I'm new here.. I have a tank that was clear for for years and stocked well with bass,bluegill, and minnows. About 2 years ago it started turning muddy. I noticed i wasnt seeing a many minnows or blue gill. I restocked the blue gill and minnows. I was still catching some bass. Now I'm not catching any bass at all, and i see no minnows. How can i clean this tank out?
Posted By: Meadowlark
Re: Flathead Help - 04/07/20 01:54 PM
Background: The title of your thread is "Flathead help" but the post does not mention flatheads. Do you believe flatheads are the cause of the fishing/water quality decline? If so, do you have evidence of them or their possible numbers? Just to be sure, we aren't talking about bullheads, right just flatheads? What size is this tank?
The background info will help us better make a recommendation to you.
By the way, welcome!!
i'm sorry i talking about yellow cats. I assume that is what you are calling a bullhead.. I don't think ther is many maybe 5 or less. I'm really just guessing that it is yellow cats. The bass used to crank baits, spinners, and top water. Now they won't hardly anything. I can watch the water kinda swirl and bublble come up in different places. it has been 2 years since i have put the minnows and the blue gill in. I also stocked them in another tank i have and can stand on the edge and see tons of minnows, blue gill and bass fingerlings; but very little in this one except for some soft shell turtles I have planing on taking a water sample to overton fisheries. then maybe running a trot line. the tank is about 3/4 of acre
Bullhead are about 6” long and if they’re taking over you’ll know it because you’ll catch them on just about everything. If there are no fish left it’s possible you do have a few flatheads in there and they will eat absolutely EVERYTHING in the pond. Flatheads are apex predators and it doesn’t take a very big one to eat a large bait. A 10-20 lber will chow down all day on 2-3 lb bass and whatever else is in there.
Posted By: Meadowlark
Re: Flathead Help - 04/08/20 02:04 PM
First try setting/running the trot line...use live bait from the other pond. You may very well catch them all eventually and solve the problem.
Chemicals like rotenone will kill everything in the pond but that is a drastic measure. A track hoe can be used to knock a hole in the dam and completely drain the pond...another somewhat drastic measure.
The easiest way would be the trot line. Probably some well meaning person threw them in there...and soon there will be only one fish surviving in that pond...a flathead.