Stocking fish?

[swifthunter]

I just moved and now have a dug out, so what are my options as far as species that will survive? I think rainbows will live but can you put perch with them to? Any other types of trout that will survive? The dug out is probably 20 yards by 40 yard and 15 feet deep in the deepest. There's no shade and weedy in spots

[backpacker]

Just curious.. do you plan to eat these fish? If so, they will taste "muddy". I have never caught a rainbow from a pond that didn't taste muddy and have never found a way to get rid of that taste.

[huntinstuff]

Do u have the option to dig deeper and wider and longer?

What im asking is if it currently has water in it or is it a fresh dig?

[swifthunter]

I wouldn't mind eating some fish but know trout taste pretty muddy coming out of dug outs. I usually smoke them then they're not to bad. I won't be able to do any digging of the pond either though. Wish I could make it big and really deep at one end but its inaccessible for machinery

[SHEDHEAD]

I have had my pond for about 5 years now. I did not convert a dug out into a pond I hired an excavated to come in and we dug it out to about 30 feet deep. Pond is probably 100 foot from one side to the other. We lined the bottom with packed clay with a layer of large rock and the washed rock. I have always stalked it with rainbow trout, I usually use a hybrid fish that can not reproduce, the reason being the fish typically won't survive if there is no fresh streams running into it for them to spawn in. The hybrids will put all their energy into getting big and fat! The local high school raises fish and so I buy from them to help support their program. I also have a few carp in there to help with alge ect. The next thing I did was hook up an aeration system. Just a simple electric air pump with a couple lines ran out into different locations. Really helps keep the water clean and free of weeds and alge. If you don't have access to power you can always use a wind mill aeration system. I have two set up and with the constant breeze in this country they work great. The pond is now pretty self sufficient and I can leave for a week or two of holidays and the pond supports itself. We build a little shack next to it with a deck and dock. The kids have sure enjoyed it. I figure there is probably around 200 fish in there. I usually dump in 500 a year or so, a lot get eaten by the other big fish but in all they seem very healthy and they taste great! Most of enjoy your pond!

[Northwinds]

Swifthunter,
is this pond in Alberta??? In Alberta,you must get your pond inspected and licensed before you purchase fish. You will be eligble to only stock Rainbow Trout,Brown Trout, Brook Trout,grass carp and although the license says Arctic Char,you are allowed to put them in a pond whether it is licensed or not,figure that out!! All other fish are not allowed.
Even now,if you were licensed,it would be very difficult to find RainbowTrout to stock,later towards fall there will be some around, however there are some Brown Trout around.The browns will tolerate somewhat warmer water than Rainbows.
The first thing you need is a good aeration system, windmills are at the bottom of the scale,to oil less pumps,which really put out the air.I would suggest a solar powered pump,they work very well in 14 feet and less, a set up will run about $1800.00
Also consider checking out Beneficial Bacteria,Poly Pro Algicide,and True Blue pond dye.Depending on the condition of the water itself,check out a Pond clariffier. With the use of some or all of these products, you might be surprised at how well the fish taste out of the dugout.Clean cool water and a clean pond bottom with no algae are the key
good luck

[Red Bullets]

One other thing to consider is putting a bigger sized fish in your pond. If you stock 6 to 8 inch fish the herons will clean them up. Try to get 12 to 16 inch fish or even bigger. My friend stocks 3 to 5 lb.ers in his dugout.

The more freshwater shrimp in your pond, the pinker and better tasting fish you will have.

[Handyman]

To get rid of the muddy taste, soak the fish in milk before you cook it. My Dad cleans his trout and after he washes it puts it into a bowl full of milk overnight in the fridge and cooks it the next day.

[Donkey Oatey]

All the information for licensing and species allowed can be found on Alberta Agriculture's website.

http://www.agric.gov.ab.ca/app21/inf...t2=Aquaculture

Lots of good info already posted. You can find the link to the license application and to a fingerling supplier list.

One of my dreams is to have a dugout with fish. Some day.

[greylynx]

Originally Posted by SHEDHEAD

I have had my pond for about 5 years now. I did not convert a dug out into a pond I hired an excavated to come in and we dug it out to about 30 feet deep. Pond is probably 100 foot from one side to the other. We lined the bottom with packed clay with a layer of large rock and the washed rock. I have always stalked it with rainbow trout, I usually use a hybrid fish that can not reproduce, the reason being the fish typically won't survive if there is no fresh streams running into it for them to spawn in. The hybrids will put all their energy into getting big and fat! The local high school raises fish and so I buy from them to help support their program. I also have a few carp in there to help with alge ect. The next thing I did was hook up an aeration system. Just a simple electric air pump with a couple lines ran out into different locations. Really helps keep the water clean and free of weeds and alge. If you don't have access to power you can always use a wind mill aeration system. I have two set up and with the constant breeze in this country they work great. The pond is now pretty self sufficient and I can leave for a week or two of holidays and the pond supports itself. We build a little shack next to it with a deck and dock. The kids have sure enjoyed it. I figure there is probably around 200 fish in there. I usually dump in 500 a year or so, a lot get eaten by the other big fish but in all they seem very healthy and they taste great! Most of enjoy your pond!

