Hi,

I am a private fishery biologist who designs ponds and streams especially for trout production. I have a project that was built this summer near Sequim. I am looking for sources of a couple plants needed to promote a healthy trout habitat in this pond. The challenge is to find these plants close to Sequim (at least within a couple hours). Actually I need more sources all over the Northwest. If any of you know of local ponds that might have too much of these two plants, I would appreciate hearing from you.

#1 Elodea: a native 'anacharis' type of submerged plant) click to see a photo.

#2 Water Purslane: a shoreline plant of lakes and quiet backwaters. click to see photo.

Most people that have these types of plants in their ponds love to have them harvested since they can choke out ponds that aren't well designed.

I can be reached either from the email here or at my work web site at www.AquaHabitat.com.

thanks!

Brad
brad@aquahabitat.com

Just to clairify its not my pond its my uncles. Hes eighty years old and I dont think he would want to put out the money for the system you described. The lake does maintain a small population of cutts that I think are primarily sea run with a few residents. The lake has no inlet just an outlet I believe it to be spring fed.

As far as the Native cutt brood from the state goes I have some questions.

How many would they be willing to give you?

How big are the when they put them in?

Do they use thoose brood and how do they go about getting them out of the lake?

Do you have to open the lake to the public?

Would you have to let the state in to do studdies to things to that affect?

As far as your plants go I have seen both of theese plants in the lake.

If you told me when you were going to be in the area I could get them for you.

Rich,

I agree with your earlier statement, your uncle probably wants to have nothing to do with the state.

Because of the presence of the Bass, the state would not be as attracted to your situation either. Even though the bass may prey on many of the cutts, the state would have an issue with poisoning a lake with native fish present.

Your situation sounds fairly unique in that the cutthroat are still using the lake. They must be spawning in the outlet and the fry are moving up into the lake. Eventually the cutthroat may fill the niche left by the rainbow you have been stocking. This will be largely dependent on how they compete with the bass there. These battles can go either way depending on the subtleties of the habitat.

In this case I suggest doing what you can to tip the scales of competition away from the bass and towards the trout. I have some ideas, but I am going to need to know a lot more than I do now about your situation. I also believe there is no reason you and your uncle shouldn't be able to turn a profit from your uncle's lake in doing all this. You should email me and we can get together on the phone for a half hour or so at no charge.

I would email you, but I don't see an address for you here. If you don't have an address, I suggest a trouthooker.net address lol.

I will give you my home address so you can send a couple plants to me as well. I will pay the postage. Being a source of plants can earn consultation time for you.

There could be a way here for you to have your cake and eat it too.

At this point, take a look at the planning page of my website and be ready to answer as many of the questions there as you can.

Brad

Spring Creek Aquatic Concepts




[This message has been edited by the TroutHooker.net (edited 11-27-2000).]

I just wanted to thank Rich and the other folks who replied to my request for plants. You made one pond owner happy.

If anyone else knows of places with these plants in Washington, BC, or Oregon. Please drop me a line.

thanks!

TH

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'If your real screams, and your rod stiffens... you just visted @Trouthooker!