[Smalley]

I am wondering how the system works to stock our ponds. It's almost time for the migrating birds to return and they need some fish to encourage them to stop here for the winter! What departement is involved? Thanks folks,

[Laker14]

Interesting question. I had never thought about that. I know that given enough time, nature will stock ponds in a couple of ways. Birds of prey sometimes drop fish they have caught from another pond, and wading birds can transport roe on their feet from pond to pond, as can other animals, like alligators and beavers etc.
However, some of our ponds are fairly new. I wonder if the developer stocked them or just waited until nature did the trick. Without any actual knowledge, my guess is they let nature do it.

[Stu from NYC]

Great question.

[fishon]

Fish and frog eggs are transported to the new ponds by various wildlife, not limited to Egrets and Herons. That’s why there are trash fish like armored catfish.

[Laker14]

Originally Posted by fishon

Fish and frog eggs are transported to the new ponds by various wildlife, not limited to Egrets and Herons. That’s why there are trash fish like armored catfish.

I surmise from your screen name that you know something about this subject.

[cjrjck]

I believe that The Villages Freshwater Fishing Club and the Districts have stocked ponds in TV. You can find a video or two on Youtube documenting this. Again, just my opinion, but I would assume the golf course only ponds are not stocked simply because they are not fishable and many of them are drained during renovations.

[cjrjck]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9vdTlk2EtM

[JP]

Many of the ponds are interconnected as they move water for irrigation and I think the fish and gators move that way plus the aforementioned ways.

[Pondboy]

Call Recreation, see the phone # on the attached.

[Topspinmo]

Some retention ponds go dry. Some had sink holes ������️. Fish go down with water and what’s left birds ������ get. If that pond connected with transfers tube then most fish will follow the moving water? I doubt majority of retention ponds are stocked?

[frayedends]

Do people fish in the small retention ponds? I'm just curious. There is an unlined pond near my house that I just bought. It's very small, but there is access without going on anyone's property. I haven't fished since I was a kid, but would like to try when I get there full time.

[Smalley]

Originally Posted by frayedends

Do people fish in the small retention ponds? I'm just curious. There is an unlined pond near my house that I just bought. It's very small, but there is access without going on anyone's property. I haven't fished since I was a kid, but would like to try when I get there full time.

Thanks people, I watched the video and it explains that the freshwater fishing club plus the districts do the stocking. The more fish, the more birds so I applaud the plan. I hope it's done periodically and widespread among our many ponds.

[dhdallas]

Originally Posted by frayedends

Do people fish in the small retention ponds? I'm just curious. There is an unlined pond near my house that I just bought. It's very small, but there is access without going on anyone's property. I haven't fished since I was a kid, but would like to try when I get there full time.

Go right ahead. The alligators will be more than happy to see you standing at the water's edge. Gators can move at 35mph over short distances. They are not normally aggressive but if a food source is right there and it's an easy grab, they may go for it. There was a woman at another community earlier this year walking her dog by a pond's edge when an alligator came up on the shore after the dog. The dog ran away & in front of the woman so the alligator grabbed the woman by the leg, dragged her into the pond and ate her. I enjoy seeing the alligators but I tend to give them a wide berth. Kind of like bees, you leave them alone, they leave you alone (unless you do something stupid).

[Altavia]

Originally Posted by dhdallas

Go right ahead. The alligators will be more than happy to see you standing at the water's edge. Gators can move at 35mph over short distances. They are not normally aggressive but if a food source is right there and it's an easy grab, they may go for it. There was a woman at another community earlier this year walking her dog by a pond's edge when an alligator came up on the shore after the dog. The dog ran away & in front of the woman so the alligator grabbed the woman by the leg, dragged her into the pond and ate her. I enjoy seeing the alligators but I tend to give them a wide berth. Kind of like bees, you leave them alone, they leave you alone (unless you do something stupid).

We've had problems with alligators going for the fish they caught.

A gater started following fishermen around a pond and aggressively chasing their catch up the bank.

That gator had to be removed when it started following non-fishermen around as they walked a nearby MMP.

So please, if you fish, avoid doing it within sightings of gators.

[fcgiii]

Originally Posted by Smalley

I am wondering how the system works to stock our ponds. It's almost time for the migrating birds to return and they need some fish to encourage them to stop here for the winter! What departement is involved? Thanks folks,

one of our previous neighbors said he stocked our lake with bass fingerlings years ago. Fishermen from in and outside the villages come here to fish almost every day.