32 



time. Drainable ponds should be kept dry during the 

 winter to prevent predators from surviving. Ponds 

 that cannot be drained and do not freeze out in winter 

 should be poisoned with rotenone at least 1 month 

 before the fry are planted (see section on predator 

 control). Seining may be satisfactory for small ponds 

 but is not dependable for large, deep ponds. Fourth, 

 the stocking has been done with either eyed eggs or 

 recently hatched fry that have been placed directly in 

 the ponds without the protection of trays. 



NATURAL SPAWNING OF FISH IN STREAMS 



Natural spawning of stream fish can be obtained in 

 ponds that have one or more inlet streams. Usually the 

 upper end of the spawning area will have to be screened 

 for maximum spawning, and additional spawning riffles 

 may have to be added to the stream. Michigan has been 

 very succesiSful with creek chubs on artificial spawning 

 riffles that were constructed on the pond bottom. Creek 

 chub propagation is discussed on page 44 . 



AIDS TO NATURAL SPAWNING OF POND FISH 



Golden shiner ponds should be fertilized heavily 

 enough so that there is a good growth of filamentous 

 algae on which the eggs may be deposited. A new pond 

 that has never been flooded before would probably 

 require the introduction of algae in order to get the 

 growth started promptly. 



The fat-headed and blunt-nosed minnows need spawn- 

 ing boards for maximum productinn of nests and eggs. 



\ 



Figure 11.— SpawBing boards strung in pond 

 for blunt— nosed minnows. 



Ohio Division of Conservation 

 and Natural Resources. 



