Pond & Lake Managment

Establishing Spawning Areas

Have you ever noticed the quality of fishing in most impoundments will run in cycles with some years being very rewarding, while other years the fishing may seem to level off and become flat, or maybe just drop off altogether. With few exceptions, this can almost always be traced to poor reproduction and/or limited reproduction survival. One of the most effective ways to prevent this from occurring, is to establish spawning areas for all of your fish, both predator and prey.

Bass, Crappie and Bluegill

For Bass, Crappie and Bluegill, we recommend placing pea gravel in a level area in your pond at a depth of about 3 to 5 feet. Bass, Crappie, and Bluegill will all spawn by building beds or bowls, and laying their eggs inside them. This will keep the eggs compacted in one area which will help the adult fish to guard against turtles and other predators. 8 to 10 piles per acre should be put in with approximately 3 gallons of rock per pile. The piles should each be at least 4 feet apart.

Fathead Minnows

For Fathead Minnows we recommend sinking 6 to 8 wooden pallets per acre, in 2 to 4 feet of water. Fatheads Minnows will stick there eggs to the underside of the pallets making it very difficult for predators to locate and gain access to their eggs.

Channel Catfish

Channel Catfish are the most difficult fish with which to receive reproduction survival. Channel Catfish prefer to lay their eggs within a confined area. Any container with one open end, such as a cream can, is ideal for them to lay their eggs in. Once the female has laid the eggs, the male will come in and fertilize the eggs and guard them until they hatch. The open end of the container needs to be facing the bank in 3 to 5 feet of water. A minimum of 5 to 7 containers per acre is recommended to achieve maximum results. At Dunn's Fish Farm one of our many goals is to be your one stop source for all your pond and lake management needs. If you have any suggestions on how we can better serve you, please don't hesitate to contact us.

Thank you for choosing Dunn's Fish Farm.