Suppose you are vising a new village area or you are making a trip to a countryside area. And suddenly you see a big or small pond that looks beautiful and calm, but you don’t know what’s fishes are inside the pond. Even if you don’t know how to find out what fish are in a pond, then what can happen?
There may have some dangerous fish or big catfish, which can be harmful to you if you go there for swimming. So to avoid these types of risks you should know what fishes are in the pond.
Today in the first part of this article we will show you 8 different methods to find out the exact species of fish from an unknown pond. Also, in the second part, we will tell you how to know what fish are in your pond if you have an abandoned pond or you recently buy this pond.
8 Different Methods To Find Out The Exact Species Of Fish In A Pond
The methods that we will show you here can be applied to all fish species, not just to specific fish like catfish, koi fish, or others. You can apply these methods in any pond, whether it is small or big, so let’s see these methods.
1. Visual Observation
Visual observation is the best and primary method to find out which types of fish are in a pond. So, first of all, spend some time near the pond and try to observe the surface of the water.
During that time you should stay calm and don’t move. Try to find out if any fish are swimming or moving. Depending on the fish sizes the movement’s size can be small or huge. Suppose there is any big catfish then the movement of water will be huge.
So it’s now clear to you how to tell if there are catfish in a pond, simply you can detect or guess it by observing their movements.
On the other hand, fish species like koi and tilapia create tiny movements on the water. If there are any grass carp and silver carp fishes on the water you will see medium movements. Pay attention to their size, color, and shape.
2. Ask Local Authorities
If you are vising a new area as a tourist, you can easily ask the local authorities. You can contact with local fish and wildlife agency, parks department, or any relevant local authority.
There is a possibility that they do have information about the fish species present in the pond. As well as saying the fish species they will also guide if there are any regulations or restrictions related to fishing.
3. Seek Local Knowledge
The easiest way to find out the exact fish species that are present in the pond is just to talk to local people. People who live nearby or are familiar with the pond, such as fishermen, park visitors, or neighbors, know well what types of fish are there.
4. Fishermen And Fishing Clubs
You will be surprised to hear, there are some fishermen exist who can say what types of fish are there in a pond, just by seeing the pond once. So stay connected with some local fishing clubs or fishermen.
Or if they are so far from you then send them some pictures of the ponds and fish movements by capturing with your phone or camera. If there is any fishing club available in the area then contact with them. They can provide you with valuable information about that fishing pond.
5. Research Online
If the place is so popular especially if it is a tourist destination, you may find some information about that pond or the fish species. So search online resources specific to pond location.
Visit the local fishing forums, websites, or social media groups, from where you can get some instant pictures of the fish species found in the area.
6. Contact Environmental Organizations
There is another way to find out the species of fish in a pond. You can stay connected with local environmental organizations or conservation groups.
They might have conducted surveys or studies on the pond’s ecosystem. And when it comes to the pond ecosystem, automatically we can know about the fish species that are present on the pond.
7. Use Fishing Techniques
Fishing is the most useful and practical method to know about the exact species of fish that are present in a pond. But, for fishing, you need to make sure that the pond authority allows fishing here.
If fishing is allowed in the pond, try various fishing techniques and use artificial fishing bait for a pond to see what you can catch. By observing the fish you catch, you can identify the species or take pictures to help with identification later.
8. Hire An Expert
If you need detailed information or scientific identification of the fish species from that pond you can hire a fisheries biologist or aquatic ecologist. They can give you every single detail about the pond.
Even they can tell you about the fish population of the pond. By the way, there are other easy and simple methods to check fish populations in a pond. So, check our blogs to get detailed information about this topic.
How To Know What Fish Are In My Pond
Suppose you bought a new house with a small pond in the backyard. Or maybe you bought a new pond for fish farming. So you don’t know what species of fish are there in your pond. Here we will tell you the 5 easiest ways to find out the fish species from your pond.
How To Tell What Fish Are In Your Pond
To know about the fish species in your pond you need to make sure that there are fish in the pond. By the way, if you don’t know how to tell if there are fish in a pond, check our blogs where we have talked in detail about this topic.
Anyway, here are 5 ways easiest ways to tell what fish are there in your ponds.
1. Observe Visually
To know what first exists on your pond, the easiest method is observing the pond visually. Spend time near the pond and observe the water’s surface, and stay quiet during observation.
And as it must come to the surface of the pond water to breathe, note its shape, pattern, and color well. These ideas will help you to get an initial idea of the fish species present.
One thing to remember, for visual observation, choose a sunny day, don’t choose a rainy day. Because during rain the water won’t be stable, also you may notice some major changes that happen in a pond when it rains.
2. Fishing
Fishing will be another good option to check what fish species are there on your pond. And since it is your pond you don’t need to take permission from any authority for fishing.
You can simply use artificial fishing bait for ponds which works really well to catch fish in a short time. By catching fish look at them closely, if you don’t identify them take some pictures for later identification.
3. Consult Local Experts
If you bought an abandoned pond in a new area then you can take advice from local experts. To get a proper idea you can go to local fisheries biologists, aquatic ecologists, or experienced fishermen in your area.
They can help you to identify the fish species commonly found in ponds similar to yours.
4. Conduct A Survey
Survey to know about your pond fish using nets or traps. This survey will help you to know the fish population of your pond.
5. Analyze Water Samples
Simply collect water samples from your pond and send them to a laboratory for analysis. This method is called environmental DNA sampling, which can provide you with information about the fish species present in your pond.
Hope now it’s clear to you how to find out what fish are in a pond. The easiest methods that we have shown here will help you to find out the fish species from your ponds.
If you have other pond-related questions then feel free to ask us, and stay connected with us to get regular updates about ponds.
