Flathead catfish in Home Pond

Everyone's advice is pretty much true on flatheads in ponds. One or two though will not destroy a ecosystem in a pond. My buddy had only a one acre pond that we had put way too many large flathead and big blues in. We did stock the pond though with shad from the river and had a heathly population of shad reproducing in the pond for forage. Three months ago we drained the pond since it was over 70 years old with lots of silt that needed to be cleaned out. We drained the pond down to about two feet and pulled out over 30 flatheads and 50 big blue cats. My largest flathead ever at 52.5 pounds had been living the the pond for four years. I had never caught him again even though he was only in a one acre pond. When we did weigh him the fish only weighed 47 pounds, so in four years he had lost five pounds. There was too many big fish in this pond but there was also tons of perch, shad and even some bass still in the pond. They didn't seem to have a shortage of food but didn't eat like they should. When the pond is finished there will probably be one or two flatheads but no more. Here's a pic of the breaking of the dam. Lots of fish were cleaned at now reside in the freezer or were transported to other ponds. The 55 pound grass carp that resided in the pond was fun to catch.

If you are going to build a pond to hold all the Flatheads you want to throw in there, What size are you planing on building, If you want to have a 50 Acer lake then I say go for it do what you want !!

But if you want a 1 or 2 acer pond for your benefit and you want to put more then 4 or 5 Flatheads in it then you might be reaching a little. remember when Flatheads are growing the can gouge themselves and sometimes they kill for the heck of it not cause there hungry.

You will not see affects right away it may take a year if you got enough feed in there for them but after awhile you will see what happens, what is the problem in leaving them where you catch them at and go back another time for them.. ??

I am lost on why people think they got to have them in there pond beside them, if they want one or two for a acer pond then fine but don't over do it cause you will kill the fish you brought home to put in your pond that I will guarantee.

Just think if I took 100 people and put in your house and put one pound of ham and 60 cans of soup and 20 cases of pop how long would you 100 people last.. ?????

Give it some thought before you go out and do this !!