Need help!!!

[suony5]

I have recently started looking at ways to renovate a small pond or dam. The reason being, a friend of mine has a 1-2 acre dam that is loaded with bullhead and no other game fish that we know of. We are curios if it is better to kill off the whole pond and start from scratch or just go ahead and start stocking efforts keeping the bull head in mind. The pond is 10 feet deep at the deepest point and has a rather large flat that is about 5 feet deep there is not much for aquatic vegitation and the water is for the most part pretty stained. There is a few trees in the water but not much other structure than that. We would like to see perch, crappie, bass and catfish be successful in this lake. With most of our efforts going to the pan fish. What kind of vegitation can we introduce to the pond? What is the best way to tell if there are enough insects? If we should kill off the bullhead what is the most effecient and enviromentally safe way to go about this? We would like to get started as soon as ice out but would rather do it right the first time than do it twice. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[MA Machine]

Get a pond management book from the Game and Parks or use this link: http://www.nlc.state.ne.us/epubs/G1000/H081-2006.pdf . I think your stained water is probably caused by the bullheads. Bass are sight feeders so they may not be able to prey on the bullheads in really stained water. Crappie overpopulate in stained water since bass can't see them. Flatheads will clean up the bullheads but could hinder any further stocking of anything else since it's free food for them. Read the book and it will help you a bunch. Eradicate the bullheads, see if the water clears up and go from there. It will take time.

[Shorty]

If it were me I would pump it dry this next summer and renovate it, dig it deeper, refill it, and then restock. I would also have your friend contact Jeff Blaser the private waters specialist at the G & P and review what options he has. Renovation sounds like the best option to me.

[suony5]

Thanks for the info so far guys. I already have a book on the way but have yet to recieve it. We have considered using a syphon to drain it. we thought that might be the most cost effective way of eradicating all those bullhead not only that it would be great for irragating our food plots that are right below the dam. What is the best way to dig it deeper?

[Chasin 'eyes]

If you have a generator just get a electric pump and do it that way - would be easier. Being only 1-2 acres it would be best to let it dry and start over. This way you can dig, put in some rip rap, trees and plant seed for veg. so much easier. The people that redid our pond 2 yrs ago did not do some of these things and we are having to do it all over again and we have a bullhead problem. For us draw down and chemical renovation would be the best best but being 15 acres plus would be pretty expensive. So a few flatties and stocking some larger bass should help us out. Putting out a bunch of cedars and pvc structure this weekend.

Jeff and Daryl and been very helpful for us , they are a great tool. Get a hold of Jeff now so he can make it out as soon as the ice gets off, he gets booked up pretty quick.

[jarredbehrendt]

Id have to agree, drain it. You will have a much easier time renovating it and will have a lot better results if you are able to dredge it and put in new structure. This way you can also get rid of any unwanted species and start with a fresh slate.

[Done]

Flathead Catfish love bullheads.