Adding 10,000 Fish to the 5 Acre Pond!

BamaBass
24 Mar 202425:57

Summary

TLDRIn this engaging video, the host updates viewers on the progress of their 5-acre pond project, Crimson Oak Pond. They share the challenges and triumphs of pond construction, water filling, and fish stocking, including bait fish like bluegills and threadfin shad, as well as aggressive bass. The video highlights the importance of spring restocking and the่ง‚ๅฏŸ of bass spawning behaviors. The host also discusses the installation of underwater antennas to track bass movements and shares plans for future pond events and improvements. The video is a must-watch for anyone interested in pond management and the fascinating underwater world.

Takeaways

  • ๐Ÿž๏ธ The Crimson Oak Pond project covers 5 acres and took a year to build, involving extensive excavation and the creation of an island and dock.
  • ๐Ÿšœ The pond was filled with water over several months and stocked with bait fish such as bluegills, threadfin shad, and aggressive bass.
  • ๐ŸŒฑ Springtime is crucial for restocking the pond with threadfin shad, as it coincides with their spawning season, leading to a higher survival rate of the newly hatched fish.
  • ๐ŸŸ The importance of maintaining healthy populations of forage fish like threadfin shad and bluegills for the growth of large bass is emphasized.
  • ๐Ÿข The pond is home to various wildlife, including eagles, baby turtles, and a possum named George Jones.
  • ๐ŸŽฃ The video discusses the unusual observation of 2-inch bass in the pond, which could indicate an early or late spawn, potentially leading to overcrowding.
  • ๐ŸŒŠ A cleanout of the pond's wetland filter is conducted to improve water clarity, using high volume pumps to flush out muddy water.
  • ๐ŸŽ‚ The pond and farm are used for events, such as Sarah's sixth birthday party, which includes fishing activities for children.
  • ๐Ÿ“ˆ The use of underwater antennas and a Liv scope is highlighted for tracking and observing fish behavior, with plans to expand this technology in the pond.
  • ๐Ÿก A squirrel house is being built for a fox squirrel named Foxy, with feeding stations set up around the farm to monitor squirrel activity.

Q & A

  • What is the main purpose of the Crimson Oak Pond project?

    -The main purpose of the Crimson Oak Pond project is to create a 5-acre pond that serves as a habitat for various aquatic species, including bait fish and bass, and to provide an environment for wildlife such as eagles and turtles.

  • What species of fish were initially stocked in the pond?

    -The pond was initially stocked with bait fish including bluegills and threadfin shad, and later with aggressive bass.

  • Why is spring the ideal time to restock threadfin shad in the pond?

    -Spring is the ideal time to restock threadfin shad because it coincides with their spawning season, which usually occurs in late April or early May. This timing results in a higher survival rate and increased population of the shad.

  • How does the speaker plan to address the issue of overcrowding in the pond due to multiple bass spawns?

    -The speaker plans to monitor the pond closely for any additional spring spawns and if multiple bass are found spawning, the recommendation is to remove as many of the 2-inch bass as possible to prevent overcrowding.

  • What is unique about the bass caught in the pond, and what does it indicate?

    -The bass caught in the pond have tails that appear to be painted black, which is a trait of northern bass. This indicates that the newer generations of Tiger Bass are starting to show northern traits.

  • What was the issue with the Wetland filter in Cedar Falls and how was it resolved?

    -The Wetland filter had a problem with water clarity due to mud and clay getting mixed in with the gravel during its installation. The issue was resolved by using high volume pumps to flush thousands of gallons of water through the gravel, washing out the muddy water.

  • What technology is being used to track the bass in the pond?

    -Underwater antennas with PIT TXS (tags) are being used to track the bass in the pond. The antennas are connected to a control panel on the dock, and the data collected is being used to study the fish's behavior and movements.

  • What is the significance of the Liv scope in the pond's ecosystem study?

    -The Liv scope is a camera that allows the speaker to observe the fish and their reactions to different sounds and feedings. It provides insights into their behavior and helps in understanding how they associate certain sounds with feeding times.

  • What is the purpose of the feeding stations set up around the farm for squirrels?

    -The feeding stations are set up to monitor squirrel activity and determine the best location for installing a new squirrel house. They also help in understanding which areas of the farm attract the most squirrels.

  • What was the outcome of the spring cleanout in the pond?

    -The spring cleanout involved removing debris from the bottom of the pond that had accumulated over the past fall and winter. The cleanout resulted in clearer water, which improved visibility of the fish and overall pond health.

  • What is the name of the most aggressive bass in the pond and how has it changed over time?

    -The most aggressive bass in the pond is named Mobi. Over time, Mobi has grown significantly, putting on weight over the winter and continues to eat voraciously.

