What determines if a pond has fish in it?

[ILfisherman]

So I was over at my sis' new house last weekend and this pond is literally in her backyard, sort of a subdivision pond I guess. I always thought that this thing couldn't possibly be holding any fish due to its size and lack of cover and forage for bass. I noticed a bit of vegetation at the bottom and decided "what the heck, I might as well try it out". So I throw a superfluke out and what do ya know! A bite! Turned out to be a tiny little dink. So I continued on and every cast, I had bites and I kept catching these little bass. So my question is how they got there!?!?!?!? I know it is a man made little pond and it couldn't have been made too long ago because the subdivision is like 2 yrs old. I don't think the contractor company would stock it full of fish.  Anyways, I know I'm gonna try throwing out something a bit bigger to see if there's some Older brothers and sisters in there lol.

[Guest avid]

It's possible that it was stocked, but fish get transplanted into lakes and ponds by totally natural means.

wading often pick up fertilized eggs between their toes and fly them to the next pond.  Same thing can happen with frogs and other amphibians.  There are other natural ways.  

Then there is human transplantation.

[Sam]

One of my clients has a pond on their farm that has been neglected for years.

About four years ago they had a fish kill due to the lack of oxygen in the pond so they gave it up for dead.

So what do I do? I go there just to see if the pond is holding any fish and catch 8 catfish in a row and then a beautiful 4 pound female.  I caught her on a Senko.

With her was a smaller male, about 2.5 pounds.

I had two 2 pounders follow my crankbait but did not hit it.  I do not think they knew what a crankbait is.  I know they never have seen one before.

So yes, fish the pond.  Who knows how the fish got in the pond but they must be there.

Enjoy!

[Taliesin]

It's possible that it was stocked, but fish get transplanted into lakes and ponds by totally natural means.

wading often pick up fertilized eggs between their toes and fly them to the next pond. Same thing can happen with frogs and other amphibians. There are other natural ways.

Then there is human transplantation.

2 years isn't usually enough time for a sustainable fish population to naturally move in, unless a nearby creek or river floods in, but 4 years is. Then again, that pond may have been made before the rest of the subdivision.

One of the more effective natural methods is turtles moving from pond to pond. Fertilized eggs may be found in the water trapped in the turtles shell.

A surprising method of natural stocking is considered by many to be a myth. At times evaporating water may carry eggs with it. When that water forms into clouds and rains out, these eggs fall and may survive to hatch. I am one of those that has seen "raining frogs and fish". Not big fish, but it can stock a pond.

And for those ponds where low oxygen or a low water level has killed off the fish:

Catfish (and carp) are more durable in low oxygen (especially bullheads). Bullheads will even burrow into the mud and be able to survive there if the mud doesn't dry out and the pond isn't dry for too long.

[FatBoy]

A surprising method of natural stocking is considered by many to be a myth. At times evaporating water may carry eggs with it. When that water forms into clouds and rains out, these eggs fall and may survive to hatch. I am one of those that has seen "raining frogs and fish". Not big fish, but it can stock a pond.

Ummmm....no.  Sorry.  I've never heard that one.  But I guarantee you it is physically impossible.  

[T-rig]

A surprising method of natural stocking is considered by many to be a myth. At times evaporating water may carry eggs with it. When that water forms into clouds and rains out, these eggs fall and may survive to hatch. I am one of those that has seen "raining frogs and fish". Not big fish, but it can stock a pond.

Ummmm....no. Sorry. I've never heard that one. But I guarantee you it is physically impossible.

It is possible especially when small tornados suck up water including some fish. What goes up must come down!

Read this: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/3582802.stm

[George Welcome]

Have you not heard of the "fish fairy"? On nights of full moon and rising temperatures the fish fairy plants fish on her nightly rounds. Ideal waters to receive this special treatment include out of the way little ponds.

[ronster71]

Laugh all you want...the "fish egg evaporation" phenomena is well documented...my father has witnessed this before and I've never known him to tell fish stories...well, maybe on occasion, but this wasn't one of them.

[Guest btlva]

a bunch of little bass all the same size? it was stocked.

[FatBoy]

A surprising method of natural stocking is considered by many to be a myth. At times evaporating water may carry eggs with it. When that water forms into clouds and rains out, these eggs fall and may survive to hatch. I am one of those that has seen "raining frogs and fish". Not big fish, but it can stock a pond.

Ummmm....no.  Sorry.  I've never heard that one.  But I guarantee you it is physically impossible.  

It is possible especially when small tornados suck up water including some fish. What goes up must come down!

Read this: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/3582802.stm

OK, but that's a tornado.  I would even believe that it's possible for strong winds to carry eggs and possibly small fish.  But that is not the same thing as evaporation.  

[FatBoy]

Laugh all you want...the "fish egg evaporation" phenomena is well documented...my father has witnessed this before and I've never known him to tell fish stories...well, maybe on occasion, but this wasn't one of them.

