Pond Observations

[Blue Raider Bob]

     What a difference just a few degrees make. Last Sunday's Shad release in 45 deg. water brought no interest from the pond LM, I mean none at all. Shad were swimming right past the resident LM's with no aggressive movement at all. Fast forward to this past Sunday's Shad release with the water just a couple of degrees warmer, and the reactions were completely different. The LM were quick to recover from their (Human on the bank) scatter, and came right back to the release point. They ran down the weaklings and busted topwater after others. Fortunately the release was large enough to allow a nice school of healthy Shad to occupy the open waters.

     Did the very few degree difference in the water make all the difference in the changed behavior? Probably not. There are just so many variables involved, but it surely made some difference. We still have so far to go of our understanding of Micropterus Salmoides, but its a fun journey.

     One other interesting thing to mention....one of my Bass has a blind eye. It is about 16" long and I did not notice this until the water cleared this fall. The water is tap water clear now and I see (Deadeye) often. I must have blinded him when he was caught and just didn't know it. Well. anyway, this last shad released had shad swimming by Deadeye, and Deadeye fed on the ones that crossed his good eye flank. While this is no surprise, Deadeye did not feed on the shad that swam past his bad eye side. The lateral line should have been his (Eyes) on the blind side but he never reacted to anything that passed him there. Just more food for thought. 

[Swamp Girl]

11 minutes ago, Blue Raider Bob said:

They ran down the weaklings and busted topwater after others.

 

How exciting!

[Functional]

24 minutes ago, Blue Raider Bob said:

The lateral line should have been his (Eyes) on the blind side but he never reacted to anything that passed him there. Just more food for thought. 

I wonder if with all of the commotion going on around him/her it was kind of like a sensory overload to the lateral line and he/she relied on eye sight the most. I'd be curious how he/she reacts to a shad casually swimming by in a still/calm environment. 

[Blue Raider Bob]

1 hour ago, Functional said:

I wonder if with all of the commotion going on around him/her it was kind of like a sensory overload to the lateral line and he/she relied on eye sight the most. I'd be curious how he/she reacts to a shad casually swimming by in a still/calm environment. 

I think you're on the right track. Being predominately sight feeders, I bet the lateral line wasn't exercised in the clear water environment, but I may be mistaken. There is always good clarity in my pond, but in the summer, with the phytoplankton bloom, the clarity is reduced.

[Blue Raider Bob]

Air temp 28 deg. Today. Water temp in lower forties. Amazingly, (to me), the water lilies continue to push out new growth. The surface leaves are still alive and the submerged leaves are reaching for the surface. Had no idea these plants could flourish in such a cold environment. Pickerel Rush are dead at the surface but green growth is evident at soil line. Can't wait for spring to observe how these and other water plants react to the changing seasons.

[Swamp Girl]

2 hours ago, Blue Raider Bob said:

Air temp 28 deg. Today. Water temp in lower forties. Amazingly, (to me), the water lilies continue to push out new growth. The surface leaves are still alive and the submerged leaves are reaching for the surface. Had no idea these plants could flourish in such a cold environment. Pickerel Rush are dead at the surface but green growth is evident at soil line. Can't wait for spring to observe how these and other water plants react to the changing seasons.

 

I'm excited too, Bob! Keep us posted.

[Blue Raider Bob]

     The ice has melted on the pond except for the southern edge shaded by trees. Unfortunately the Otters have returned. ☹️ They travel via a wet weather creek that borders my pond. The creek runs from farmland and farm ponds south of my property, and terminates into the Middle Fork Stones River about two miles north of my property. This is an annual winter event. I never see them after the wet weather creek ceases to flow in late spring. Yesterday I was able to walk the pond bank and dock but came upon distressing sights. There were two bass jaws on the bank, piles of scales on the dock, and body parts in the water beside the dock. It/they are quickly depleting my pond. I sat on the dock until 9:30 last night bundled up and hopeful. No one showed. I have no idea what time they arrive, but its probably way after shut-eye. Where is TnRiver46 when you need him? Probably up there on Rocky Top with the mountain boys hooking bass! 🙂

[Swamp Girl]

Dang it, Bob! I hate them wascally otters! Actually, I love to see them, but they depleted a bog I no longer fish. They're supreme predators, being faster, smarter, and more nimble than their prey, which is what I learned on a nature show.

[Functional]

might not be possible/legal but could you dam up that wet weather creek to divert the water and prevent it from reaching near your place?

[AlabamaSpothunter]

The worst thing about those Otters is that I believe they'll kill just for "fun".   It's one thing to have Herons or Cormorants that eat what they need to survive, but having a critter that is just out there killing for fun or sport would be hard to swallow 😢

 

Can you put up some game cameras in the areas you think they are accessing the pond?