Outlines

00:00

๐Ÿž๏ธ Pond Development and Springtime Updates

The video begins with an overview of the 5-acre Crimson Oak Pond's development over the past year, including the excavation, clayๅผ•่ฟ›, and water filling process. The narrator discusses the importance of bait fish like bluegills and threadfin shad for bass forage, and the recent restocking of 2-inch aggressive bass. Spring activities at the pond are highlighted, including eagle sightings, turtle hatching, and the strategic restocking of threadfin shad to ensure a healthy fish population. The challenges of transporting threadfin shad and the benefits of spring restocking are explained. The video also touches on the unusual observation of 2-inch bass in the pond, hinting at potential early or late spawn occurrences and their implications for pond management.

05:00

๐Ÿฆ… Eagle Tower and Underwater Antennas

The narrator shares updates on the eagles that have moved into the eagle tower, naming them Sam and Dixie. The video then transitions to discuss the installation of underwater antennas to track bass with pit TXS. The control panel is located on the dock, and the data collected includes the number of pings per day, revealing interesting fish behaviors. The most notable is Cyprus, a Florida strain bass that frequently interacts with the antenna. The video also mentions upcoming projects involving the antennas and promotes a hydration product called Element, which is beneficial for maintaining electrolytes and hydration, especially for athletes and those on special diets.

10:01

๐Ÿ’ง Pond Cleanout and Water Clarity

The video focuses on the challenges of maintaining water clarity in the new 30,000-g pond called Cedar Falls. The narrator explains the issues with the Wetland filter and introduces a new plan to flush out the muddy water using high volume pumps. The cleanout process is detailed, including the temporary trapping of golden shiners and the observation of various fish and turtles during the cleanout. The video also covers the setup of a squirrel house, the creation of squirrel feeding stations, and the importance of designing predator-proof entrances for the house.

15:02

๐ŸŽฃ Bass Fishing and Tagging

The narrator engages in a bass fishing session at the pond, catching and tagging fish. The video showcases the process of scanning fish for pit tags and the excitement of catching various bass, including a Florida strain named Everglade and a black crappie named Outlaw. The narrator also discusses the growth and health of the fish, including concerns about potential parasites. The video concludes with a fishing trip summary, highlighting the successful catch of several large bass, including a female named Odin and a bass named Dixie.

20:04

๐ŸŽ‰ Spring Cleanout and Future Plans

The video concludes with a spring cleanout of the pond, removing debris accumulated over the winter. The narrator provides an update on Mobi, the most aggressive bass in the pond, and the black crappie, Outlaw. The video also mentions the addition of a new resident to Clyde's Cove, one of the original Ninja Turtles. The narrator feeds the pet bass, Tiger, in a 300-g aquarium and reflects on the day's activities. The video ends with a call to action for viewers to subscribe for more updates on the pond and fish.

Mindmap

Keywords

๐Ÿ’กCrimson Oak Pond

The main setting of the video, Crimson Oak Pond is a 5-acre body of water that the video's creators have developed over the past year. It involves extensive excavation, the introduction of various aquatic life, and the construction of an island and dock. The pond serves as a focal point for the video's narrative, showcasing the process of creating and maintaining a thriving aquatic ecosystem.

๐Ÿ’กStocking

The process of introducing new species or populations into a body of water, such as a pond or lake. In the context of the video, stocking is crucial for maintaining a balanced and sustainable fish population, particularly for species like bass that rely on smaller fish as a food source.

๐Ÿ’กBass

A type of freshwater fish that is a popular species for both anglers and aquaculture. In the video, bass are one of the primary focuses, with the creators discussing their growth, feeding habits, and the impact of stocking on their population.

๐Ÿ’กThreadfin Shad

A species of fish that serves as a critical forage species for larger predatory fish like bass. Threadfin shad are noted for their importance in maintaining a healthy ecosystem within the pond, as they are a primary food source for many fish species.

๐Ÿ’กEagles

Largest birds of prey with a keen eyesight, often found near bodies of water where they hunt for fish. In the video, eagles are part of the pond's ecosystem, with a pair nesting nearby and their behavior and interactions being observed and documented.

๐Ÿ’กUnderwater Antennas

Devices used to track the movement and location of fish that have been implanted with transmitters. In the video, these antennas are part of a project to monitor the behavior and locations of bass within the pond, providing valuable data for understanding their habits and ecosystem dynamics.

๐Ÿ’กWater Clarity

A measure of how clear or transparent the water is, which can affect the health of an aquatic ecosystem and the organisms living in it. Water clarity is important for both the fish and the plants within the pond, as well as for aesthetic and recreational purposes.

