Walker County Pond Management
INFO
For additional information call the
Walker County Extension Office at 409 435 2426
Reggie Lepley, County Extension Agent-Agriculture
Technical information from several presentations given by Dr. James Davis, Extension Fisheries Specialist (retired)
New Pond Establishment:
Planting grass in new ponds (prior to fill) prevents water turbidity and helps the pond stay clear
during the fill period. As the grass decays and the water fills, the pH will change and this will help
flock suspended soil particles out of the water.
The type of grass to use depends on the time of year. Fall - plant ryegrass and then common
Bermuda in the spring. Spring - use whatever will grow best in your soil (usually common
Bermuda in the Walker Co. area. Note: Do not use the improved Bermudas due to nutrient
requirements and the excessive growth characteristics.
Did you Know?
For a bass to maintain its weight, it takes 10 lbs. of food per 1 lb. of body weight. Example: 1 lb.
bass needs 10 lbs. of forage fish per year and a 10 lb. bass needs 100 lbs. of forage fish per year.
This is why ponds smaller than 1 acre have trouble producing bass with enough forage fish for
the population. For a bass to gain 1 lb. in weight the bass has to double its annual intake.
Expect at best to harvest only 20 lbs. of bass per year (per acre) at worst (with no fertilization)
only 10 lbs of bass per year. This is why stocking rates per acre are so low and why for less than 1
acre it is recommended to stock channel catfish.
Pond Fertilization: (the basics of the food chain)
Use 10-34-0 liquid fertilizer beginning on the 1st of February. Recommended rate is 1 gallon 10-34-0 in 10 gallons of water per surface area. Then on the 15th of February apply 1 gallon 10-34-0
in 10 gallons of water per surface area. On the 1st of March check turbidity to about 18-24 inches
of depth. Afterwards check on the 1st of each month. (If you can just see your fist - elbow deep in
the water the alge bloom is adequate.) If you can see deeper apply another fertilizer application.
This process should double if not triple the weight of your fish. Note: YOU MUST CONTROL
ANY WEEDS PRIOR TO FERTILIZING OR YOU WILL CREATE MAJOR WEED
PROBLEMS!
If you are feeding your fish, do not fertilize the pond. The fecal matter from the fish and uneaten
fish food will do the same as fertilizing, doing both will create problems.
Fish Kills:
In Walker County the majority of fish problems, die offs or kills is due to oxygen problems. Other
potential problems could be caused by diseases or water quality problems. Oxygen depletion is our
main concern. This is most often a concern in late summer, but may happen at other times of the
year. Weather conditions may cause the water to "turn over" which brings poorly oxygenated
water from the bottom of the pond to the surface layers and vice versa. Despite popular belief
water deeper than 6-8 foot in a pond is excessive. Deeper water is primarily water storage and not
much utilized by the fish population.
Indications of oxygen problems include: fish gasping at the surface of the water (usually catfish are
noticed) and larger sized dead fish found floating on the surface. As the larger fish require more
oxygen, they are the first to suffer the consequences of low oxygen levels.
Your best method of handling the low oxygen levels in the pond is to provide aeration. This can
be done with a pump. Set the pump intake within the top 6 inches of water (DO NOT TAKE THE
WATER OFF THE BOTTOM OF THE POND). Locate the output as far away from the intake as
possible. This will begin a gradual circulation of the water to stir the pond. Force the output
through a screen, the smaller the better, and allow the water to spray onto the surface of the water.
You are wanting the water droplets to become as fine as possible as this allows the water
molecules to increase the level of oxygenation.
This process should begin as soon as problems are noted. Run the pump for a minium of three
days. After the crisis has passed, it would be good to start the pump in the early morning prior to
daylight and allow it to run until around noon for two weeks.
Stocking Guide for New or Renovated Ponds
excerpted from publication A1005
Ponds less than on surface acre:
Stock Channel and / or Blue Catfish: number depends on expectation of pounds to harvest
annually, pond size and frequency of feeding.
A. Catfish to be unfed or only occasionally fed. Stock 100 catfish and 1000 fathead minnows per
surface acre. Catfish stocking rates can be doubled if and annual fertilization program is
conducted.
B. Catfish to be fed daily. Stock up to 1000 catfish per surface acre.
Ponds greater than one surface acre:
A. Stock Channel and / or Blue Catfish: If your pond is muddy (visabilty less than 12 inches
throughout most of the year), stock with catfish as previously described for small ponds, or take
appropriate steps to clear the pond and stock as described below.
Note: ALL THE FOLLOWING STOCKING RATES CAN BE DOUBLED IF AN ANNUAL
FERTILIZATION PROGRAM IS CONDUCTED.
B. For clear ponds (visibility more than 12 inches) stock largemouth bass: 20 advanced (6-8 inch
bass) or 50 fingerling (1-3 inch bass) per surface acre.
C. Stock forage for largemouth bass: Selection of forage for your pond is determined by the
geographical location, rainfall, soil type and water quality. If you choose to stock fingerling (1-3
inch) forage species, introductions should be made in the late fall prior to bass stocking the next
spring. Adult (3 inch +) bluegills or redear sunfish can also be stocked in the late fall, or with
fingerling (1-3 inch) or advanced (6-8 inch) largemouth bass in the spring.
D. If desired, stock catfish in addition to largemouth bass and forage: 100 catfish per surface acre
(catfish must be larger than bass stocked).
Forage Stocking for Largemouth Bass - Zone 1 (Walker County)
Zone 1 is typically made up of the Pineywoods and northern half of the Post Oak Savannah. This
zone generally receives at least 40 inches of rainfall annually and typically has acid soils.
Stock 15 adult (3 inch +) bluegills and 15 adult (3 inch +) redear sunfish per surface acre,
or
Stock 250 fingerling (1-3 inch) bluegills and 250 fingerling (1-3 inch) redear sunfish per surface
acre.
Optional: Threadfin shad may be stocked at 200 per surface acre.
Optional: Golden shiners may be stocked at 500 per surface acre.
Optional: Fathead minnows may be stocked at 500 per surface acre if fingerling (1-3 inch) bass are
selected for stocking.
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This page last modified on: January 21, 2000