Small lake mangement

[alwaysonthemove]

I own property on a small lake roughly 50 acres in size with the deepest being 14-16' and a average depth of 8 feet. The shoreline is all cattails with a mudd bottom. There is no inlet but a small outlet that flows 75% of the time. Currently there is Pasture on 30% of the shoreline, CRP of 5-8 years on 50% of the shoreline, and the rest is bordered by AG land with a nice buffer on the shoreline. Currently there is no homes but I do plan to build out there in the future.

There is a high number of 8-12" bass and 6-7" Sunfish and a ton of Bullheads. I have never caught anything else. It did freeze out about 5 years ago. At that time I seen a couple large Northern and a ton of small crappies. My understanding is that it is a very young lake and 15 years ago there was no fish in it at all. Just minnows that bait dealers stocked and harvested.

Is there ways that I can help manage and improve the quality of the lake with out spending a ton of money?

[gixxer01]

I would do whatever you can to get the bullheads out. Not an easy task since they are the most resiliant fish in your pond. They offer nothing and will continue to stress the other species during low oxygen winters.

Running some aerators during the winter months would definitely help out also. Nothing more devastating than a freeze out.

[B. Amish]

http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/fish/sunfish/management.html

[LandDr]

Working with a fish farmer, stocking it with walleye fingerlings can reduce the small fish which would then release your invertebrates that the ducks love. You could see a lot more ducks on the pond with the reduction of the small fish. Walleyes like bullheads and minnows.

Also, if you want ducks, you can try planting Sago and Wild Rice. Ducks love those food sources and it is also good fish and invert habitat.

My degree is in aquatics with a fisheries and waterfowl emphasis so let me know if more questions.

Land Dr