๐Ÿ’กCleanout

The process of removing debris, sediment, and other accumulated materials from the bottom of a pond or other body of water. Cleanouts are essential for maintaining water quality and the health of the aquatic ecosystem.

๐Ÿ’กFertilization

The process of adding nutrients to the water to stimulate the growth of aquatic plants and algae, which can improve water quality and provide food for fish. Fertilization is a balancing act, as too much can lead to harmful algal blooms.

๐Ÿ’กSquirrel Feeding Stations

Artificial structures set up to provide food for squirrels, allowing for observation and study of their behavior. These stations are used to monitor squirrel activity and determine the best locations for installing squirrel houses.

๐Ÿ’กFish Tagging

The practice of attaching a small tag or marker to a fish for the purpose of identification and tracking. This method is used in fisheries management and research to monitor individual fish growth, movement, and population dynamics.

Highlights

The construction of a 5-acre pond over the past year, involving several months of excavation and the transportation of truckloads of clay.

The creation of an island and a dock, and the placement of structures in the pond.

Filling the pond with water over a couple of months and stocking it with baitfish such as bluegills and threadfin shad.

Introducing aggressive 2-inch bass into the pond ecosystem.

The observation of springtime activities including eagles soaring, baby turtles hatching, and bass and bluegills populating shallow areas.

The strategic restocking of threadfin shad in the spring to ensure a healthy forage base for bass.

The use of the bucket method to stock shad in shallow pond pockets, providing a visual spectacle of bass feeding.

The discovery of 2-inch bass in the pond, indicating a potential early or late spawn, which could lead to overcrowding.

The implementation of underwater antennas to track bass with PIT tags, providing valuable data on their movements and behaviors.

The cleaning of the wetland filter to address water clarity issues, using high volume pumps to flush out trapped mud.

The celebration of Sarah's sixth birthday party with fishing activities, emphasizing the importance of engaging children with fishing from a young age.

The use of a Liv scope to study bass reactions to feeding, providing insights into their behaviors without causing stress.

The setting up of squirrel feeding stations to monitor squirrel activity and determine the best location for a new squirrel house.

The introduction of a new squirrel house design for Foxy, the fox squirrel, considering the entrance size to keep out larger predators.

The capture and tagging of fish in the pond, including the first Florida strain bass named Everglade, and monitoring their growth and health.

The excitement of catching a large bass named Odin, which has almost doubled in weight since the last catch.

The spring cleanout of the pond, removing debris accumulated over the fall and winter to maintain a healthy aquatic environment.

The update on Mobi, the most aggressive bass in the world, and the black crappie named Outlaw, showcasing their growth and feeding habits.

The feeding of the pet bass named Tiger in the 300-gallon aquarium, highlighting the variety of food used and the bass's appetite.

