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Hi all,

 

Now this is a bit out there and no I not going to ask for a spot to fish but any help tips on setting up a dam for trout. I had one shot at it but due to lack of rain in the last few years it has dried up. Where I live we have no mains supply so

it's our garden and stock water. So I am after any tips or ideas for setting it up again if and when we get some more rain

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It looks like you did nothing wrong last time but living in a rain shadow area it going to be pot luck I guess. I think you would have let the dam flourish for a while before putting any more trout in on the next fill so insect life & water plants can establish. 

A club i belong to called SAFWAA (south australian freshwater anglers assc) have established about 20 dams on private properties for members to fish (C&R only) with both native & trout in them if your interested you can go to a meeting & see what its all about they meet on the 1st tuesday of the month in town at the adelaide police club, next meet tho is the AGM will be a busy one me thinks.

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The dam is fully fenced and is only grazed in the spring to keep the grass down for summer as we spend plenty of time relaxing down there. The dam was around 4mt deep and now around 7-8 mts the dam has only just been dug out and is still empty. I was wondering whether to maybe look at planting it with some plants to provide habitat for insects and whether or not to put in any snags/ structure for the fish.

 

Cheers

 

WILDA

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  • 7 months later...

Hi Wilda,

 

If your serious about establishing your own private fishery, happy to and can help you, send me an email austprivatefisheriesresources@gmail.com. My background, I am a fisheries ecologist with 15 years experience, including two state fisheries departments and have worked on some well known public and private freshwater fisheries. I will only help if your serious though as I don't have time to waste. By first impressions yes your dam could support trout, some good size ones too, but there will be some work involved on your behalf. Again, I will only help if your serious though.

 

cheers

 

Trav 

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Hi,

 

So the dam is chockers, and last week released bout 350 yabbies into the dam and has good aquatic insects as well.

 

I have also ordered 100x 150mm rainbows to be picked up at the end of April.

 

Trav love the offer pm sent.

 

Cheers

 

WILDA

Aren't Yabbies a bit frowned upon in dams ? They make holes everywhere allowing more water to seep out

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  • 3 months later...

That's come up a treat wilda, those 150 mm juvenile rainbows will grow quickly in there too, they'll fatten up nicely over the next two years..

 

Make sure you have a solid mess grid at the overflow to stop them going over if & when it fills and spills..

 

cheers

Adrian

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  • 1 month later...

A quick update,

 

Had a call stating that the bows are ready for pick up so a quick trip and soon had them home.

 

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Slowly acclimatising.

 

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Rough average size

 

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Slowly being released

 

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Was great to sit down with a few tins watching the occasional 'rise' as the end of another day came to a end.

 

A big thanks to habitat4fish for all your help and advise mate.

 

If anyone is thinking of setting up a dam for fish/ fishing get in contact with Trav he really knows his stuff

 

 

Cheers

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Hey Craig,

 

Great to see you have got some fish in and good to hear that they are swimming around nosing the surface, sound like you have some happy fish. Might pay to go down to your pond in the morning and following mornings (if your not at work) to check out if the see if the fish are swiming right on/breaking the surface, the fish may school up so that would help to spot them. Let me know if they are. Also, check to see if cormorants are drying their wings in the nearby trees. Just show a bit of presence if they are. With those massive daphnia, your fish should be putting on some weight soon. Keep us updated about your fish, cheers

 

Trav

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Hey Craig,

 

Great to see you have got some fish in and good to hear that they are swimming around nosing the surface, sound like you have some happy fish. Might pay to go down to your pond in the morning and following mornings (if your not at work) to check out if the see if the fish are swiming right on/breaking the surface, the fish may school up so that would help to spot them. Let me know if they are. Also, check to see if cormorants are drying their wings in the nearby trees. Just show a bit of presence if they are. With those massive daphnia, your fish should be putting on some weight soon. Keep us updated about your fish, cheers

 

Trav

 

They're nice little 'bows wilda.. should grow quite nicely..

 

Spot on, check for the Cormorants for sure, they'll clean out a dam in no time at all.. can eat up to three times their own body weight per day..  

 

They've cleaned out many dams here not long after being stocked..

 

cheers

Adrian

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Thanks Guys

 

I wonder if something like this would help?

 

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http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-12-08/fish-hotels-protect-fish-species-in-central-qld-waterways/8104884

 

I believe some smaller ones have been used in SA.

 

 yes BB,

 

 If/ when the dam gets low again I have a lot of ideas to help the little ones 

 

 

Hey Craig,

 

Great to see you have got some fish in and good to hear that they are swimming around nosing the surface, sound like you have some happy fish. Might pay to go down to your pond in the morning and following mornings (if your not at work) to check out if the see if the fish are swiming right on/breaking the surface, the fish may school up so that would help to spot them. Let me know if they are. Also, check to see if cormorants are drying their wings in the nearby trees. Just show a bit of presence if they are. With those massive daphnia, your fish should be putting on some weight soon. Keep us updated about your fish, cheers

 

Trav

 

 

 

Hey Craig,

 

Great to see you have got some fish in and good to hear that they are swimming around nosing the surface, sound like you have some happy fish. Might pay to go down to your pond in the morning and following mornings (if your not at work) to check out if the see if the fish are swiming right on/breaking the surface, the fish may school up so that would help to spot them. Let me know if they are. Also, check to see if cormorants are drying their wings in the nearby trees. Just show a bit of presence if they are. With those massive daphnia, your fish should be putting on some weight soon. Keep us updated about your fish, cheers

 

Trav

 

They're nice little 'bows wilda.. should grow quite nicely..

 

Spot on, check for the Cormorants for sure, they'll clean out a dam in no time at all.. can eat up to three times their own body weight per day..  

 

They've cleaned out many dams here not long after being stocked..

 

cheers

Adrian

 

 

 

 

Have been down for a few looks today but no sign of any fish. But more importantly no cormorants, has been a bit of a campaign of different  types over the last few weeks to move any that have been seen on to different places.

 

Will be back down there this arvo just on dark to check on things

 

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