Operation: Save the Catfish!

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charles-n-charge

Fire Eel
MFK Member
Aug 28, 2010
1,644
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68
Livingston Tx
So as some of you may know, Texas is expiriencing the largest drought in Texan History, and is also expiriencing 110+ degree weather. If you didn't know, well then now you do.

Now what does that have to do with anything? Well, we have a large natural pond in our backyard that we go fishing out of sometimes; it's about 70' long, 40' wide, and 18' deep at its deepest point.
It was full of black bass, hybrid bluegils, and a few blue catfish.
During this drought the water level has dropped 6', the water has turned a deep deep deep red-brown color, and there is little to no oxygen.
I've been going down there once every few days for awhile and haven't seen anything. I thought everything in the pond had died.
But today I went down there and threw some food into the pond and 3 large Blue Catfish came to the surface and started eating! And they look like absolute hell too.

So this got me thinking that once my tropical pond is done being built (check it out below in my sig) that I need to try to catch those cats and put them in my pond before they die, and see what I can do to get them back to good health.

I'm wanting your opinions on this, and any knowledge that can be given to either help me with this or prevent me from doing this would be appreciated
 
well the red is easy it is a form of alge the grows and blumes when water has little to know oxygen in it. thats why the only thing alive is the cat fish. secound buy a cheap airater fountain(around 150 at home depot) and build it a temp pen with chicken wire 4 feet buy 4 feet in a 3 feet deep section of the pond. in this pen clear all plants out and setup your fountain. next get a milk crate and put the pump under that this acts as the secound filter for debree.

I see what you talking about here in maine alot about late august the setup i gave you is how we save trout and bass ponds on a bad year good luck.
 
yep u need to add a fountain befor everything left dies. u should add two actualy one at each end.
 
if he wants to be able to stock it again with bluegill and bass. to help prevent this happening again.
 
Well I liked the fountain idea, but my dad (who actually owns the pond) said he doesn't want to do that and would rather let nature take its course :/ foolish IMO
 
charles-n-charge said:
Well I liked the fountain idea, but my dad (who actually owns the pond) said he doesn't want to do that and would rather let nature take its course :/ foolish IMO
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then i hope he likes having a dead pond for the next 2 years or more
 
I think you should go with the fountain idea... Try to convince your dad.. The lakes, ponds and streams I go fishing at are nearly all dried up. The water is red and sunfish and Texas cichlids are dying due to the lack of oxygen.. This drought sucks..
 
Water said:
I think you should go with the fountain idea... Try to convince your dad.. The lakes, ponds and streams I go fishing at are nearly all dried up. The water is red and sunfish and Texas cichlids are dying due to the lack of oxygen.. This drought sucks..
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Yeah it's everywhere. Actually here soon we are dumping water out of Lake Conroe and Lake Livingston (Lake where I live) to fill up Lake Houston over where you are just because everything is so dried up and the water everywhere is so low and dead
 
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