3 Steps to Achieving Your Dream Fishery
For many of us, time spent fishing with family and friends is a favorite pastime. From seeing the excitement on your kids’ faces as they reel in a big Bluegill to catching your personal best Largemouth Bass, each smiling face and high-five leaves a fond memory. However, those moments can be hard to come by if your fishery is poorly managed.
Building and maintaining a thriving fishery isn’t easy and requires data-driven solutions. How you manage your fishery depends on your end goal. Do you want a trophy fishery filled with big bass? Is your objective to have high catch rates for the kids? No matter the goal, these three steps can help you achieve it.
1. Partner with a Fisheries Biologist to Assess Your Fishery
Assessing the current state of your fishery will help Fisheries Biologists determine which management strategies to implement to achieve your goals. First, Fisheries Biologists collect data through electrofishing studies and review angler catch data to determine the fish species present, fish size class structure, fish weight, and many other indicators of fish population health. Determining if you have the proper ratio of bait fish to predator fish, as well as suitable fish sizes, will depend on your goals. For example, if you desire high catch rates, there should be more predator fish than if your goal is to catch trophy-size fish.
Collecting Water Quality Data
In addition to collecting this information on fish, Fisheries Biologists collect data on the habitat to ensure it’s supporting fish growth goals. Water quality is the most important component of the fishery’s habitat. Poor water quality can hinder fish development and, in severe cases, cause fish kills. To avoid these failures, it’s important to introduce aeration if needed and conduct regular water quality testing to ensure nutrient and dissolved oxygen levels are sufficient. With the proper data collected and your goal in mind, the next step to achieving your dream fishery is building a plan to get there.
2. Build a Custom Fisheries Management Plan
Once the necessary data is collected, fisheries experts can create a plan that’s built around your fishery’s current state, goals, and budget. Strategies like installing fish cover or feeders may be suggested to improve fish habitat and growth. Aeration or liming may also be implemented to help you establish water quality that supports fish growth. Our team has access to tools and technologies that will help you reach your goals while staying within budget.
3. Enjoy Your Fishery!
After data has been collected and solutions have been implemented, you are on your way to enjoying the fishery you’ve always wanted. In time, you will be able to watch your friends and family reel in fish after fish. Or, perhaps, you can finally achieve your goal of catching a trophy Largemouth Bass you’re proud of. No matter what success looks like to you, our experts are here to help.
If you’re ready to build the fishery of your dreams, contact your local Fisheries Biologists and discover how they can help you achieve your goals.
Build A Thriving Fishery
SOLitude Lake Management is a nationwide environmental firm committed to providing sustainable solutions that improve water quality, enhance beauty and preserve natural resources.
SOLitude’s team of aquatic scientists specializes in the development and execution of customized lake, stormwater pond, wetland and fisheries management programs. Services include water quality testing and restoration, algae and aquatic weed control, installation and maintenance of fountains and aeration systems, shoreline erosion control, muck and sediment removal and invasive species management. SOLitude partners with homeowners associations, golf courses, private landowners, businesses and municipalities. SOLitude Lake Management is part of Rentokil, a leading business services company, operating across the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico.
For more information, visit SOLitude Lake Management at solitudelakemanagement.com, and connect on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.
