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Turning a "cattle pond" into a fishing pond

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    Turning a "cattle pond" into a fishing pond

    Hey everyone,
    We have a very small cattle pond on our lease and that I would love to have a few fish in. I have no idea how deep it is but I plan on just chunking some lead weights with a slip bobber in a few places to measure depth.

    My question is this:
    What are some prerequisites that must be satisfied before turning fish loose in there? i.e vegetation, cover, water quality, determining number of fish given a certain volume of water.

    I assume it's habitable. There are a ton of frogs and I've seen 2 very small fish that a turtle was chewing on. I'd love to have some fish to catch and release during days out there. Thanks in advance!

    #2
    Turning a "cattle pond" into a fishing pond

    Gotta keep cattle out of it or you're spinning your wheels!

    They will trample any and all vegetation.


    Skinny
    Last edited by Skinny; 09-22-2017, 06:32 AM.

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      #3
      My first guess would be shoot the turtles so they stop eating the fish after that i have no clue

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        #4
        Sure it's not a "cattle tank"?????

        Good luck.

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          #5
          Clear things with landowner first. Best start would be to fence off most of the tank and provide a single entrance to water. Even better if you can use cattle panels so that you can change the entrance to minimize erosion. Then let nature take its course.

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            #6
            Originally posted by Skinny View Post
            Gotta keep cattle out of it or you're spinning your wheels!

            They will trample any and all vegetation.

            Skinny
            I was referring to vegetation in the water. They've beaten down everything around it.

            Originally posted by Bowtech38 View Post
            My first guess would be shoot the turtles so they stop eating the fish after that i have no clue
            Yeah, I've got a son with a .22 that is about to be turned loose.

            Originally posted by Antlers86 View Post
            Sure it's not a "cattle tank"?????

            Good luck.
            Well played.

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              #7
              Yes I was talking about vegetation in the water since that's what you asked about. Cattle will trample it...which you already know as there is no vegetation in your "pond".


              Skinny

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                #8
                Question # 1 : have you been granted permission by the landowner to convert his cattle watering hole into your personal pleasure fishing pond ?

                If the answer is No, I would not go making "improvements" to someone else's land, especially when livestock are involved.

                If Yes, then you will need to make sure it holds water. You make have to dig it deeper and wider then add clay. You will need vegetation for cover and some type of aeration. Cows will be your nemisis
                Last edited by Cajun Blake; 09-22-2017, 06:40 AM.

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                  #9
                  Check out this design:

                  Floating Pipe for livestock water access

                  The document link goes to a one page pdf file with the design. It allows cattle access to the water but keeps them from destroying the water and area around it.

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                    #10
                    Originally posted by Skinny View Post
                    Yes I was talking about vegetation in the water since that's what you asked about. Cattle will trample it...which you already know as there is no vegetation in your "pond".

                    Skinny
                    Ahh gotcha. I've only seen them around the edge so I thought you were talking about surrounding vegetation. And yeah they trample EVERYTHING.
                    God I hate cattle.

                    Originally posted by Cajun Blake View Post
                    Question # 1 : have you been granted permission by the landowner to convert his cattle watering hole into your personal pleasure fishing pond ?

                    If the answer is No, I would not go making "improvements" to someone else's land, especially when livestock are involved.

                    If Yes, then you will need to make sure it holds water. You make have to dig it deeper and wider then add clay. You will need vegetation for cover and some type of aeration. Cows will be your nemisis
                    I'm just brainstorming here. I wouldn't do anything without his consent. He leases the land to the neighbor for grazing. Everything would need to be cleared. I was just wondering what would happen if I released a few dozen catfish or something. Looks like I need to look at it in several additional angles.

                    Originally posted by Dusty Britches View Post
                    Check out this design:

                    Floating Pipe for livestock water access

                    The document link goes to a one page pdf file with the design. It allows cattle access to the water but keeps them from destroying the water and area around it.
                    Thanks!

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                      #11
                      First thing I'd do is get me some worms and small hooks and turn that son loose on the pond with that! You might be surprised what's already in there... I have 2 small stock tanks/ponds on my place. The guy we bought it from had stocked one with catfish and perch. The other, he only put shiners and crappie in it... I've caught 3 1/2 pound bass out of one, and both are full of nice size bream/bluegill.... none of any of those were ever "stocked"... I used to thing the old "birds brought them" myth was just that, a myth, but I'd have to say I'm pretty much a believer now... You may already have fish in the tank...

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                        #12
                        Originally posted by SaltwaterSlick View Post
                        First thing I'd do is get me some worms and small hooks and turn that son loose on the pond with that! You might be surprised what's already in there... I have 2 small stock tanks/ponds on my place. The guy we bought it from had stocked one with catfish and perch. The other, he only put shiners and crappie in it... I've caught 3 1/2 pound bass out of one, and both are full of nice size bream/bluegill.... none of any of those were ever "stocked"... I used to thing the old "birds brought them" myth was just that, a myth, but I'd have to say I'm pretty much a believer now... You may already have fish in the tank...
                        I'll be doing just that!

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                          #13
                          How large is it?

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                            #14
                            As said above, shoot turtles and snakes as you find them.

                            Stock in Oct so it gives them a head start before the reptiles get active again. I am stocking a brand new pond I have in middle Oct.

                            Depending on the size and depth limit the species you put in there and ensure you over stock on plenty of bait fish. Fat head minnows and copper nose bream.

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                              #15
                              Originally posted by BrandonA View Post
                              How large is it?
                              Google Earth shows a diameter of 130'. So a circumference of 408' and surface area of .3 acres. Tiny.

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