Small Private Pond Management

[Gerry Zagorski]

My Grandson lives in a small private community in Central Monmouth County with a 2 acre pond that I assume is not more then 3 or 4 feet deep. They have a fountain in this pond which runs in the summer months which I assume keeps the water moving for mosquito control and may have some benefits for fish to keep more oxygen in the water.

This past fall they had it stocked with approval of NJDEP with some catfish, largemouth and various baitfish and it already had Bluegills that I assume were there naturally...

Are any of you managing private ponds and if so any tips on continued management like culling certain size fish, on going stocking, feeding the fish with pellets etc.

Do any of you have any tips on how to keep the Canadian Geese at bay? You can hardly step anywhere without stepping on their poop. Not sure if it's good for the grass or the run off into the lake but it certainly is annoying and so are they

Thanks all! My Grandson is really into fishing as are other kids in the community and just want to be sure we do what ever is needed to keep the pond and the fish healthy and thriving.