Well, some would say that bigfoot is "well documented."  And I've seen videos of ghosts and UFOs....

I don't know what your father saw, but it was not an evaporated fish egg.  

***CAUTION: SCIENCE LESSON***

When water evaporates, water MOLECULES go from the liquid state to the gas state.  They can't take anything solid with them.  The water becomes "dissolved" in the air in a sense.  Next time you have some time to kill, take a dish of water out in the sun and spend a few hours staring at it as close as you care to.  You will NEVER see even the tiniest drop of water come out of the dish.  The water will be in the dish, then a while later it will be "gone."  Any solid, like a fish egg or even the smallest speck of dust, will be left behind in the dish.  

Where's Cephkiller?  I know he'll back me up on this one.

***END SCIENCE LESSON***

Coming back to the original question, I'm willing to bet someone stocked the pond.  It could have been the developer.  Or it could have been someone else in town who saw this as a potential new fishing spot and decided to take matters into his own hands and brought a few bass from somewhere else.  I know a guy who likes to do this.  It can create some pretty good fishing during the few years while a subdivision is going up (or until the secret gets out).  

There are a lot of subdivisions in my town built around a pond.  But there's one subdivision in particular that's not very old but the pond holds some huge fish.  I know a guy who caught a 29" striper out of there.  IMPOSSIBLE you say!?!  Well, it turns out that this particular "pond" is not a retention pond built for the subdivision.  The subdivision was actually build around a flooded quarry pit.  It's supposedly as much as 50 ft deep.  It's the best kept secret in town, so don't tell anybody.  

[George Welcome]

Viable fish eggs can travel:

On little ducks feet - on turtles: however, only for relatively short distances as they are no longer viable if they dry out.

Solid objects cannot evaporate.

A thunderstorm's center is hot air rising, not water or its contents.

UFOs are well documented as is the tooth fairy.

[ILfisherman]

Yea, they're all the same size so maybe somebody caught a few dinks, put them in there, and they spawned out. Although, I haven't fished it thoroughly enough. I only used a fluke jr. in there, so I'm thinking maybe I'll toss a swim senko or spinnerbait in there and see if I can catch something a bit bigger. Hopefully, I'll get out there later today and keep you guys posted.

Attached is a pic of the size of fish found in this pond.

[BassPonder72]

I don't know the history of this subdivision but, I do know that in my area many subdivisions are put up on old farm land.  So the pond may be alot older than the subdivision and may have had fish in for many, many years.

[Pond-Pro]

Ok, fish eggs do not evaporate and rain down again.... come on!  :  :

As far as the original question that is in the subject, I think that any body of water has the potential to support some type of fish life.

[Bass Smacker]

A surprising method of natural stocking is considered by many to be a myth. At times evaporating water may carry eggs with it. When that water forms into clouds and rains out, these eggs fall and may survive to hatch. I am one of those that has seen "raining frogs and fish". Not big fish, but it can stock a pond.

Ummmm....no. Sorry. I've never heard that one. But I guarantee you it is physically impossible.

I have heard if this happining. but not too sure about the evaporating thing. but i have read about it raining small fish and frogs.  

[grid]

The 4 gravel pits that I fish one morning I saw something on the shore.  I had to check it out.  I saw a hole bunch of eggs with tiny little feet walking to the next gravel pit.  It was like a mini migration.  I've heard of birds carrying eggs to other ponds but now! I know how they get to and fro.

Dude, ask your sister who built her house.  Give them a ring and ask them.  Most sub's ponds are street run off retention ponds but they do stock them for the homeowners to fish.  The first subdivision I lived in had a pond.  The rum dums that built it put a 10' walking path around it then they put the spill off 2 feet above that.  When the pond filled up it filled to the bottem of the spill way.  So, the walkpath is and always been underwater.  That was good for me.  I banked fished the edge of the walkpath and caught nice bass.  When I moved in the pond was only 4 years old.  The bass were getting a good size to catch and release.

[ILfisherman]

I believe the area used to be farm land actually. Didn't think of that. The pond is definitely man-made, I think, like many of the lakes around the area. Here's a aerial pic of the pond. Its about 5' deep max. Like I said, full of little dinks. Its an older pic but I drew her house in, lol, if that gives you any idea of how new the subdivision is.

[Cajun1977]

who cares :   theres fish in it good,   no need to worry how they got there  just fish and be happy

j/k

[LooksLikeSinbad]

I thought that builders and developers stock ponds as part of an effort to create an eco-system that will sustain wildlife and vegetation and keep the water from becoming stagnant, swampy, buggy, etc.  Putting bass, bluegill, etc. in a pond creates a nicer environment for the subdivision then just filling it with water. No?

[PondBoss]

Wanna catch bigger fish in the future get rid of a lot of those small fish.  Feed the coons or other wildlife.  The fish can't get any bigger if they have no room to grow.  Throw them on the bank or take some home to snack on, hell stock another little pond closer to your own home.