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Catfish Breeding in Pond
Posted on 7/15/23 at 2:42 pm
Posted on 7/15/23 at 2:42 pm
I have a few ponds in WV. One is 3 acres and the other two are about an acre. They’re all in the 6 ft depth range.
I have put a lot of channel cats in over the years. I buy them from Fish Wagon at about 3-4” long and usually stock 150/ year in each pond. Every pond also has grass carp and koi fish to keep it clean, along with brim and crappie. I also keep it stocked with crawfish.
I don’t know how well they spawn in these ponds. I don’t allow bass in any of the ponds to help the population, and I limit the number of crappie, which are sterile. Still, should I put in any kind of hollowed out trunks or anything for them to have success breeding, or will they do it regardless? I’ve heard catfish are tricky when it comes to spawning.
Does anyone have any advice?
I have put a lot of channel cats in over the years. I buy them from Fish Wagon at about 3-4” long and usually stock 150/ year in each pond. Every pond also has grass carp and koi fish to keep it clean, along with brim and crappie. I also keep it stocked with crawfish.
I don’t know how well they spawn in these ponds. I don’t allow bass in any of the ponds to help the population, and I limit the number of crappie, which are sterile. Still, should I put in any kind of hollowed out trunks or anything for them to have success breeding, or will they do it regardless? I’ve heard catfish are tricky when it comes to spawning.
Does anyone have any advice?
This post was edited on 7/15/23 at 4:05 pm
6
Posted on 7/15/23 at 2:58 pm to 304tiger
quote:
Does anyone have any advice?
Paging deltaland
Posted on 7/15/23 at 2:58 pm to 304tiger
Deltaland is the resident catfish raising professional. 
Posted on 7/15/23 at 10:59 pm to 304tiger
I've got three ponds full of self sustaining catfish ... but mine are bigger and deeper.
I've always been told they like at least 10' in the channels down here in this heat. You may be able-to get away with 6' up there provided your banks fall off steeply on those size ponds.
I do have docks and submerged man made cover for them and I do, occasionally, feed them when I want to put on a show but I've got carp, crappie, brim and black bass in my ponds.
You can use barrels, cinder blocks ... my biggest pond has a 1959 Ford in the middle of it thanks to my grandpappy and some home stilled hootch. We always throw weighted Christmas trees into a couple of spots every year. If you've got any old trees that need to come down around the shore just hack'em down and push-em into the pond leaving them connected to their srumps. I don't know what it is but catfiah love sitting under those felled trees.
Anyways, that's some food for thought.
I've always been told they like at least 10' in the channels down here in this heat. You may be able-to get away with 6' up there provided your banks fall off steeply on those size ponds.
I do have docks and submerged man made cover for them and I do, occasionally, feed them when I want to put on a show but I've got carp, crappie, brim and black bass in my ponds.
You can use barrels, cinder blocks ... my biggest pond has a 1959 Ford in the middle of it thanks to my grandpappy and some home stilled hootch. We always throw weighted Christmas trees into a couple of spots every year. If you've got any old trees that need to come down around the shore just hack'em down and push-em into the pond leaving them connected to their srumps. I don't know what it is but catfiah love sitting under those felled trees.
Anyways, that's some food for thought.
Posted on 7/15/23 at 11:19 pm to 304tiger
We used to fish a pond on a deer lease in east texas that was similar size to yours and probably 5' deep. Thing was full of 12" channel cats and theres no way it had been stocked in the past 10 years.
Posted on 7/16/23 at 9:49 am to 304tiger
Channel catfish are cavity spawners, so hollowed out logs, empty drums/barrels, etc. are usually used to induce spawning in older fish in man-made ponds.
However, without a good predatory fish like largemouth bass in your ponds, and to prevent possible over-population and “stunting” (reduced growth) I’d recommend you continue doing what you are doing presently - just buy catfish fingerlings and restock yearly based on the number of catfish you harvest annually. For example, if you catch 100 catfish yearly, restock with a 100 catfish fingerlings.
Might be more expensive this way, but one usually gets more reliable/consistent results. If it’s not broken, don’t try to fix it.
However, without a good predatory fish like largemouth bass in your ponds, and to prevent possible over-population and “stunting” (reduced growth) I’d recommend you continue doing what you are doing presently - just buy catfish fingerlings and restock yearly based on the number of catfish you harvest annually. For example, if you catch 100 catfish yearly, restock with a 100 catfish fingerlings.
Might be more expensive this way, but one usually gets more reliable/consistent results. If it’s not broken, don’t try to fix it.
This post was edited on 7/16/23 at 10:35 am
Posted on 7/16/23 at 2:25 pm to 304tiger
quote:
I’ve heard catfish are tricky when it comes to spawning. Does anyone have any advice?
You need catfish that are 3 years old or older to spawn. Also the pond can’t be stocked too heavy with fish or they won’t spawn. If you want them to spawn and catfish fry to survive you’ll need to sink some barrels or spawning boxes, the bream and crappie will eat the fry otherwise. Catfish will spawn in the barrels and when the eggs hatch the fry will stay in there and be protected from predators
However, I’d advise against it. You’ll run the risk of the ponds getting overcrowded with catfish, just one spawn from one fish can yield 10,000-20,000 fry.
I just shut my hatchery down for the season. Hatched 55 million channels
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