My attempt to concur over feeding

[KittenFishMom]

I have gotten into the habit of over feeding my tanks. To try to concur this habit, I have been gathering invasive jumping worms and feeding them to the fish in the lake. The school of fish that meet me at the end of the dock keeps getting bigger, and really love the extra food.

I also tend to over gravel vac, but no way am I going to start gavel vac-ing the lake !

We have been gathering lakeweeds to turn some gravel on shore into soil.  I "hire" the carp and bullheads to dug the lakeweeds out of the mud by lightly spreading cracked corn at sunset. The fish dig around the roots for the corn, covering other corn and up root the water weeds. The more they work the more cracked corn they cover and uncover.  In the morning we gather the now floating plants, roots and all. It is so much easier that uprooting the plants ourselves. The fish seem to think it is a good deal too.

I only spread the cracked corn as far as I can toss it from the dock, so there is lots of cover for the fish that doesn't get bothered.

If the fish leave any corn, the geese and ducks eat it at sun rise.

It takes very little corn, I am on my third 50 pound bag this summer. That is for 2 docks at different cottages.

Note: The key words are "very little". When the fish are hungry, they work and work.... but when they are full, they are done, they leave to take a nap someplace else. 

Edited September 14, 2022 by KittenFishMom
added Note

[Flumpweesel]

So jumping worms?

Also the carp gardening sounds fun. You do make lakeside life sound fun.

I might be an over feeder to.

[KittenFishMom]

@Flumpweesel From what I understand, Jumping worms are from South East Asia. eggs could have arrived on shoes etc. The adult die in the fall, but the eggs hatch in the spring. They are impossible to get rid of, once an area gets them. They stunt forest growth. I have piles of seaweed(lakeweed?) that I water and cover so it draws them to the dampness. They really live in leaf litter, at the surface of the soil. Very easy to gather, not digging needed. They are not great bait because they skin is very weak and the fish can rip them from the hooks. They can literally jump into the air. Unfortunately, I never see any local wildlife eating them. You can't find them in the spring, but by mid summer, infested areas are full of them.  You can tell when fall is coming because you turn over a log for worms and see toads and salamanders settling in for the winter. 

Edited September 13, 2022 by KittenFishMom
typo

[Flumpweesel]

Interesting, I have just checked and no articles mention them in the UK yet but by the sounds of things without improved quarantine of plant and soil products it's just a matter of time. 

Apparently 17 of the 20 flatworm species we have here are invasive species see the rabbit hole in about to fall down.

[KittenFishMom]

On 9/13/2022 at 4:39 PM, Flumpweesel said:

Also the carp gardening sounds fun. You do make lakeside life sound fun.

I grew up on Ransome. Life by the water has always been wonderful for me.

Some folks here put a lot of time and money into trying to control the lakeweeds. The cracked corn won't sprout, and is not causing anything but happy carp and catfish clearing the seaweed while I sleep. The fish never ask for overtime. I would rather work with nature than fight it. 

We also bought a used pool pump and have a huge fountain on our dock.  We have 4 big heads we switch in and out for variety. The fountain is fun and pretty. It aerates the water for the fish. It cools the water a bit and really moves it around, cutting down on mosquitoes. It's nice sound covers people talking outside, so the neighbors feel farther away. The ducks and geese play in it and the kids like to see how close they can get their kayaks without getting wet. It provides a cooling mist when the wind is right. You never know what fun lurks in a second hand shop.