants characterized by many small blad-ders formed from leaf segments. ey are rootlessplants with alternate, finely dissected leaves. Flow-ers extend above the water surface on tall stalksand are usually purple or yellow but can be white orblue.

Pondweeds: Pondweeds are a varied group ofrooted plants with leaves that are totally sub-merged or float on the water surface. Pondweedsalways have alternate leaves. Flowers and fruits areusually green to brown and are small and close to-gether in oblong or ball-like spikes.

Submersed Plants

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Duckweeds: Duckweeds are free-floating greenplants that form blankets on the surface of shel-tered water. Duckweeds are light green with rootshanging below fronds. Duckweeds can be a seriouspest in Mississippi.

Watermeal: Tiny rootless plant that gets its namefrom the fact that it looks and feels like green corn-meal. Watermeal is a free-floating plant that canform blankets on the surface of sheltered water. Itis difficult to control and is a serious pest where itoccurs.

Water hyacinth: Nonnative species that usuallyfloat freely in large masses but may be rooted inthe soil in shallow water or wet areas. e leavesare leathery and deep green, with inflated andspongy stems for floatation. e flowers are ashowy spike of up to 20 light purple, blue, and yel-low flowers. is plant can quickly cover a waterbody.

Giant salvinia: is nonnative plant is an aquaticfern that floats on the surface of the water. Leavesare in whorls of three, with two opposite leaveswith distinct midrib, and a third submersed leafthat resembles roots. is particularly nasty plantcan form mats several feet thick.

Floating Plants

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Water lettuce: Water lettuce is a nonnative plantthat forms large colonies of floating plants and cancover a small water body in a very short time. eleaves are arranged in rosettes and are pale greento medium green or grayish with deep grooves ra-diating outward. Leaves may be as long as 6 inches.

Mosquitofern: Small, floating plants with clustersof tiny fern-like leaves; leaves usually ½ to 1 inchacross; gray to green when young and rusty redwhen older. Small roots dangle beneath each leaf.Often found with duckweed.

American lotus: American lotus is a native plantthat has characteristic large, round leaves that maybe floating or emergent. Large, showy flowers areyellow, and unique seed pods are characteristic ofthis plant.

Water lily: e water lilies have round, generallyfloating leaves with a deep notch. Flowers usuallyfloat on water surface and are white or yellow.

Floating Plants

Emergent Plants

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Watershield: is small, floating-leaf plant hasgreen, oval- to kidney bean-shaped leaves that arered on the underside. e stems and leaf under-sides are usually coated in a thick, protective slime.

Spatterdock: Also known as yellow cow lily, thisrooted plant has spade-shaped leaves with a deepnotch at the base and small, round, yellow flowers.e leaves float on the water’s surface but are fre-quently emergent.

Alligatorweed: is nonnative plant may befound free-floating, loosely attached, or rooted,and can even grow on dry land. e leaves are op-posite, lance-shaped, and have a distinct midrib.Flowers are white, round, and resemble cloverblooms. Stems are usually hollow.

Water primrose: Primrose has several growthforms, including a vegetative “creeping” form and amore erect flowering form. Leaves are alternating,often on reddish stems, and the flowers are yellow.

Emergent Plants

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Water willow: is common shoreline plant growsin moist soil or shallow water. Basal leaves aregrass-like, and showy white flowers adorn a leaflessstem. Other willow species can be found nearponds but differ in that they have alternate leaves.

Smartweed: Smartweed has a distinctly jointedstem, with enlarged joints. Leaves are alternate andlance-shaped. Flowers are typically white, pink, orpale green. Common in any damp or wet area.

Cattails: is common plant has long, flat leavesthat may be 4 feet or more long, and the character-istic flower spike is long and brown and resemblesa cigar.

Rushes: A common pond edge-plant, rushes areextremely variable in appearance but generallyhave round stems and leaves. e leaves are not ob-vious, often forming a sheath around the stem.

Emergent Plants

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Water pennywort: Pennywort may have a fewfloating leaves or may form large mats that stand afoot or more off of the water’s surface. Leaves aredark green and rounded with indentations andveins radiating from the center.

Hydrolea: Also known as waterpod or waterleaf,hydrolea has characteristic long thorns above leafbases and small blue flowers. is plant can pre-vent bank access in shallow areas.

Parrotfeather: Parrotfeather is a nonnative plantthat has whorled, pale-green leaves finely dividedinto many threadlike leaflets. e stem is stout andsparingly branched. Although most of the plant isunderwater, branch tips usually extend a fewinches above the water.

Torpedograss: Torpedograss is a growing problemin Mississippi. is nonnative plant has alternateleaf blades that are flat to folded and stiff and growat a 45 degree angle from the stem. May grow inwater or on dry land, with tremendous root sys-tems that are difficult to kill.

Emergent Plants

is publication and many others on the management of farm ponds and small lakes are available at http://www.msucares.com

Fifth edition revised by Dr. Wes Neal, Associate Extension Professor, Wildlife, Fisheries, and Aquaculture; Dennis Riecke, MississippiDepartment of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks; and Glynda Clardy, Natural Resources Conservation Service. Originally published in1984 as Farm Pond Management by omas L. Wellborn Jr., Leader, Extension Wildlife and Fisheries, Mississippi Cooperative Exten-sion Service; A. Jack Herring, Chief of Fisheries, Mississippi Department of Wildlife Conservation; and Ramon Callahan, State StaffBiologist, Soil Conservation Service. Second edition published in 1991 as Managing Mississippi Farm Ponds, revised by Martin W. Brun-son, Ph.D., Extension Leader/Fisheries Specialist, Department of Wildlife & Fisheries, Mississippi State University; David Franks,Fisheries Biologist, Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks; and Harvey Huffstatler, Biologist, Soil ConservationService. ird edition revised in 1997 by Martin W. Brunson, Dennis Riecke, and Walter Hubbard, Fisheries Biologist, Mississippi De-partment of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks. Fourth edition revised in 2010 by the current authors.

Produced by Agricultural Communications.

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Publication 1428 Extension Service of Mississippi State University, cooperating with U.S. Department of Agriculture. Published in furtherance of Acts ofCongress, May 8 and June 30, 1914. GARY B. JACKSON, Director (rev-10M-12-15)