 

I've found many critters are creatures of habit, you might be able to dial in a better time window when those suckers are murdering your fish.   

 

I look forward to the day those Otters gets what coming to them!   I can only imagine the feelings of frustration and anger.    To me they're killing your pets.  

 

[Swamp Girl]

I'm guessing you've already considered this, Bob, and perhaps tried it, but just in case, give some thought to outfitting your surviving bass with torpedo tubes. What could possibly go wrong? Nothing!

 

#yeah,I'mthevillageidiot

[Blue Raider Bob]

41 minutes ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

The worst thing about those Otters is that I believe they'll kill just for "fun".   It's one thing to have Herons or Cormorants that eat what they need to survive, but having a critter that is just out there killing for fun or sport would be hard to swallow 😢

 

Can you put up some game cameras in the areas you think they are accessing the pond?

 

I've found many critters are creatures of habit, you might be able to dial in a better time window when those suckers are murdering your fish.   

 

I look forward to the day those Otters gets what coming to them!   I can only imagine the feelings of frustration and anger.    To me they're killing your pets.  

 

     They have no definite entry point. There is over 300' of pond bank facing the wet weather creek and they enter and exit anywhere they want. Trapping Muskrats was easy. All you do is put trap in front of burrow entrance, but trapping these dudes is impossible. The body parts can show up around the entire perimeter. They use the whole thing for their needs. The only plus is they do not actually live here anymore. I blocked the egress under the dock where they used to use the space between joists and floatation panels. Now they migrate to the pond so I never see them anymore. Just their presence is noted. You are exactly right, they are killing my pets. These are the same bass that would nearly take Cicadas from my hands last summer.

56 minutes ago, Functional said:

might not be possible/legal but could you dam up that wet weather creek to divert the water and prevent it from reaching near your place?

     I have made a small dam so I could have an area that keeps water year round. The bottom of this small pond is made with liner remnants from the large pond. It is lined in rock and there is always a fish population from the farm pond washouts up stream. Unfortunately, there is no way to move the stream from my property. It enters my place from a culvert under the road I'm on.

[TnRiver46]

10 minutes ago, Blue Raider Bob said:

    but trapping these dudes is impossible. 

Now bob……… 

 

“can’t never could”

 

their fur was currency 300 yrs ago, are we moving backwards as a people ? (Don’t answer that 😆)

 

 

[AlabamaSpothunter]

We could all throw in some money and hire @TnRiver46 to do the needful.......we wanna see Otter heads on pikes 🤣

[TnRiver46]

My new boss would put my head on a pike! She told me otter is her spirit animal when we were discussing an issue at a wetland. She goes “please tell me you never trapped otters….. wait….. nvm…… don’t tell me anything”

[Swamp Girl]

 

[Blue Raider Bob]

4 minutes ago, Swamp Girl said:

 

BR friends, this is my place in Tennessee. Swamp Girl was kind enough to post because I am too inept.

Thanks Katie!

[Swamp Girl]

36 minutes ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

We could all throw in some money and hire @TnRiver46 to do the needful.......we wanna see Otter heads on pikes 🤣

 

Reminds me of the scene in Pulp Fiction where the mob boss is going to go Medieval. 

[TnRiver46]

5 minutes ago, Blue Raider Bob said:

BR friends, this is my place in Tennessee. Swamp Girl was kind enough to post because I am too inept.

Thanks Katie!

You’re just renting it from the rodent generations 

[Swamp Girl]

Another Bob video:

 

 

[Functional]

[Eric 26]

56 minutes ago, Blue Raider Bob said:

BR friends, this is my place in Tennessee. Swamp Girl was kind enough to post because I am too inept.

Thanks Katie!

Regardless of how it got posted thank you both for sharing your slice of what I would call paradise.

[Swamp Girl]

Bob's Bob, Part III:

 

 

15 minutes ago, Eric 26 said:

Regardless of how it got posted thank you both for sharing your slice of what I would call paradise.

 

It is paradise! And Bob built it!!!

[Eric 26]

@Swamp Girl Oh I’m well aware that Bob is a master carpenter and all around craftsman.  Now he just needs to work on his marksmanship or humane trapping skills😉

Edited January 29 by Eric 26
Grammar

[AlabamaSpothunter]

Agree fully with @Eric 26 sentiments.

 

While it's honestly tragic what these dang Otters are doing, the reason I love this thread has very little to do with the fact Bass are living in the pond.  I've said it a few times before, but Bob is living a dream.    Rural beautiful property, a pond, and perhaps most important a tractor....that's paradise!   

 

That said, we've got to kill or trap these Otters.     I wanna see feed trained 5lbers eating out of your hands 😎