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The lake management calendar: maintaining your dream pond throughout the year

By Matt Ward

Managing your pond or lake to maximize its potential is a year-round endeavor. Careful pond cultivators follow a calendar outlining the best activities to pursue each month.

In our region, that calendar starts and ends the year with the least amount of upkeep, and surges with mid-year responsibilities. Regardless of the list length, however, each of these fishery management obligations is important to keep your dream fishing hole at its highest quality.

The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension recommends a calendar based on management, stocking, reproduction, feeding, harvesting, and drawdown, if possible.

Following is a calendar outline illustrating how smart lake and pond owners take care of their investments:

Year-round

There are a few things you can easily do year-round, such as building or renovating a pond or lake, pond water testing, harvesting excess or undersized bass or undesirable species, and clearing muddy water.

January

This month is the time to focus on agricultural limestone applications, which regulate the pH levels that are critical to fish growth and reproduction. Ponds should be tested before stocking, and Texas A&M recommends that you use the same lime used on your pastures and meadows. Lime additions are recommended from October-February.

January is also a time to focus on supplemental and new forage stocking. Pond stocking is an important part of any lake management program and requires skill and precision to ensure the results live up to your expectations and can be maintained over the long term. Determining what fish will work best for you involves many variables, including your goals and the size of your pond and lake. Fish stocking is recommended from September-June.

February

This month sees largemouth bass spawning begin and continue through April.

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Also this month, experts recommend you begin scheduling electrofishing surveys, which are an excellent tool for correcting an out-of-balance pond and planning pond stocking. Electrofishing surveys accurately assess current forage and sport fish populations and help you to assess any wintertime damage quantify from cormorants or otter. Fish populations also are sampled to determine species, size, relative abundance and growth rates.

Experts use a top-of-the-line electrofishing boat to identify stunted fish or unwanted species, which can be easily and quickly removed as part of this service. An electrofishing survey is a standard scientific survey method that causes no long-term negative effect to the fish population in your pond or lake.

Performed correctly, the fish are stunned briefly; examined for species to determine abundance, population density, weights and measurements; and then quickly returned to their normal state.

An electrofishing survey is the reference point for a long-term fishery management plan, providing clues for corrective pond stocking and harvest recommendations. Experts recommend electrofishing surveys from February-June and September- November.

March

This month, experts recommend starting supplemental feeding of forage fish, catfish, hybrid striped bass and feed-trained bass.

Supplemental feeding greatly increases the weight of particularly catfish and bluegill. In managed lakes, there is more pond stocking and less available habitat and resources, therefore calling for this feeding. Supplemental feeding is recommended March-November.

Also this month, good managers begin pond weeds control and fertilization. Fertilization promotes the growth of phytoplankton, which are the foundation of aquatic ecosystems. Fertilization is recommended from March-September.

Texas A&M experts suggest that as you ponder the various ways to address pond weed control that you consider using triploid grass carp as a biological control treatment if plants they treat are present; and initiating herbicide weed control when growth begins around this time. Spot treatments of pond weeds are recommended in hot weather to avoid oxygen depletion. Control of pond weeds should be addressed from March-November, depending on your region.

April

This month will see the beginning of fingerling bass pond stocking, which goes through June.

May/June

Bluegill spawn during these two months and smart pond and lake owners may want to consider habitat enhancements to facilitate this.

These months are also part of the optimal time to conduct pond renovations, though they can be done throughout the year. Such renovations can include addressing dam leaks, drains, sediment, flats or shallow areas that are leading to undesirable growth of pond weeds, and other environmental problems.

July/August

These months are the best time to just chill out and enjoy your lake or pond if you’ve been on top of your fishery management needs.

If not, this is still the time to address supplemental feeding, aquatic weed control, and fertilization.

September-December

If not already addressed this year, now is the time to schedule supplemental and new forage stocking, lime addition and new electrofishing surveys.

