Overview

Pond Management An Overview

A fish pond is a body of water created to afford an opportunity to catch or attempt to catch fish for pleasure and/or for food. More than 40,000 fish ponds in Alabama ¼-acre or larger have been stocked with bream (bluegill and redear sunfish) and largemouth bass. The increase in human population, a shorter workweek and increased interest in fishing place greater demands on fish ponds.

Ponds provide excellent fishing and are pleasing in appearance. They may be utilized for livestock water, irrigation, swimming, fire protection and erosion control, in addition to fishing. Man-made fish ponds greatly alleviate the fishing pressure on our public streams and lakes. In many areas of the State, ponds are the only local source of fishing. Therefore, the Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources is vitally interested in this resource.

Sustaining good fishing in ponds requires proper design, stocking with the appropriate fish species and ongoing fish management. Ponds should be thought of as gardens because all the basic gardening principles also apply to pond management. The Alabamba Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division provides, at nominal cost, bluegill, redear sunfish (shellcracker) and the Marion strain of largemouth bass for ponds that contain no fish and meet certain other requirements.

Technical assistance is also provided to pond owners, at no cost, regarding proper management practices, such as; fertilization, liming, weed control and fish harvest. These management practices are essential to maintaining good fishing in ponds. In particular, proper fertilization results in an abundant food supply for bass and bream, insuring that they will be abundant and in good condition.

If you are considering building a fish pond or have one that you would like to manage better, contact the appropriate District Fisheries Office and request a copy of Alabama Fish Ponds.  Alabama Fish Ponds is also available on the web. This free 40 page booklet includes information on pond construction and proper fish management practices. Fisheries biologists are available in each office to answer your questions.

Pond stocking and prior-to-stocking checks are available through the Alabama Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division.   There is a charge for this service to Alabama pond owners.

Additional information on pond design and construction is available from the U. S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resource Conservation Service (formerly Soil Conservation Service).

In addition to Alabama Fish Ponds the following leaflets covering specific aspects of fish pond management are also available:
     "A Guide for Fertilizing Ponds and Lakes"
     "A Guide for the Control of Emergent Aquatic Plants in Farm Ponds"
     "A Guide for the Control of Submersed Aquatic Plants in Farm Ponds"
     "A Guide for Pond Renovation"
     "A Guide for Marginal Poisoning Ponds with Unbalanced Fish Populations"
     "Raising Fathead Minnows"
     "Deepening Edges of Ponds"
     "Fertilizer Platforms for Ponds"
     "Application of Superphosphate to Ponds to Help Prevent Fish Kills"
     "Clearing Muddy Water in Ponds"
     "A Guide for Liming Fish Ponds and Lakes"
     "Liquid Fertilizer in Ponds"
     "Spillway Barriers to Prevent the Migration of Fish into or out of Ponds"
Contact your District Fisheries Office for copies.

Pond fishing is a fun way to spend time with kids.
This bass was caught from a pond by the young man on the left.

If your pond suffers a fish kill, contact the District Fisheries Office immediately.