Pond and Lake Management
The resources provided on this website should help you plan and manage your pond for years of success. A pond that consistently produces good fishing is a result of proper construction, stocking, and management. That is why the three golden rules of pond management are:
- Build it right!
- Stock it right!
- Fish it right!
You must clearly define your objectives in the beginning. Ask yourself, “How will I use the pond and what type of fishing do I want to have?” Establishing objectives will help you properly design the pond and create an effective management plan.
Not all objectives are possible in a single pond. For example, if you want to raise trophy bream, chances are you will not be able to grow many big bass, too. Landowners with multiple ponds may consider applying different management plans on different ponds.
After the pond is completed, success or failure depends on using practices to establish and maintain good fish populations. Proper stocking with the correct species and numbers of fish, stocking at the proper time of year, balancing harvest, managing water quality, and controlling aquatic weeds are basics you should understand.
Follow the links above, watch the management videos, and visit the additional resources provided. Finally, have fun and enjoy your private fishing paradise!
Publications
News
Some plant species found in ponds can multiply and interfere with pond use and fish management, but not all water plants are bad.
Fisheries experts at Mississippi State University and other research institutions are conducting an $11.7 million study of the greater amberjack, an important recreational and commercial species in the South Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico that is threatened by overfishing.
STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Recreation in and around water is a great way to get outside in the warmer months and still stay cool. Whether you enjoy boating, fishing, swimming, kayaking, wildlife watching, exploring creeks and streams, or paddling coastal bays and estuaries, Mississippi’s waterways have a lot to offer.
Grandpa cast the jig and cork to the center of the pond and handed it to Lucy. “Now, start reeling in slowly,” he said.
She did as Grandpa instructed. On the third crank of the reel, the float disappeared several inches below the water surface, and Grandpa shouted, “She’s got it; reel it in!”
That day, Lucy perfected her casting technique and caught nearly a dozen small bass and several large bluegill.
BILOXI, Miss. -- The results of the Great Red Snapper Count are in!
In 2017, a team of fisheries experts began a two-year task of estimating the population size of red snapper in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico through this unprecedented, federally funded $12 million project. Scientists from several Southeastern universities and institutes, including Mississippi State University, used a variety of methods across the Gulf to accomplish this ambitious goal.
