Transferring fish to different ponds...

[tyrius.]

So, I moved in a new (new construction) subdivision and we've got a few retention ponds.  These ponds are only a year or two old and haven't been stocked with fish.  Is it possible to take fish from one pond and release them in our pond?  The ponds in my father in law's subdivision are FILLED with bass at the 15" (haven't seen anything bigger than this) and in my naive mind would be perfect to move so that I can just walk 200 feet to fish!

Any problems with this idea?  Is it even legal?  How long do I have to transfer the fish before I run into too many mortality problems?  

[SimonSays]

It's most likely not legal, do you see any fish at all?

Brim/blue gill? any type of panfish or small bait fish?

if not, the fish you add might not last very long anyways.

some things to think about.

[Gatorbassman]

Contact your lacal Wildlife department. They will direct you on how you can get started. If it's against the law then there should be some fish hatcheries somewhere close buy that will be able to stock them for you.

[tyrius.]

It's most likely not legal, do you see any fish at all?

Brim/blue gill? any type of panfish or small bait fish?

if not, the fish you add might not last very long anyways.

some things to think about.

It's empty.  The water has only been there for a year.  The ponds are FULL of frogs and my idea would be to start transferring bluegill and smaller fish to develop a food source prior to transferring any bass.

[bass109]

diseases should be kept in mind.  

[WRB]

You are apparently not the legal owner of the property, so the state DNR isn't going to stock the ponds for you. The ponds must be deep enough not to freeze solid and allow the bass to survive. If the water temperature get below 40 degrees or above 85 throughout the water column the bass or prey fish can't survive. The dissolved oxygen levels must also be within sustainable levels to support bass.

It sounds like nearby ponds support bass OK. Try getting the owners permission to stock the bass and do it on your on. Read the fish and game regulations and determine if transporting game fish is legal where you live.

WRB

[tyrius.]

You are apparently not the legal owner of the property,

I own a sliver of it!  It's one of the ponds maintained by our homeowners association.

Guess I'll just forget it and drive the mile to another larger pond that already has good fish.

Thanks for the info.

[Raul]

You are apparently not the legal owner of the property,

I own a sliver of it! It's one of the ponds maintained by our homeowners association.

Guess I'll just forget it and drive the mile to another larger pond that already has good fish.

Thanks for the info.

Then it 's the homeowners association the one who should make the request to have the pond stocked.

[Ghetto_Basser]

I have a friend in Florida who stocked his pond with bass, then the next year put in red fin shiners. It has been a few years and the fish are HUGE.

Sometimes I feel like we cherry pick when were out there but it is fun to catch bass with different presentations. BTW the pond isn't that small, so there are no gimmies.

[Sam]

May I make a suggestion?

Do not mix bass with bream in your live well or cooler.

The bass may not survive with the bream, especially if you are transporting them or keeping them in the live well or cooler for a sustained time period.

I would think you would stock the pond with bream, minnows and crawfish now and then if they survive over the winter start putting some bass in the pond next spring after the spawn.

Of course, if you could make sure the bottom of the new pond is sufficient for a bed you may be able to tansfer a pregnant bass to the bed area and have a bunch of baby bass after the hatch.

Just my thoughts.  But remember, the bass have to eat something as they are on the top of the food chainand it would be nice to have the minnows and bream living in the pond before the bass are introduced.

[flechero]

You are apparently not the legal owner of the property,

I own a sliver of it! It's one of the ponds maintained by our homeowners association.

Then it 's the homeowners association the one who should make the request to have the pond stocked.

And the membership of said association (you) needs to request that they do this. (preferably in writing and include some signatures from neighbors to show support for the idea) You are paying them to manage the subdivision so you have a legitimate right and reason to make the request. The more people that ask, the better your chances.

[surfer]

And the membership of said association (you) needs to request that they do this. (preferably in writing and include some signatures from neighbors to show support for the idea) You are paying them to manage the subdivision so you have a legitimate right and reason to make the request. The more people that ask, the better your chances.

I used to think like this before I became part of a home owner's association.  A home owners association is more like an exercise in politics.  Depending on how many people are in the association; and how many of them like you; what % of them you need to agree per the bylaws you are up against a big obstacle getting the votes you need.  The association itself will not put itself at risk by saying yes.  It will put it out for vote and that old hag who called the cops about your last keg party will say no just to spite you.  Oops.  That might have been too revealing.     :-X

Do it under cover of darkness.  And don't be surprised when your neighbors catch and keep the bass.

[MALTESE FALCON]

Here in Michigan, it is illegal to transplant game fish or viable eggs without a permit. All fish plants must be done under the supervision of the DNR.

The DNR will measure the pond and then determine how many fish and forage should be planted.

Falcon

[IneedAnewScreenName9886691]

In Kansas it is absolutely legal to transplant fish from public or private to your own lake (owning the lake might be the key phrase).  Last year after reading some posts similar to the ones above I decided maybe I was wrong and called the KS dept. of wildlife and the guy about laughed at me.   No problem he said.  He said I could go catch my limit in a public lake and take them to my pond and let them go or I could go to a private lake take all I wanted and let them go in my private lake.  

We do so much of this, we have develeoped the fish buggy (trailier with 3 big tanks, airator, cooler for storing ice, etc.) we move fish all the time.  

Some above concerns are very legit.  A lot of subdivision lakes have plastic liners in the bottom as well.  Just my experiance with it- take it for what it's worth, which ain't much!  

Good luck!  

[flechero]

A home owners association is more like an exercise in politics.

That's exactly what it is!  And I hate politics.  But my distaste for politics was overridden by my desire to get out ponds stocked.  It's a hassle, depending on your HOA and the size of membership but sometimes hard work is the only way to prevail (legally!!)  

[Tpayneful]

I live in a neighborhood with an HOA and we have a book with all of the bylaws in it.  If it isn't covered in the bylaws, it is legal.  If the fish magically apear in the pond, nobody will probably mind.  I would just stock / transplant fish at night and not worry about it.  I have transferred fish and stocked ponds here in Virginia and it is not recommended but not illegal.  I believe the northern states have a propensity to outlaw things such as this and southern states don't.  I would stock some kind of baitfish first and then a year or so later stock / transfer bass into the pond.  We did this to the pond behind my office.  It was stocked with bluegill only and two years later LMB and a couple SMB were transplanted into the pond.  One year after the transplant, Bass fishing has been FANTASTIC!  Here is a pond stocking link on the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries:

http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/FISHING/pondmanagement/stocking.asp