While this schedule of monthly fishery management tasks is a good general guide, you need to evaluate your specific goals and conditions to maximizing the quality of your pond or lake year-round. At Lochow Ranch Pond & Lake Management, our team can offer expert pond management advice to make the most of your dream pond.

Why Choose Lochow Ranch

Serving Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana, Lochow Ranch Pond & Lake Management proudly puts more than two decades of experience to work for you. Our team includes biologists, technicians and other professionals with deep expertise in pond and lake management services.

Check us out if you are considering building a lake, looking for pond stocking services, buying fish for a pond, or getting professional pond management and maintenance or fishery management. Our services include lake design, pond construction, pond renovation, pond water testing, electrofishing, pond stocking, control of pond weeds, and pond liming and fertilizing. Let us help you build your dream pond that will delight your family and friends for generations to come.

Click here to get in touch to get started today.

Matt Ward is a Fishery Biologist for Lochow Ranch Pond & Lake Management. He has a Master of Science in Biochemistry from Texas A&M University and has worked in fisheries management in Texas for 15 years.  He brings a passion for good science and an interdisciplinary approach to the natural sciences to help property managers steward their aquatic resources and achieve management objectives.

Prepping your pond for the season: what steps should you be taking now?

By Matt Ward

Spring will be here before you know it, along with better fishing weather. Now is the time to make sure your pond or lake delivers a top-notch fishing experience this year.

Smart pond and lake owners are choosing what fishery management approaches will make their oases meet their hearts’ desire, whether stocking with trout, creating a trophy bass pond, or adding the right forage fish for the best fish growth.

Fishery experts report that Texas farm ponds aren’t managed at their highest potential for fish production. Pond health and maintenance should be a top priority for landowners, according to the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service.

So while you might be thinking about fish stocking for your pond or lake this year, there are other important maintenance steps to take to ensure the fish are plentiful and biting in months to come.

If you were underwhelmed with your lake’s performance in 2020 or are unsure of the current status, now is the time to be considering what approach will yield best outcomes in 2021.

Here are fishery management steps you should be looking at now:

Electrofishing Survey

If your pond or lake is geared toward fish quality, it’s highly recommended that you start with an electrofishing survey, which typically begin in February. It’s an excellent tool for correcting an out-of-balance pond.

Electrofishing for pond stocking and fish stocking services 05

These electrofishing surveys accurately assess current forage and sport fish populations and quantify wintertime Cormorant or otter damage. Fish populations also are sampled to determine species, size, relative abundance and growth rates.

It’s important to use a top-of-the-line electrofishing boat to identify stunted fish or unwanted species, which can be easily and quickly removed as part of this service. An electrofishing survey is a standard scientific survey method that causes no long-term negative effect to the fish population in your pond or lake.

Performed correctly, the fish are stunned briefly, examined for species to determine abundance, population density, weights and measurements, and then quickly returned to their normal state.

An electrofishing survey is the reference point for a long-term pond management plan, providing clues for corrective stocking and harvest recommendations. While electrofishing surveys are used on established lakes to determine and diagnose problems, they’re also used as a routine management tool to identify issues before they become large and expensive problems.

Our fish experts can conduct an electrofishing survey for you using state-of-the-art techniques and equipment. Click here to learn more.

Pond stocking

Supplemental and new forage pond stocking starts as early as January and helps reconcile losses from avian predation and establish proper predator to prey ratios going into summer.

What kinds of fish will work best in your body of water involves many variables, including your own goals for your pond or lake. For example, you need to carefully assess the impact of introducing non-native species into your pond. It’s important to be aware of the fish types that can live together in harmony so your pond can sustain a healthy eco-system.

Therefore, pond stocking must start with a plan and using professional guidance is key.

This important part of any pond management program must be handled with skill and precision to ensure that the results live up to your expectations and can be maintained over the long term.

