Electro Fishing Survey

[JxxxOxxxE]

What does anyone know about electro fishing?


I've got a 2 acre pond we stocked 2 years ago with bass, coppernose bluegill, hybrid bluegill, red ear bream, and 9000 minnows. We've also added more minnows the last 2 summers. The pond has an aeration system, and timed automatic fish feeders.

I'm really going for the best bass pond I can have...

The fish went in as fingerlings smaller than your palm. The last one I caught towards the end of last year measured a little over 14" and 1lb 10 oz....

This last fall/winter the water level got pretty low, and while I didn't see or find any dead fish, I am wondering if it affected my fish population.



So now onto the real questions.

I've got a email in to Dunns Fish Farm about pricing for having it done...But I'm really a DIY type of guy...


Everyone talks about using a magneto out of an old phone. Does anyone have any actual experience doing it that way? Not just what some guy you know told you about his grandpa...lol


Honestly, depending on the cost to have a professional do it, Im not opposed to buying my own equipment. I would probably use it yearly, so it would pay for itself quickly. Anyone have any experience with any real equipment? Samus controllers? Or Susan controllers?

 

[eaglerjs]

all the electro fishing I know about gets catfish and trout.

 

[ronny]

I don't know anything definitive about electro-fishing, although I did it as a kid. However, I see no reason for you to disturb a pond as you've described it. Wish it were mine.

 

[mr ed]

Just don't do it in an aluminum boat.

 

[dennishoddy]

My Dad and Uncle tried one of the old crank phones. They only generate around a hundred volts DC. They didn't have any success.
Old tractor magneto's put out around 20,000VDC.

Unless your using the aluminum boat as the ground, your good to go. The ODW electrofishes from aluminum boats all the time. The charge is transmitted through wires dangled in the water ahead of the boat.

 

[Oklahomabassin]

Just don't do it in an aluminum boat.

Why? If set up properly it is fine.

 

[ronny]

Just don't do it in an aluminum boat.

Don't pay any attention to them. It was funny!

 

[JxxxOxxxE]

I don't know anything definitive about electro-fishing, although I did it as a kid. However, I see no reason for you to disturb a pond as you've described it. Wish it were mine.

Its not so much a disturbance, as it will help me be able to survey the overall population to make sure I can be producing the best bass....Its easy for a small pond to be over ran by bluegill...

My Dad and Uncle tried one of the old crank phones. They only generate around a hundred volts DC. They didn't have any success.
Old tractor magneto's put out around 20,000VDC.

Unless your using the aluminum boat as the ground, your good to go. The ODW electrofishes from aluminum boats all the time. The charge is transmitted through wires dangled in the water ahead of the boat.

Everything I have read says the phones made AC power...I just cant see the phone magneto working very well...

I've got a friend that claims he has some magnetos from some old plane engines, I havent looked at one of those yet, although they may not be well suited for the job either...






I may call the ODW and ask some questions....If I hear back from the fish farm tomorrow, that may help too...

 

[dennishoddy]

Its not so much a disturbance, as it will help me be able to survey the overall population to make sure I can be producing the best bass....Its easy for a small pond to be over ran by bluegill...

Everything I have read says the phones made AC power...I just cant see the phone magneto working very well...

I've got a friend that claims he has some magnetos from some old plane engines, I havent looked at one of those yet, although they may not be well suited for the job either...

I may call the ODW and ask some questions....If I hear back from the fish farm tomorrow, that may help too...

I just looked it up. It does appear it was AC voltage. I was about 10 years old or so. LOL. I figured it was DC as back when I did communications work in the Army, ring down voltage was 90VDC.

Later down the road, the voltage was reduced to 48 VDC.

 

[Okie4570]

I'm not sure the current actually worked in them, but I've seen the round top terminal batteries that were used in them. Brown cylindrical, about 6" tall, and 2" in diameter. The guy that has them, has several of those phones and batteries.