Pond Finally Filled And Is Overflowing

[Okie Hog]

This pond has not been full since December, 2011. It went down to about 3.5-4 feet deep last summer. It gained about three feet last month. Because of the dry bottom sucking up water it soon went down by about 18". But the 5-8 inches of rain yesterday and last night did the trick.

This pond has lots of 2-8 pound channel catfish as well as perch and sunfish. The catfish have spawned here since i threw three pieces of scrap 8" PVC pipe into the mud. It now needs about 500 pounds of gypsum to clear up the water.

 

[Muley Hunter]

That looks like our rivers now from the runoff. I'll be glad when it's over, and I can get back to fishing.

 

[exMember]

reminds me of the chocolate water in willy wonka and the chocolate factory LOL. I bet the catfish love that stuff though.

 

[patocazador]

Putting old hay in the water will tend to clear it too. It worked when I had my pond dug. Took awhile but it worked after the hay decomposed and sunk.

 

[Spitfire1]

The mud will settle on its own if you don't stirr it up again , better to get it done by nature than to put chemicals in to clean it.

 

[Okie Hog]

The mud will settle on its own if you don't stirr it up again , better to get it done by nature than to put chemicals in to clean it.

The pond was muddy before the rain because the catfish stir it up. Rain water enters the pond from three sediment ponds. The very hard rain overwhelmed the sediment ponds and that did not help.

Gypsum is a natural substance that dissolves and causes the mud particles to sink. It does not harm the fish.

The catfish will soon have thousands of tadpoles to chase. Baby frogs are a catfish favorite.

 

[Spitfire1]

Do you guys eat them catfish ? If prepared right they good eating !

 

[patocazador]

Do you guys eat them catfish ? If prepared right they good eating !

That's no secret over here. When I lived in Alabama, there was a chain of catfish restaurants called "Katfish King". :king: Now I just go to "Catfish Johnny's".

 

[Spitfire1]

Do you get Tilapia in the US , also a nice table fish ?

 

[Okie Hog]

IMO: The smaller catfish are the best eating. Take the ones to about 12" long; skin and cut them into 1.5" pieces, bread and deep fat fry them.

Do you get Tilapia in the US , also a nice table fish ?

We do get Talapia here. Got a taste for Tilapia while working in the middle east for many years.

Am off today to get a pickup load of gypsum for that pond.

 

[patocazador]

Down here they are busting seafood distributors and restaurants for serving and selling tilapia labeled as grouper, snapper, and everything in between.

I like catfish much better than tilapia and like falcon said: "The smaller catfish are the best eating. Take the ones to about 12" long; skin and cut them into 1.5" pieces, bread and deep fat fry them." Except I like them whole after skinning and gutting.

 

[Muley Hunter]

I'm kind of fond of brookies. Caught, and cooked right next to the creek. That's good eating.

If you can get it done before the bears show up.

 

[Spitfire1]

Yeah we also like cooking our catch next to the water , gut the fish and put some tomato and onion and spices in the cavity . Close in foil and put in cooler coals for about 20 mins . Like pete said good eating !

 

[Muley Hunter]

I don't add anything. Just brookie. I'm that way with everything. All I add to meat is pepper.

I eat a very bland diet, but I like it.

 

[Okie Hog]

Yep, brook trout are my favorite fish: No pesky scales to deal with. i sometimes carry an army mess kit in my pack while trout fishing. It has flour, pepper and oil inside.

 

[ericcosh]

You guys are making me hungry. My favorite is Crappie, Walleye, Bluegill, Perch, and Catfish. In no particular order.

 

[patocazador]

Yeah we also like cooking our catch next to the water , gut the fish and put some tomato and onion and spices in the cavity . Close in foil and put in cooler coals for about 20 mins . Like pete said good eating !

This post has nothing to do with fish but if you want some good and easy fireside cooking. Wrap some river rocks in foil. Place them in the coals of your campfire until they are hot all the way through. Season a mallard or wood duck with whatever you like and place the hot rock(s) in the cavity of the plucked and gutted duck after taking off the dirty foil. Wrap the duck in 2 layers of foil and bury in the coals. Wrap a potato and a Vidalia onion in foil too and do the same as the duck. Go fishing, hunting or whatever. When you come back, you have supper waiting. Enjoy.

 

[Spitfire1]

Now that sounds like a plan Pato ! Must give it a try sometime.