Thoughts on Private Fishing Lakes?

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The fish I took from wild stocks were eggs I saved from noodling trips. Once the adults were legally caught, the eggs were rescued and I hatched them out in my tanks. I stocked my ponds and a few dozen others in the county with blue cats, flatheads, and channel cats.
 
divemaster99 said:
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.
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How is this different from any hook and line caught trophy fish destined for the dinner table or taxidermist? For that matter, what's he difference between a trophy fish placed in a private pond versus a trophy fish caught and sold to the pet trade? Your chances of getting a particular 'trophy' specimen is 1 in 100,000 just competing with this site's number of aquarium keepers much less competing with all possible aquarium keepers.
 
I did something similar with my pond last year. I had a bunch of the bass, bluegill, and grass carp die off last winter and restocked it with different fish. So far I've done bowfin, gars, perch, bass, crappie, and a couple hundred sunfish that are breeding like crazy. I want to add something more exotic but haven't decided yet.

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Oddball said:
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).
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Again, i have no problems with responsibly maintained ponds like that. I just hate when pay lake owners wild catch the rare monsters for their pond(s).
 
Oddball said:
How is this different from any hook and line caught trophy fish destined for the dinner table or taxidermist? For that matter, what's he difference between a trophy fish placed in a private pond versus a trophy fish caught and sold to the pet trade? Your chances of getting a particular 'trophy' specimen is 1 in 100,000 just competing with this site's number of aquarium keepers much less competing with all possible aquarium keepers.
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Im just not a supporter of fishermen taking monsters either. I feel that if you're going to keep a fish that you catch,it should be big enough to get food out of it, but not the gigantic individuals who will make good breeders.
 
divemaster99 said:
Im just not a supporter of fishermen taking monsters either. I feel that if you're going to keep a fish that you catch,it should be big enough to get food out of it, but not the gigantic individuals who will make good breeders.
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I agree. I hate to see such a big beautiful fish getting eaten. I usually keep them for my pond or release.

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Wailua Boy said:
Depending on species, some of the largest fish may not actually be reproductive.
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all species that are stocked for ponds will keep reproducing till they die. If they do not reproduce then the conditions in pond hasn't met their requirements.
 
As for the wels catfish, they are illegal in most states due to the concerns of them being invasive.
 
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