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Where did the pond catfish go?
#13574230
05/28/20 05:51 PM
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Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 548
603Country
OP
Pro Angler
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OP
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Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 548 |
For years (15 or more) we’ve had tons of catfish in our pond. We’d feed them with the floating catfish food. Every now and then we’d catch a few for chow. When we put out the food, they’d boil the water. Dozens and dozens of them. Now they don’t come to the food, and I can’t even catch one. Not even sure they are there any more.
So, what has changed in the pond? Well, the water got clearer and I put in a fish condo for the spawn. The clearer water brought weed growth and some algae. The amount of small panfish has increased tremendously, possibly due to the condo. The amount of bass may be growing slowly. There seem to be plenty of little ones.
Any educated guesses from you folks? Are they dead? Are they hugging the bottom? I haven’t seen any floaters. What’s going on with my pond?
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Re: Where did the pond catfish go?
[Re: 603Country]
#13574613
05/29/20 12:12 AM
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Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 251
D1988
Angler
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Angler
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 251 |
Have you seen any otters? If the pond isn't very big, otters can wear them out.
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Re: Where did the pond catfish go?
[Re: 603Country]
#13574696
05/29/20 01:41 AM
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Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 548
603Country
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No otters. One snake and one turtle are all I’ve seen lately that wasn’t a fish.
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Re: Where did the pond catfish go?
[Re: 603Country]
#13575730
05/29/20 07:48 PM
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Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 10,694
Fishin' Nut
TFF Guru
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TFF Guru
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 10,694 |
Big flat head? My wife's grand parents had the same thing happen to them. The catfish disappeared over a period of time. But they always had plenty of bass and sunfish. Then one day, they caught a large flat head which had never been stocked.
He is truly a sick individual.
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Re: Where did the pond catfish go?
[Re: 603Country]
#13575744
05/29/20 08:02 PM
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Joined: May 2014
Posts: 5,643
PondFish
TFF Celebrity
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TFF Celebrity
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 5,643 |
Is it possible that someone(s) discovered your pond and fished all the cats out?
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Re: Where did the pond catfish go?
[Re: 603Country]
#13575870
05/29/20 09:53 PM
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Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 548
603Country
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OP
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Nobody’s fishing here but us. To amuse the grandkids, we used to fish for catfish. Now we fish for bream, but have to wonder about the catfish. Honestly, the bream are more fun and easier to catch and release.
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Re: Where did the pond catfish go?
[Re: 603Country]
#13575925
05/29/20 10:55 PM
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Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 4,677
uncle_bagster
TFF Team Angler
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TFF Team Angler
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 4,677 |
Could the cats have died from disease, and then the birds, racoons, snakes, and turtles got them without you noticing?
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Re: Where did the pond catfish go?
[Re: 603Country]
#13575998
05/30/20 12:08 AM
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Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 548
603Country
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OP
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That really seems unlikely. For one thing, the pond is south of the house, and the wind is usually out of the south. We’d smell the dead fish. Still, disease could be a possibility I suppose.
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Re: Where did the pond catfish go?
[Re: 603Country]
#13576066
05/30/20 01:30 AM
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Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 3,738
bronco71
TFF Team Angler
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TFF Team Angler
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 3,738 |
I say otters, set up a trail cam. I never thought they were on my place until watching a pond during deer season and a couple showed up out of nowhere. I did not hesitate to shoot one with the 25-06. The other got away. They can clean out a pond in no time!
Last edited by bronco71; 05/30/20 01:30 AM.
1987 Nitro MX185/Mercury Black Max 150 1999 Triton TX21/225 Mercury Optimax
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Re: Where did the pond catfish go?
[Re: 603Country]
#13576506
05/30/20 05:12 PM
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Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 548
603Country
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OP
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Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 548 |
I’ll set up a trail cam. Can’t hurt.
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Re: Where did the pond catfish go?
[Re: 603Country]
#13576670
05/30/20 08:42 PM
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Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 26,650
senko9S
TFF Guru
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TFF Guru
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 26,650 |
pic of the pond? how much weed growth? they might just be un-accessible to casting.
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Re: Where did the pond catfish go?
[Re: 603Country]
#13581375
06/03/20 08:14 PM
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Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 1,157
JohnButte
Extreme Angler
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Extreme Angler
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 1,157 |
Were the catfish reproducing? If it wasn't the right conditions, their spawn might not take. Could be they all got old and got out-competed by the other fish as conditions changed.
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Re: Where did the pond catfish go?
[Re: 603Country]
#13581444
06/03/20 08:53 PM
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Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 548
603Country
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Posts: 548 |
I had catfish of all sizes. Plenty of little ones. I’m still waiting to hear from the trapper.
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