Small ponds and large lakes must be stocked and managed in different ways. Factors such as location, health and condition also must be considered. Jumpstart pond stocking rates are also different from maintenance stocking rates, and the amount of maintenance stocking varies significantly based on the size of the lake and other factors.

It’s also important to understand spawning and other characteristics of specific fish you might want to stock. For example, rainbow trout will not spawn in Texas ponds. Meanwhile, spawning for our native strain of largemouth bass can begin as early as February depending on the temperature.

Our fish stocking professionals can help you navigate the considerations for pond stocking to arrive at the best plan for your lake or pond.

Control of pond weeds

Pond weeds

Vegetation control should be done starting early in the pond weeds growing season and follow-up treatments should be done throughout the season.

Your lake or pond is basically a small ecosystem that is cut off from many of the elements that maintain balance in natural waters. An array of products, equipment, herbicides, lake dyes and algaecides can help rid your property of nuisance aquatic plants or issues with floating, submerged or emergent pond weeds.

Some pond weeds can take over lake shorelines, making it difficult to fish from the shoreline or swim. Having some vegetation is beneficial for fish and other aquatic organisms. But too much vegetation can negatively impact aquatic organisms through a process called cultural eutrophication.

For a chemical-free approach, you can consider vegetation control as part of your pond stocking plan, such as stocking triploid grass carp and tilapia, which are among the most popular biological alternatives for removal of pond weeds. In addition, there are nutrient precipitation, fertilization regimes, and aeration systems to promote plankton blooms that improve the health of your pond and can shade out many pond weeds.

Aquatic vegetation is the cause of 80 percent of low dissolved oxygen fish kills in Texas. And the issues are complex enough that expert advice is recommended.

Our experts can help you assess the right approach to controlling vegetation in your pond or lake.

Liming and fertilizing

Just as you would fertilize fields to increase crop yields, you should fertilize a pond or lake to provide phytoplankton with adequate nutrients for fish growth and that should start now.

Proper pond fertilizing increases food availability throughout the food chain and indirectly increases the total amount of fish a pond can support. Ponds should be limed before fertilizer is applied, which is important because it increases pH and alkalinity. Even without fertilization, this may improve available nutrients which can support a phytoplankton bloom.

Harmful algae blooms and other harmful algae are becoming increasingly prevalent. To avoid such problems, you should consider establishing a long-term nutrient sequestration program.

This is not as easy as it sounds. Many lake and pond owner attempt to take this on themselves, but it really helps to bring in professionals to assist with an overall plan.

Learn more about liming and fertilization by clicking here.

Aeration & fountain maintenance

July and August can be deadly if dissolved oxygen levels are not where they should be, according to the Texas Farm Bureau.

In order to avoid catastrophe, pond and lake owners currently should be inspecting aeration and fountain maintenance or considering their implementation now. Repairs could address obvious signs of wear or just the cleaning of filters and screens.

We offer a range of aeration systems and fountain systems for ensuring your pond’s oxygen levels are optimal.

Why Choose Lochow Ranch

Serving Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana, Lochow Ranch Pond & Lake Management proudly puts more than two decades of experience to work for you. Our team includes biologists, technicians and other professionals with deep expertise in pond and lake management services.

Check us out if you are considering building a lake, looking for pond stocking services, to buy fish for a pond, or getting professional pond management and maintenance or fishery management. Our services include lake design, pond construction, pond renovation, pond water testing, electrofishing, pond stocking, control of pond weeds, and pond liming and fertilizing. Let us help you build your dream pond that will delight your family and friends for generations to come.

Click here to get in touch to get started today.

Matt Ward is a Fishery Biologist for Lochow Ranch Pond & Lake Management. He has a Master of Science in Biochemistry from Texas A&M University and has worked in fisheries management in Texas for 15 years.  He brings a passion for good science and an interdisciplinary approach to the natural sciences to help property managers steward their aquatic resources and achieve management objectives.

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