Thoughts on Private Fishing Lakes?

divemaster99

Dovii
MFK Member
Jan 10, 2014
4,795
385
107
Pittsburgh, PA
I know that many people here are against pay lakes, as am I. However, what are your guys thoughts on owning your own private lake or pond such as in your yard and stocking it with fish to catch? I'm not sure how I feel as the fish are still confined to a body of water where many will eventually be caught, but if it's just one or two people that fish it and they release all the fish, is it really that bad? I've always loved the idea of having a huge backyard lake and filling it with species for all over the world that could tolerate my area's cold weather (North American, European, and North Asian species mainly) such as white sturgeon and wels catfish. One thing I wouldn't do would be to feed the fish as that just makes them more likely to take bait when fishing whereas I don't want any unfair advantages when fishing, it just takes the sport out of it. So are you guys for, or against private, catch and release fishing lakes?
 

KNH

Redtail Catfish
MFK Member
Jun 12, 2005
4,094
577
150
53
OH...IO
Sounds great. What am I missing about a pay lake? Not sure what you would think is bad about it. Too easy?
 

Mr.Manaconda

Candiru
MFK Member
Nov 9, 2008
256
8
48
Atlanta, GA
If it's your property... Do what you want. Thousands of Farm Ponds down here in Georgia and across the country that are Stocked by Man. I'm not sure the legality of stocking Non-natives, but do your research & enjoy your pond.


Sent from my iPad using MonsterAquariaNetwork app
 

Chub_by

Redtail Catfish
MFK Member
Jan 30, 2012
4,900
792
150
Europe
You do realise you couldn't maintain a stock with animals like wels and large sturgeon without feeding..
 

divemaster99

Dovii
MFK Member
Jan 10, 2014
4,795
385
107
Pittsburgh, PA
Sounds great. What am I missing about a pay lake? Not sure what you would think is bad about it. Too easy?
What I have (and probably many others here) against pay lakes is that a lot of them wild catch trophy fish from rivers and lakes that are carry the genes for monster fish and since they take them they're removing at least one fish that may have traits for gigantism from the wild gene pool.
 

divemaster99

Dovii
MFK Member
Jan 10, 2014
4,795
385
107
Pittsburgh, PA
If it's your property... Do what you want. Thousands of Farm Ponds down here in Georgia and across the country that are Stocked by Man. I'm not sure the legality of stocking Non-natives, but do your research & enjoy your pond.


Sent from my iPad using MonsterAquariaNetwork app
Not sure about federal regulations but there's not many non native fish that are illegal in pa other than asian carp, Ruffe, and Rudd.
 

divemaster99

Dovii
MFK Member
Jan 10, 2014
4,795
385
107
Pittsburgh, PA
You do realise you couldn't maintain a stock with animals like wels and large sturgeon without feeding..
Even if it was big enough to support a forage fish population? I guess I could feed them if I had to but maybe what I could do would be to feed the fish only in a small section of the lake and not fish in that area.
 

Chub_by

Redtail Catfish
MFK Member
Jan 30, 2012
4,900
792
150
Europe
What I have (and probably many others here) against pay lakes is that a lot of them wild catch trophy fish from rivers and lakes that are carry the genes for monster fish and since they take them they're removing at least one fish that may have traits for gigantism from the wild gene pool.
Wow, didn't know it was like that in the US. Here, the paylakes are stocked with captive bred fish.
 

Oddball

Administrator
Staff member
Administrator
MFK Member
Apr 27, 2005
22,350
2,814
9,480
65
Bama
What's your problem with pay lakes and ponds? I had 7 fishing ponds on my last property. I let a few friends fish there for free but, charged strangers. I felt no guilt in charging them either since:

1. It's my land that requires property taxes be paid.
2. The trails to the ponds were maintained by me.
3. The plantings (including self-collected cypress and over 60 bamboo species) were maintained by me.
4. I paid to stock the ponds.
5. I paid to clean the ponds, trails, and fishing clearings.
6. I paid for the gravel in the designated parking areas.
7. I paid for the trail and parking lighting.
8. I paid for the pond aerators.
9. I paid for the additional safety fencing to pen in and protect my 9ft gator Ruby.
10. I paid to feed the ponds to grow out the stocked fish.
11. I paid for the pond health inspections and meds (when needed).
 

Thekid

Potamotrygon
MFK Member
Sep 18, 2014
1,994
1,655
164
Land of corn
We have a quarter acre pond that was stocked with channels, bluegills, hybrid sun fish, large mouth bass, and three Amur carp for vegetation control. We took out a decent amount but everything was reproducing.

Sent from my iPhone using MonsterAquariaNetwork app
 
zoomed.com
hikariusa.com
aqaimports.com
Store