Well, we're back in business...

Yesterday was a pretty special day here at Bailey's Harbor.  We restocked the pond!!

As you may recall, I wrote a while back that we had lost pretty much all of our fish to the bad winter.  We kept an eye on things out there this spring and didn't see much fishy activity.  And as time went on, we only saw a few bluegills and some frogs still around there.  The neighbor boys came over one afternoon and we threw a line in just to see if there were any fish hiding anywhere else.  Upon completion of our "scientific research" we concluded that there were 6 bluegills and 1 crappie (which we caught twice), lots of tadpoles and the beginnings of a crop of pond scum (which I usually get in the spring when the farmers are fertilizing their fields). 

I treated the pond and got a handle on that, the water was clear and warmer, and it was now time to welcome new arrivals. 

So Pam and I went to the Shelby Fish Farm yesterday and purchased several bags of fish, most in the 4-6 inch range.  Our neighbors, the Seigles, gave us a gift certificate to purchase some of the fish.  The boys fish here quite often, and it is neat to watch them grow up having learned to fish and to appreciate nature.  We really appreciated their gift and used it to purchase some of this new crop.  The boys are now vested in the outcome of this stocking.

Just in case you have never been to a fish farm to purchase young fish, this is how it is done.  Here Steve, the owner of the fish farm,  takes a net full of minnows and puts them in a plastic bag for transportation.  He fills the bag with oxygen and seals it so the fish will survive the trip.















Here are some of the bags, getting ready to move to their new home.  Of course, no move would be complete without a "Howdy" from the welcoming committee, so Pam has a few words of welcome for them.

 Below are some pictures of Jarred and me as we arrived home and released the fish into their new digs. 

I know you can't see them very well, but when we released them, this one particular group of bass swam around in a circle for a while and then hit out to explore this big new place called Bailey's Harbor.

Our restocking yesterday consisted of 50 bass, 50 bluegills, 20 catfish, 3 amurs (grass carp), and about 4 pounds of minnows. Steve said the bluegills are big enough now (about 6" each) for the boys to catch (and release).  And he said the catfish might be about 8"-9" by this fall.  The bass will be about a year away before they amount to anything.  But at least we are off and running again.

We also bought some new fish food and did our first feeding.  They seemed to like it because they came up and gobbled away.

Maybe the next time our grandsons come for a visit, the fish will be just right (not too big, not too small) and they will begin to learn about fishing. 

"Carpe Diem" really means "fish all day."

Hooah