Transcripts

00:00

Folks at home welcome back to the

00:01

Crimson Oak Pond and if you're new to

00:03

this series we built this 5 acre Pond

00:05

over the past year and it took us

00:07

several months to get all of the dirt

00:09

excavated and we had to bring in several

00:11

truckloads of clay and we also built an

00:14

island a dock and got all the structure

00:16

in place and then it took a couple of

00:18

months to get it full of water after

00:20

that we stocked it with a bunch of bait

00:22

fish including bluegills and thread fin

00:24

shad and not long after that we stocked

00:26

it with these little 2-in aggressive

00:28

bass and we're going to be giving you an

00:30

update on them here in just a minute and

00:32

spring is in the air we got the Eagles

00:34

soaring baby turtles hatching little

00:37

tiny bass and blue gills covering the

00:38

shallow parts of the pond and George

00:41

Jones the possum doing some mischievous

00:43

things and the spring is always the

00:45

perfect time of year to restock the pond

00:47

with thread fin Shad so in most of your

00:49

ponds and lakes bluegills and thread fin

00:52

Shad are the backbone of forage fish for

00:55

bass and although you can supplement

00:57

things like crawfish tilapia and even

01:00

throughout the year those are all

01:01

seasonal and only last a short amount of

01:04

time so if you're going to grow big bass

01:06

you need healthy populations of thread

01:08

fins and bluegills and there's a couple

01:10

reasons for stocking them in the spring

01:12

first thread fin shads are really

01:14

finicky and it's hard to transport them

01:16

in the summertime but more importantly

01:18

if you stock the Shad in the spring

01:20

you're doing it right before the Shad

01:22

spawn which usually happens in late

01:24

April or early May and so you'll end up

01:26

with thousands of more newly hatched

01:28

thread fins but there's a couple

01:30

different ways to stock them you can

01:31

either pump them out of the holding

01:33

tanks but today I wanted to use the

01:35

bucket method and add some to the

01:37

shallow pockets of the pond so we could

01:39

get some of those big bass blowups and

01:41

you'll notice that even a couple degrees

01:43

in water temperature will temporarily

01:45

stun them and they almost look like

01:47

they're playing posum but it only last

01:49

for a minute or so and then they'll all

01:51

swim off like nothing happened but the

01:53

fun part here is that while they're

01:55

acting stunned up there on the surface

01:57

there's nothing more appetizing to a

01:59

bass in this world than a struggling

02:01

thread fin Shad so as you can see the

02:03

fish catch on to the incoming Shad

02:06

pretty quick so I'll typically stock a

02:08

couple loads of Shad one in early spring

02:10

and one in late spring and this is a

02:12

perfect scenario that a lot of these may

02:14

get eaten by the bass but I'm perfectly

02:16

fine with that it's a nice easy meal for

02:18

them right here around this stressful

02:20

spaw in time so we'll come back through

02:22

with another load of them here in about

02:24

a month and those will be key to making

02:26

sure we got plenty of numbers to last

02:28

them the rest of the year but if you

02:30

missed our last couple of videos there's

02:32

something very strange happening in this

02:34

pond so if you walk around the banks or

02:36

shallow areas you'll see dozens of baby

02:39

2-in bass swimming around and there's

02:41

also some bluegills mixed in with them

02:43

and a lot of you may be thinking well

02:45

it's springtime you should be seeing

02:47

small bass in the pond well what's odd

02:49

about this is typically when the water

02:51

temps hit around 70ยฐ which for this Pond

02:54

is usually around mid-march the bass

02:56

will spawn and thousands of little baby

02:58

bass fry will have patch well the

03:01

interesting thing is bass fries start

03:03

out tiny maybe a/4 of an inch and it

03:06

typically takes a couple of months

03:08

before they become 2 in long for

03:10

instance all the Tiger Bass that we

03:12

stocked in our pond were 2 in long in

03:15

June and they came from a hatchery where

03:18

the fish had produced them that prior

03:19

spring so that's what's so puzzling if

03:22

we've got 2-in bass in the pond right

03:24

now that means we either had a early

03:26

January spawn or potentially even a late

03:29

fall spawn which is very rare but it

03:32

does sometimes happen and some of you

03:34

may wonder why is that important well if

03:36

you end up having a spring spawn and a

03:38

fall spawn your largemouth bass

03:40

population could get extremely crowded

03:43

so after talking to the biologist I'm

03:44

going to be watching closely to see if

03:46

we have another spring spawn and if I

03:48

start seeing multiple bass spawning and

03:50

little fry everywhere then their

03:52

recommendation is to take as many of

03:54

those 2in bass out as possible to keep

03:57

the pond from

03:58

overcrowding check this out guys I was

04:01

just walking right here along the Pond's

04:03

Edge and this a little bitty guy was

04:05

hiding up under that algae right there I

04:07

was checking to see if it was one of the

04:09

Ninja Turtles we just put in Cedar Falls

04:11

I'd already looked at the bottom of

04:12

their

04:13

bellies most of them had orange

04:16

bellies but that's pretty

04:18

cool we got one of our first baby

04:21

turtles right here in the pond I think

