Keith, Thanks for the info on Beaver Pond. We received a phone call from the owner yesterday describing the same event. Apparently, the water became to fertile and we probably had a cynabacteria (blue-green algae) event which caused the water to loose enough oxygen to cause a crash. Unfortunately, the bigger fish are effected the most. The good news is the pond is only 1/3 of an acre, so re-stocking is inexpensive and will be done in the winter.

The good and bad of harvesting fish is that you have less fish, but the fish that are left are bigger. It is almost impossible, unless you have an unlimited budget allowing you to pump 10’s or hundreds of thousands of dollars to have lots of big fish in a pond or lake. Generally you have lots of smaller fish or less numbers of bigger fish. Obviously, there is a balance. Finding that balance is the art and science of lake management.

Steve,
I have been reading more and more how the Mozambique Tilapia can have a huge impact on not only the growth rate of the bass but the weed/algae control of the body of water.  Are many of the PWF lakes actively stocking these fish in the Springtime?  Thanks.
Jack DeVaney

Jack,

We stocked Mozanbique tilapia in both Sulphur Bluff lakes, Ferris Triple J, Van Alystene Jer Mar, Athens NE Lake and Canton China Grove. We stocked threadfin shad in San Saba, Cleburne, Gilmer and Martins Mill this year.

Tilapia are probably a little over-hyped for vegetation control as you must stock in very high densities to control the two types of vegetation that they eat. They eat only Filamentous algae and Duck Weed. Filamentous algae (FA) is the green slimy stuff that mats to your lures. As a general rule you need stocking rates of 30 to 40 lbs per surface acre to control FA. At $10 a pound you can see that a 20 acre lake requires $6000 to $8000 each year as they die each year; as tilapia do not survive in water less than 52 degrees.

We usually stock in 10 to 20 lbs per acre and the tilapia are used for forage (food) as they make babies faster and more effecient than virtually any other forage fish available. You can see you need to sell lots of $75 fishing trips to pay for 200 ($2000) or 300 ($3000) pounds of tilapia.

Tilapia are one tool used to keep some vegetation in lakes under control, but generally aquatic herbicides and Grass Carp are a better longer term alternative. I could do on and on about other factors/costs/tools to control vegetation…but I’m sure most members have already dosed off reading this.

Steve

Zzzzzzzzz   Just kidding.  I had no idea tilapia were that expensive!  Before Lake Fairfield had its fair share of fish kills, I bass fished and bow fished ( for tilapia) there many many times. I was told by the GW and several others that the tilapia ate the hydrilla as well. Is that true?

Steve,
Thanks. Since our extended discussion in January at the Dallas Safari Club convention I have become very interested in how PWF takes a very scientific approach to improving the fishing in these lakes. Through the harvesting program, the stocking program, the fertilization program and other such measures it is not an accident, to just pick one of many examples, that Sulpher Bluff-Timber Lake offers an opportunity to catch trophy bass. For a guy like me who grew up on the Canadian border I find all of this fascinating.
Jack

I left off one other lake where we stocked tilapia and we have for the past 3 years…Sash Fannin Farms.

Eli,

Tilapia are not a good source for controlling hydrilla. I suppose they might eat some if they did not have anything else to eat. On the other hand, Grass Carp are outstanding source for controlling Hydrilla. Please note that Hydrilla is often used as a catch all word for lots of different types of aquatic vegetation and before I bought PWF I referred to anything that looked like Hydrilla as Hydrilla. I have learned that Millfoil, and coontail moss are much more prevalent in our club lakes. Why distinguish between them? I have learned that treatment options for both can be very different. For example, Hydrilla is like filet mignon to a grass carp and coon tail is like hot dogs. They will eat the hot dogs, if there is nothing else to eat, but will eat all the filet mignon first. It’s little things like this, that have made me a better lake manager.

Jack,

I decided about 5 years ago to surround myself with the brightest minds in the lake and pond management world. I read a lot, attend management conferences, and ask millions of questions. Just as important, I have many landowners who truly want to learn how to make there lakes better for our fisherman. In some cases I only offer suggestions, and at others we get to implement those strategies. What most lay people don’t know is the cost involved in lake management. In most lakes good fishing is not an accident. There is lot’s of science behind various strategies, but there is also an art and how it gets implemented. I love this stuff and could drone on and on.