Can anyone recommend a good fish trap for small panfish?

[Perry Holbrook]

Now that I've got the duckweed off the surface of my 1 acre pond, I can try some fishing. Bought the land and pond for the new house and the pond has finally become more of a priority. Turns out the pond is very,very full of very small bream/sunfish. I'm talking 2" maybe up to 4". Pond has no predators (bass) and the catfish I stocked last year won't be big enough to start eating them until next year. State fish biologist says it is very overcrowded and recommends removing as many as I can. My stocking plan does not including adding any bass.

I thought I may be able to just catch them on a pole, but I'm catching 2 at a time within seconds. But even at that it's going to take a lot of time. So I need a good fish trap, sized for the bream but not the catfish that are a little less then 12" long.

There are several available on-line but the reviews are all over the place. Does anyone have actual experience will a good fish trap for this purpose.

Thanks.

[Maurice Mcmurry]

Those are a little large for the glass jug type. I would think about the wire type, a cast net, seine, or micro-fishing. You could also introduce some predators. Do you have or want Crappie in NC? Here is an image of the wire type used around here to catch Flathead bait.

485768


https://youtube.com/shorts/ZZ9p6yvoYO4?feature=share

[Ron Citerone]

If the pond is not deep, seine.

[Bill Dufour]

Egrets? They cleaned out my fishpond in two days.
Bill D

[Perry Holbrook]

If the pond is not deep, seine.
Too much structure and too deep to seine. There are so many, just throwing a large cast net may work somewhat , if I could only throw one well enough.

[Perry Holbrook]

Egrets? They cleaned out my fishpond in two days.
Bill D
A couple of egrets come by regularly. They seem to prefer the frogs, but they are welcome to all the fish they can eat.

[Perry Holbrook]

Those are a little large for the glass jug type. I would think about the wire type, a cast net, seine, or micro-fishing. You could also introduce some predators. Do you have or want Crappie in NC? Here is an image of the wire type used around here to catch Flathead bait.

The biologist did not recommend Crappie or Bass as a predator except for perhaps female only bass. The catfish will become predators once they grow maybe another year.

If I can get these little guys out, I hope to restock with copper nose bream that grow to 2+ lbs.

[Malcolm McLeod]

... the catfish I stocked last year ...

No experience w/ traps, and the catfish complicate any brute force solutions (i.e. 1/4 stick of dynamite), but someone once related their teenage fishing method: find a old crank telephone or DC electrical equal, drop the 2 electrodes into the water 10-20ft apart, and let 'er rip. Stop when fish float to the top and you dipnet your undesirables. I was told the effects are temporary, so the catfish should recover...?? (edit: Relatively certain that Fish & Game Dept will frown on this method in public waters - strenuously. As in handcuff frowns. I leave it to your discretion on how to handle this in private water.)

Always heard that fish eggs WILL enter (the pond) on bird's feet, so eventually you will have diversity. Like it or not.

[Chris Parks]

We used hand grenades for a quick feed when out on exercises.

[Maurice Mcmurry]

There is always the dynamo from Ma Bells crank telephone.

[Maurice Mcmurry]

+1 for lamenting the loss of ability to throw the cast net. I have given my big ones away.
Several 5 to 10 pound Flathead Catfish would be in hog heaven helping you with your pond.