04:22

I'm going to go put them in Cedar Falls

04:24

so he can grow up with the Ninja Turtles

04:26

so the golden shiners are smart and

04:28

they've caught on to the fact that that

04:29

if they hang out up here by the

04:31

waterfall they don't get as much

04:33

pressure from the fish because during

04:35

the daytime the bass probably aren't

04:36

going to swim up here but we're going to

04:38

release this new baby turtle right here

04:40

in the same area and this little guy's

04:42

probably only a few days old which just

04:44

makes it even cooler that you know this

04:45

is the first waterfall and heavy current

04:48

he's ever experienced but there will be

04:50

no lack of food if he hangs out in this

04:52

area all he has to do is open his mouth

04:54

all right so a couple weeks ago we put

04:56

four baby turtles in here and you guys

04:58

named them the four Ninja Turtles so now

05:00

we're going to need a name for this

05:01

little

05:04

guy but speaking of names last week I

05:07

asked y'all to help us name the two bald

05:09

eagles that moved into the eagle Tower

05:11

and the new names are Sam as in Uncle

05:13

Sam and the female is going to be named

05:16

Dixie because Alabama is the Heart of

05:18

Dixie so Scott and Chris send me your

05:20

info and I'll get your package sent out

05:23

so Sam and Dixie have been sticking to

05:24

their normal routine looking Majestic as

05:27

always but Dixie will not share any fish

05:31

at all with Sam and no matter how hard

05:34

he tries she's not giving in but they

05:37

seem to be quite the happy pair of

05:38

eagles we still see the juveniles from

05:40

time to time but I believe they're

05:42

searching for a new home

05:45

now so if you missed our last video we

05:48

had a really cool project where we

05:49

installed some underwater antennas

05:52

that'll be used to track all of the bass

05:54

that we've installed pit TXS in so we

05:56

mounted the control panel out on the

05:58

dock ran the antennas out to to a couple

06:00

different locations and we had no doubt

06:02

that the antenna right by the green

06:03

light would get a lot of traffic so

06:05

let's check out some of this data so for

06:07

a quick update we got people working on

06:09

software to help display all of this

06:12

tracking data live and the ultimate goal

06:15

is for you guys to be able to log in at

06:16

any point and see where the fish are

06:18

swimming at and what areas of the pond

06:21

they're using but for now we're starting

06:22

to sort the data in a database and we

06:24

got the date on the left the fish that

06:26

swam by the antenna and the time of day

06:28

that it swam by but one really cool

06:30

interesting piece of information that

06:32

Jason provided for us was the amount of

06:35

pings per day and so if you look at the

06:37

number in parentheses right by the

06:39

fish's name that's how many times they

06:41

were pinged and these antennas have one

06:43

ping per second but by far the most

06:46

interesting fish award goes to Cyprus

06:48

and you can see Cypress hung out by the

06:50

oak Throne antenna for

06:53

1178 seconds he basically made the

06:55

antenna's new home and so I'm already

06:57

starting to see some really cool trends

07:00

and even learning some stuff about these

07:01

fish so one of the new Florida strain

07:03

bass that we just added a couple of

07:05

weeks ago named seol is a very active

07:08

fish and sometimes swims by the antenna

07:10

almost once every hour so this is

07:13

probably a fish that hasn't settled down

07:15

making its rounds maybe even trying to

07:17

get used to when that feeder goes off so

07:19

we got some really cool projects coming

07:21

up with these antennas that you'll be

07:22

seeing more in the next video and

07:24

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07:25

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07:28

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08:43

now we're going to turn our attention to

08:44

our latest Pond project the 30,000g pond

08:48

we call Cedar Falls and Springtime is

08:51

where these Aquascape ponds really start

08:53

to shine you can see the lies aquatic

08:57

grasses lily pads and everything's

09:00

starting to bloom around the pond but

09:02

since we built the pond we've struggled

09:04

with water Clarity issues and that's to

09:06

be expected with new ponds you got all

09:08

the loose soil around you got to do

09:10

several water changes to pump that out

09:12

but the biggest hurdle I've had was the

09:14

Wetland filter and we know what the

09:16

problem is and although you can't see it

09:19

there's about 6 ft of gravel stacked

09:21

high in the one rectangular area of the

09:23

Wetland filter well the problem is that

09:25

the day we added the gravel it was

09:27

raining and a lot of mud and CL got

09:29

mixed in with that gravel and so far

09:31

it's been a struggle to clean the bottom

09:33

layer of gravel mostly because I don't

09:35

have access to it but I came up with a

09:37

new plan so I got some high volume pumps

09:40

and we're going to flush thousands of

09:42

gallons of water out of the pond down

09:45

through this gravel at a really high

09:47

flow rate and then I'm also using a pump

09:49

and the clean out Bay to pump all that

09:52

muddy water out as it gets washed down

09:55

and separates from the gravel and the

09:57

easy way to tell that this plan is

09:58

working out perfect is by looking at

10:01

