As most of us are hunkered down with the Corona stay at home orders there are some of us lucky enough to be able to spend our time doing what we enjoy and that is being outdoors in the country and for me and my family we have been spending lots of family time fishing. We have fished some very neat clear flowing creeks and streams for some super fun smallmouth bass. Some of the fish caught on these streams have been pretty nice and are a lot of fun to catch. We of course release these sport fish. Being in the land brokerage business for over 35 years I have sold many farms with some nice ponds/lakes on them and the owners always invite me to fish. Many of the ponds are owned by absentee landowners and they always ask how the fishing was.
Taylor was out in a pond last evening and he said they caught a lot of fish but they were all the same size. I started thinking what a great landlink blog. We have a nice fairly large 15+/- acre lake in N MO which has brought so much fun and enjoyment to our family and I started going through my files and I must have forgotten how much management and care it takes to have a perfectly balanced lake.
There are going to have to be several Land Link blogs with all I have uncovered with pond and lake management but for right now why are we catching so many fish the exact same size? Most of the ponds in Missouri have been stocked with a combination of largemouth bass, bluegill, and channel catfish. There is a difference in stocking rates in the state because of differences in soil fertility. The maximum stocking rate provided by the conservation department is 100 largemouth bass, 500 bluegill and 100 channel catfish per surface acre of water. Natural reproduction is adequate to replenish those fish removed by fishing (except catfish) providing the pond is properly managed.
There is so much to be learned and nature is so incredible. It is truly the wonder of it all.
Thank you,
Drennan Bailey
About Drennan Bailey
Drennan Bailey, the President of Bailey Properties, Inc, is a St. Louis native with a lifetime commitment to land management and ownership. After earning his business degree from Westminster College, Drennan followed in the footsteps of his family, who have been in farming and ranching for over a century. His early experiences on his family’s Missouri farm fueled his passion for the land. A pioneer in no-till farming during the 1980s, Drennan has both brokered and personally owned thousands of acres. His expertise spans agriculture, ranch, wildlife, and outdoor recreation land sales. Drennan’s extensive network includes trust departments, banks, attorneys, CPA’s, farmers, and landowners. He’s facilitated transactions for clients globally. Married for 40 years, Drennan is a father of four and a grandfather of six, valuing family and tradition.