Any blue green algae blooms?

It is about that time of the year for them in trout ponds.

[Nait Hadya]

So, stocking perch is out of the question?

[Northwinds]

Originally Posted by greylynx

Any blue green algae blooms?

It is about that time of the year for them in trout ponds.

Yes the time is right and it is happening.With proper management,there should be no algae blooms.Good areation with early usage of the benificial bacteria,will stop that stuff in it's tracks.The bacteria "eats" the phos and nitrogen,zoo plankton eat it,the trout eat the plankton.Basically the bacterial starves the algae. The bacteria is costly,but so are fingerlings.You can cheat a bit when you put the bacteria in by letting it multiply before putting them in the water.I take a plastic barrel and fill 3/4 full first thing in the morning.Let the sun warm it up.add fish food and fertilizer,let it sit for a couple hours to warm up,add the bacteria and let it sit for another couple hours.They do what bacteria does best.....multiply!!! The split every 20 minutes,I think it's called Bianary Fusion. You have to be careful not to use to much bacteria or you will crash your pond.It takes about 2 weeks to have full effects.....it does work so be patient.In private ponds,you may use the True Blue dye.I cannot use it in my commercial lakes as it is not approved by CFIA.The dye blocks the sunlight and the pond stays way cooler.The cooler it is,the less blue green will develop.The blue green starts out looking like short grass clippings in the water.They float around and get thicker and thicker.They then get "all friendly" and end up on shore where the blue green develops.There are chemicals that you can spray in the water to out rite kill the grass clippings that do not hurt fish and a 3 day withdrawl is all that is needed.With a heavy bloom only spray 30% or a crash will occur.
How the BG kills the fish is that it produces a toxin that coats the trout's gills and they cannot absorb the oxygen.
so with todays products,there is no use worrying about the BG,if fact all lakes could be cured of it if someone would write a big enough check to cover the expenses.

[Red Bullets]

Hey Northwinds,

I appreciate you sharing your knowledge.
I have heard that if you put oat straw bales in the infected waterbody, the bale's decomposition will compete with the algae for the oxygen in the water. Althought the bale will take oxygen from the water too, it is non toxic to the aquatic environment.

Do you think this could have any validity?

[Northwinds]

Originally Posted by Red Bullets

Hey Northwinds,

I appreciate you sharing your knowledge.
I have heard that if you put oat straw bales in the infected waterbody, the bale's decomposition will compete with the algae for the oxygen in the water. Althought the bale will take oxygen from the water too, it is non toxic to the aquatic environment.

Do you think this could have any validity?

You're close but not quite right,the straw to use is barley.It does work ,however as it decomposes it creates antibody's that attack the algae,left to long and it does compete for oxygen which is NOT what you want in your pond.The straw needs to be in a containment system such as a wire basket and needs to be anchored so it doesn't move.When the straw starts to break down,it needs to be removed and replaced.Works okay with smaller ponds or areas that are prone to algae in larger ponds or lakes.I always have found that it is easier and more effective to go the Benificial Bacteria/Poly Pro route.

[nube]

Northwinds knows his stuff. He has some of the best looking fish I have ever seen in a pond and has quite the set up. It is absolutely amazing! Not to mention I bet it has some of the biggest fish in Alberta as well.

[swifthunter]

Thanks for all of the info. So far my water is quite clear but we haven't had a lot of hot weather as of late. If I put fish in now how far into the fall will they keep growing? I may want to bet them out by October just to make sure I get some use of them and to avoid possibility of then just winterkilling

[Sundancefisher]

Originally Posted by Nait Hadya

So, stocking perch is out of the question?

Stocking perch is highly illegal.

[Wood1]

Ironic how not one of the approved species for private stocking is native to Alberta. Wouldn't want native fish to escape back to native waters.

[RavYak]

Originally Posted by Sundancefisher

Stocking perch is highly illegal.

Not really funny but I had a chuckle that you were the one to reply with this.

Too bad since perch are tough little guys and fun to catch and good to eat even out of small dugouts.

For the people saying pond trout are muddy. I find more then anything they are soft and almost mushy. If you cook them slowly on a bbq they dry up a little bit and are much more palatable. Smoking would do the same thing and even hide some of the "muddy" taste.