that muddy water that's getting pumped

10:03

out so keep in mind this is a closed

10:05

loop system so all this mud has nowhere

10:08

to escape and since it was trapped in

10:10

the Wetland filter we were probably

10:12

always going to have issues with water

10:14

Clarity and I'd attempted to clean this

10:16

out in the past but just using well

10:18

water and water hoses wasn't enough

10:21

volume to wash the mud off in the bottom

10:23

layers of the filter 6 ft down so I gave

10:26

it a heavy dose of rinsing today and

10:28

after Flushing thousands of gallons

10:30

through it and pumping muddy water out

10:32

for at least a couple of hours I think

10:34

we're finally going to achieve that

10:35

Crystal Clear Pond like ours is in the

10:38

backyard one other small problem is as I

10:41

was pumping the water down all the

10:43

golden shiners got trapped here in the

10:44

waterfall area so I got to pump some

10:46

more water in raise the level up and

10:48

then scare them out of here so I can

10:50

finish the clean out but my favorite

10:52

part of these cleanouts as we get to get

10:53

a good look at all the fish and turtles

10:56

and you can see one of the Ninja Turtles

10:58

popping his head up this is his first

11:00

experience with a cleanout and he's not

11:01

really sure what's going on and there's

11:04

a good look at Mike Trout and Molly

11:07

trout with our two second generation

11:09

bass Johnny and June following right

11:11

behind so something very interesting

11:13

you'll see with this second and third

11:15

generation bass if you look at their

11:17

tails it almost looks like someone took

11:19

a paintbrush and painted their tails

11:21

black and initially the smaller bass

11:24

Johnny's tail was the only one that

11:26

really stood out but here over the past

11:28

couple weeks you can start seeing it in

11:30

the bigger bass's Tail as well and one

11:32

of you guys commented and said that's a

11:34

trait of a northern bass so I find it

11:36

interesting that the newer generations

11:38

of Tiger Bass are starting to show those

11:40

Northern traits but they never miss an

11:42

opportunity for an easy meal as they're

11:44

chasing the shiners oh and here's an up

11:47

close look at one of the bluegills we

11:48

added this one has some really nice

11:50

color patterns and I believe the ones

11:52

that have the vertical stripes on them

11:54

or males all right got everything washed

11:56

down pumped out and cleaned up we're

11:59

turn turning the water back on pumping

12:00

fresh well water in at 100 Gall per

12:02

minute be cutting the waterfall on here

12:04

in just a minute but it's getting dark

12:06

so we may be doing that under the

12:08

Moonlight and now that we got some Clean

12:10

and Clear Water you can see how much

12:12

easier it is to see the fish even out

12:14

here at night because we got a lot of

12:16

underwater lights

12:17

installed there's Johnny and June back

12:20

on the

12:20

hunt and one of the Trout making his way

12:23

up to the

12:24

waterfall and the second thing I really

12:26

enjoy after the pond cleanouts is turn

12:29

the waterfalls back on as you all know

12:31

waterfalls are peaceful as it is but

12:33

it's really cool watching them start out

12:35

from a trickle turning into a stream of

12:37

water and then creating that roaring

12:39

sound here in a few minutes but there's

12:41

a good shot of it starting to come over

12:42

the top waterfall where the cedar log

12:44

meets the Aqua Blue Rock and there we go

12:47

got all three waterfalls back going with

12:50

some nice clean

12:56

water and now that we have the pond and

12:58

farm set up I want to start having some

13:00

events out here and there's no better

13:02

event to have than Sarah's sixth

13:04

birthday party so she invited a bunch of

13:06

her friends out for jump houses hay

13:09

rides and to do a little fishing and

13:11

I've always been an avid believer of

13:13

getting kids involved in fishing while

13:15

they're young because that's what

13:17

happened to me and as you all know it's

13:19

been a huge part of my life but if you

13:20

want to have some stress in your life

13:22

try taking about 15 or 20 kids fishing

13:25

at the same

13:27

time so so while most people would

13:30

measure success in the amount of fish

13:31

caught I was just happy to say that at

13:33

the end of this trip none of the kids

13:35

got hooked or fell in the pond but they

13:37

all were able to catch a fish so even

13:39

though it was stressful for me hopefully

13:41

it's good memories for them all right

13:43

it's that time of year we're going to

13:44

take our SEI disc measured the water

13:47

Clarity and if it's anything over about

13:50

20 in that means it's probably time to

13:52

fertilize you can see we got a little

13:53

bit of a green Bloom out there but we've

13:56

also got some algae starting to come up

13:57

there in the shallow areas so let's see

14:00

what kind of visibility we have and it's

14:02

a very simple process you just push that

14:05

down until you can no longer see it so

14:08

right about that area right in there 23

14:10

in so it's time to fertilize so we just

14:13

had one of the feeders go off and it's

14:15

mostly the rainbow trout and blue gills

14:17

up here feeding and the rainbows go

14:19

Airborne but if you look really close

14:22

you'll see a lot of healthy Blu gills

14:24

and as I mentioned they're one of the

14:25

Staples in the diet of a large mouth so

14:28

it's good to see them grow and eating

14:29

those high protein pellets but these

14:31

fish are so fast you have to slow it

14:34

down to get a good look at

14:38

them there's a mixture of trout and

14:40

bluegills

14:42

today love watching those top water

14:46

shots nice spring day birds are chirping

14:50

time for a bass feeding we just got

14:52

1,000 golden shiners in got some Big

14:55

Boys in there so we're going to hook our

14:57

Garmin livescope up right there on on

14:59

the edge of the dock and see if we can

15:00

get a few of them to come up for a

15:02

feeding so we're doing another one of

15:03

our nightly feeding sessions and one of

15:05

the reasons we set up an antenna right

15:07

here is because it's an easy way for me

15:10

to get a close look at the fish and scan

15:12

and identify which fish it is because a

15:15

couple videos back we finally had one of

15:17

our pet bass Bonnie come up to a nightly

15:19

feeding and by having this antenna here

15:22

and scanning her tag is just another way

15:24

to confirm it was her without having to

15:26

catch her or put stress on her but the

15:29

other piece of technology we're using

15:30

alongside of it is a Liv scope and I'm

15:33

probably the first person to install a

15:35

Liv scope on a dock but one of my

15:37

favorite things to do is study a bass

15:39

and especially their reaction to

15:41

feedings as you'll see here some other

15:43

fish start coming in as they hear the

15:45

surface activity so even though it's

15:47

night time and I can't see this allows

15:49

me to watch those other fish get drawn

15:52

in by the sounds of feeding and that's

15:54

something I've mentioned in the past I

15:56

wanted to have one audio sound like a

15:59

song or a dinner bell or something that

16:01

I would play right before every feeding

16:03

so the fish would associate that sound

16:04

with the meal and this Liv scope is

16:06

helping me watch these fish react to

16:08

different sounds and learn that

16:10

information even quicker but back to the

16:12

antennas there's so much useful

16:14

information we can get for instance if

16:16

you see a pair of spawning bass in a

16:18

shallow pocket you could put an antenna

16:20

right near their nesting site and be

16:22

able to identify which male and female

16:24

were spawning together we also want to

16:26

put antennas down in the deeper parts of

16:28

the pond so we can track those fish that

16:30

may not ever come up around the dock

16:31

area so a lot of cool projects coming up

16:34

with that that I'm really excited about

16:36

so if you guys hadn't heard yet Nate

16:38

makes is building a squirrel house for

16:40

the fox squirrel we call Foxy so I

16:42

wanted to set up some feeding stations

16:43

around the farm today to monitor the

16:45

squirrel activity and see the best place

16:48

to install the new squirrel house got

16:50

the eagle flying by but let's take a

16:52

look at our three squirrel feeding

16:53

stations starting off first with a nut

16:56

bar they can pull up a seat right here

16:58

here the nuts will go in that area next

17:01

up we got the original squirrel picnic

17:04

table equipped with this nice umbrella

17:07

to make sure their nuts and corn don't

17:09

get wet and then more of your

17:10

traditional style feeder but we got some

17:12

premium squirrel nuts as well as some

17:14

corn so now we're going to set some up

17:15

around the farm and see where the best

17:17

squirrel location is so I was getting

17:19

this first squirrel house set up looked

17:21

up and look what's hanging out right up

17:23

above my

17:25

head little bitty snake you guys know

17:27

I'm not a snake expert

17:29

let me know if I'm wrong in the comments

17:30

below but here in just a second I think

17:33

you'll get a better understanding of why

17:35

a rat snake is up in the tree so I don't

17:38

know if we're going to see any squirrels

17:39

here but we're almost guaranteed to see

17:41

a woodpecker that guy has been working

17:45

on this entire

17:47

tree look at

17:51

that so I was looking around for areas

17:53

with a lot of squirrel nest we got one

17:55

there one

17:57

there and one more over there so we're

18:00

going to find a spot right in here to

18:02

put one all right we got the nut bar

18:04

installed on one of the oldest and

18:05

biggest oak trees out here on the

18:09

farm should be a perfect place for a

18:12

squirrel house but I've got some camera

18:14

set up let's see what comes out so the

18:17

first thing I learned about the feeding

18:18

stations is they didn't factor in the

18:21

weight of heavier animals when specking

18:24

out the

18:25

screws and night one the nut bar goes

18:28

down to the

18:33

raccoon but back to the rat snake being

18:35

in the top of a tree that may be where

18:38

his food source is hiding out I remember

18:40

when we used to do the peanut picnic

18:42

table the little mice would jump up on

18:44

there all the time and it's no different

18:46

when you put it up in a tree anyone with

18:48

a good nose is going to find

18:51

it and speaking of good nose George

18:54

Jones must have one because he always

18:58

finds a way in front of the camera I'd

19:00

already factored in seeing the raccoons

19:02

on camera because most of them sleep up

19:05

in a tree but I never thought I'd see

19:07

old George Jones climbing up the tree

19:09

for a nut but all of this is important

19:11

because we're designing the size of the

19:13