[Northwinds]

Originally Posted by swifthunter

Thanks for all of the info. So far my water is quite clear but we haven't had a lot of hot weather as of late. If I put fish in now how far into the fall will they keep growing? I may want to bet them out by October just to make sure I get some use of them and to avoid possibility of then just winterkilling

Swift Hunter,
I feed fish every day of the year except when it's hot.My lakes have very deep water in them,they will max out at about 56 feet.They stay quite cool at all times.The water temp in winter time is about 4.6 degrees.By using sinking feed,my fish gain about 50 % less than summer time,however they eat half as much so you do the math.A fed fish in summer has a feed conversion better than chickens,in fact about 1.10-1.26 pounds of feed to gain a pound of weight.You can easily take a 10" fingerling in may and kill a 5-6 lb trout in the fall around December and if you feed all winter kill a 6-7 lb fish easy by ice out,their feed conversion rate does go down however as the fish get into the 6 lb range and up.Long and short,you feed,they grow.I have tried feeding 1,2,3 times a day,the best is a heavy single feeding.If you feed 2 or 3 times a day,the fish pass undigested food out,meaning Phos and nitrogen,not to mention lots of Ammonia,all three bad news.They will however gain more weight than the single feeding but the efficiency of feed conversion goes waaaaay down.
Take a 2 year old fish,feed them,managed both them and the water and 20 lb+ rainbows are obtainable.Try a 20 lb trout on a 4 weight fly rod,good times are had by all except maybe the fish LOL
The single largest issue with raising fish,in my opinion,is the predation problem with BIRDS.Water quality is a snap but those winged rats are another subject!!!!!!!I have 11 species of birds that I fight with on a every day basis For.some.control permits are issued,most need scare permits , play nice F&W are your friends.I believe that I have figured out most ways of protecting the crop so to speak,if any one needs some ideas just ask.
We ,not only fish farmers but sportsmen need to realize the damage birds such as commerants are causing in our lakes and streams.What good does it do to stock water bodies,only to have them gobble the trout up .It's not only trout, all our fish are preyed on by these birds.A commerant can dive almost 50 feet and stay submerged for 2 minutes easy.They will kill and eat up to a 1.25 lb trout.They also will kill trout to 2 lbs but not be able to swallow them,if you see one,they are getting your fish!!!!These birds are not native to Alberta.
I better get off this subject as the keyboard is taking a pounding right now
sorry for the rant

[Northwinds]

I should read or use the preview feature more often.

The fish are on feed for 2 years at my place and are actually 3 years old to obtain the heavy weight.
sorry

[hillbillyreefer]

Originally Posted by Northwinds

I should read or use the preview feature more often.

The fish are on feed for 2 years at my place and are actually 3 years old to obtain the heavy weight.
sorry

Thanks for all the info Northwinds.

[Sundancefisher]

Originally Posted by RavCanoe

Not really funny but I had a chuckle that you were the one to reply with this.

Too bad since perch are tough little guys and fun to catch and good to eat even out of small dugouts.

For the people saying pond trout are muddy. I find more then anything they are soft and almost mushy. If you cook them slowly on a bbq they dry up a little bit and are much more palatable. Smoking would do the same thing and even hide some of the "muddy" taste.

To bad they stunt...don't grow bigger than 5 inches and eat all the trout's food ruining a fun trout pond.

Your point that perch taste better than trout in a stocked pond is true. It is also true fish farming perch was tried but that they could not economically feed them enough to stop stunting.

Still...hope there are no people still thinking stocking perch anywhere is a good thing.

[swifthunter]

Thank you for all of the info northwinds. As of now there aren't much for predatory birds around but I can imagine that once they find fish they don't stop until they're gone. I don't think ill find any fish for this year but what types of fish do you have just rainbows or any other trout species?

[Northwinds]

I only have played with Rainbows and Brooks.

[swifthunter]

Are brook trout just as hardy and do the two mix together well?

[Northwinds]

The brooks tolerate warm water better,can withstand lower oxygen levels and will feed side by side with the Rainbows.Rainbows are the whimps of the Trout world,but can put weight on better than any of them.When I got my first Brooks I was told they grow almost as fast as a Rainbow,not sure what he was smoking because they actually grow pretty slow.I had visions of selling Brook Trout Fillets packaged 2 to a package and put them 1 skin up and one flesh side up,something that pretty just HAS to taste good LOL
The reds,orange and blue spots are a sight to behold and the brilliant flesh matches the skin in beauty.However,it took 3 years to get a 3-4 lb fish,the economics were just not there.I only have a handful of brooks left but will have another lake soon to be a Brook Trout only stocking with the possibility of a u-fish type operation that caters to fly fisherman catch and release only.

[Red Bullets]

Northwinds,

Have you considered tiger trout? The hybrid of a brown and a brookie. I wonder how they would do in the parkland ponds. They seem to do well in Sask. and Manitoba.

[Northwinds]

Originally Posted by Red Bullets

Northwinds,

Have you considered tiger trout? The hybrid of a brown and a brookie. I wonder how they would do in the parkland ponds. They seem to do well in Sask. and Manitoba.

I would if I could in half a heartbeat,but alas,they are not on the stocking list.They would offer the best chance of sport fishing,Rainbows are not the answer with high mortality.You will realize a 80% mort rate on fish over 4 pounds, remember these are fish that are being pushed with feed,they are out of shape waiting for the feed boat to show up.....not a fit naturally fed stream fish.Tigers would off the best of both worlds, maybe one day they will allow them.