entrance to the Squirrel House based on

19:15

predators and other things like possums

19:17

and raccoons that we want to keep out of

19:20

the house so from what I've seen so far

19:22

it's going to be a small entrance where

19:24

only a squirrel or a mouse could get in

19:26

it that's not something you see every

19:28

day a possum eaten under an

19:31

umbrella all right out here on alcatra

19:33

island going to catch a few fish see how

19:35

big they've grown if you're new to this

19:37

we'll scan every fish we catch see if

19:39

they've been tagged with a pit tag and

19:41

if not we'll install a new one with a

19:43

pit tag injector now that it's

19:45

springtime we're going to try the old

19:57

lizard got him right off the tree laying

19:59

up on the island oh he spit it out that

20:03

was pretty awesome right there I've

20:04

never fished that tree before but uh I

20:07

was looking at it I was like man there's

20:09

got to be a fish sitting there on it

20:11

that was a good

20:15

one there he

20:20

is good

20:24

one oh look at that starting to see some

20:27

bumps on the tail

20:29

that could be those parasites I was

20:30

worried about with those snails so have

20:33

to look into

20:35

that all right this fish has been caught

20:39

695 68 and this fish weighs 2.18 lb get

20:44

a quick picture of that so we can do a

20:46

little research on it and let her

20:54

go there's another one oh yeah

21:00

put fight they're hitting right here at

21:02

the island see them green specks on its

21:08

head green all down the back no red dots

21:10

on this one all right another one that's

21:13

been caught 69

21:15

736 and this one weighs

21:25

1.85 just did a flip over the Christmas

21:28

tree when we built the pond there was a

21:30

road bed right here so there was a big

21:32

circle pile of wood right there and a

21:34

road bed on each side of it and these

21:35

bass are just sitting right there on

21:37

that little hump and there's a pile of

21:39

them in

21:46

there I mean these guys are letting it

21:49

get right here before hitting it I've

21:51

never seen anything like that another

21:53

tagged fish so far they've all been

21:54

tagged 57 0878 this one weighs

22:02

165 I've never seen anything like this

22:05

in my life these fish are just sitting

22:07

right here I can't even see

22:10

them moment that thing comes up out of

22:12

the water

22:14

570311 so this is something interesting

22:17

this is the first Florida strain bass

22:19

we've caught and one that was named

22:21

Everglade and you can see it dropped in

22:23

weight but I remember when we put them

22:25

in they were full of eggs hopefully this

22:27

fish has spawned and and introducing

22:29

those genetics to the pond so I don't

22:31

even know why I cast out I need to just

22:33

throw right

22:41

[Laughter]

22:44

there I want to swap spots but this is

22:46

almost too much fun man that is

22:53

wild oh this feels better

22:57

one

23:00

only hit got one to hit further out

23:03

there yeah I think this one's a little

23:05

better that's one we're after right

23:10

there feeder's going off all right

23:15

57502 and this one

23:17

weighs

23:20

2.38 nice one all right finally got a

23:22

hold up a nice

23:25

female enjoyed that one and this fish is

23:28

named Odin and we haven't caught Odin

23:30

since last July and it's almost doubled

23:33

its weight since

23:37

then can't believe it I don't know why I

23:40

say I can't believe it I can believe it

23:43

that's where all the fish are right here

23:45

57 1208 and this fish weighs 187 191 and

23:50

this fish is named Dixie so now we have

23:52

a Dixie eagle and a Dixie

23:57

Bass

24:02

[Laughter]

24:05

that's a good conclusion to today's

24:07

fishing trip man they are eating it good

24:09

today in case you're wondering little

24:11

white ChatterBait they bit the tail off

24:13

the little paddle tail swimbait that

24:15

goes behind it but chatterbaits in the

24:17

spring tough to beat so we're doing our

24:19

spring cleanout today where we remove

24:21

all that debris on the bottom of the

24:23

pond that got blown in over this past

24:25

fall and winter but before I dirtied up

24:27

the water a bunch of you have been

24:28

asking for an update on Mobi the most

24:30

aggressive bass in the world and not

24:32

much has changed he's still eating like

24:34

crazy and has gotten big he's put on the

24:37

pounds over the winter as well as the

24:39

black crappie that we call Outlaw you

24:42

can see he's put down a few shiners in

24:43

his day as well but check out our latest

24:46

Resident of what we call Clyde's Cove

24:49

one of the original Ninja Turtles went

24:50

in there but was challenged by one of

24:53

the others even though they're Brothers

24:55

it doesn't look like they want to share

24:56

a living space and it's been a little

24:58

while since we updated you on the 300g

25:00

aquarium with our pet bass we called

25:03

tiger because he was the first Tiger

25:04

Bass we C out of the Crimson Oak Pond so

25:07

it's time to do a little

25:27

feeding

25:33

all right folks that is going to wrap up

25:35

today's video make sure to hit that

25:37

subscribe button because this time of

25:38

year we have so much going on with all

25:40

the ponds and updates on the fish you

25:42

don't want to miss out on it but I hope

25:44

y'all enjoyed this one and we will see

25:45

you all next

25:47

[Music]

25:55

time

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