Paradise Pads—The Heat is On!

Here in eastern Iowa, summer has arrived and the heat is on! With temps and humidity soaring, the perfect solution is use your pond for cool down activities. Bjornsen Pond Management has many products that will help you and your family stay cool.

Our Inflatable Swim Pads have been very popular. In fact, our inventory is decreasing and our manufacturer is struggling to keep up with demand. If you are interested in an inflatable swim pad—now is the time to buy!

We also carry Inflatable Stand Up Paddle Boards. These are a great way to explore your waterways, and get wet if you choose!

Check out the Docks, Swim Pads, and Paddle Boards section of our online store. We stock dock kits in many sizes and configurations, dock floats, and the more traditional foam swim pads up to 6-ft. x 18-ft.

Place your order today to get your items before the 4th of July weekend. Our remaining inventory will go fast!

2020 spring electrofishing signup

Now is the perfect time to look ahead to late spring and summer. Soon you will cast a line hoping to catch one of your trophy fish. When they bite, are they the hogs that you imagined? Or are they are smaller than expected? You know the fish were once there. But are they today? How many? What size? And what is the makeup of the other species that support the growth of your trophy sized fish?

We are now scheduling pond audits with electrofishing for spring 2020

Over the next few months we we will be conducting pond audits with electrofishing in ponds all over Iowa and surrounding states. Our customers (Home Owners Associations, campgrounds, and private pond owners) will be able to see firsthand what fish species and sizes they have in their ponds

Now is the time to think ahead to what you would like to learn about your pond’s health. Go beyond a “hunch” and really learn what is going on beneath the water’s surface. A pond and lake audit with electrofishing will give you the real story. It will give you data—data that you can use to make intelligent stocking decisions. Concerns over invasive vegetation will also addressed with education and mitigation plans for the control of unwanted plant species.

We are already putting our electrofishing schedule together for spring 2020. Contact us via our Online form or call (319) 350-2918 to reserve your spot on our schedule!

With the unknown future of Covid 19, we will be practicing responsible hygiene and social distancing. We look forward to getting to know you and your pond needs!

Why Do We Electrofish?

It looks like spring is upon us, and most of us are eager to jump right to the fun part—stocking fish. Bjornsen Pond Management loves stocking fish as much as the next guy, but honestly, there are better ways to go about building a fishery than just adding a bunch of fish. The better way is to start with electrofishing. What is electrofishing, you ask? Here is an overview.

This is what we hear from many pond and lake owners:

“I already know what’s in my pond. I just stocked it five years ago.”

So you stocked your pond five years ago. What was your pond’s fish population before you stocked? Did you have a balanced fishery—meaning a proper balance of predator fish and feeder fish, of the proper size? Without an electrofishing session followed by a pond audit, you might have taken a shot in the dark then—and you may be ready to do so again. In this scenario, adding more of the wrong fish will likely take your fishery down the wrong path.

“I keep my eyes on my pond at all times. I’ve never had a major fish kill”

So, you have never had a major fish kill. How do you know that? Contrary to popular belief, fish kills are not always the result of a hard winter—there are summer time fish kills as well, and they can be triggered by algae blooms, heavy rains, and many other factors. And, contrary to popular belief, dead fish do not always float up to the pond’s surface. We have seen very large fish kills with barely a trace visible on the surface. Many dead fish will just sink to the bottom of your pond.

“We don’t have an issue with predators. I’ve never seen any evidence at all.”

The third statement may not be as clear cut as it seems. Many things happen around your pond during hours of darkness. Many predators are night feeders—and they can be crafty killers, dragging their catch far away from shore. By the next morning, there is hardly a clue that they were there. We have seen fish populations seriously decreased by predators that were not believed to be an issue. Keep in mind that your pond is one element of a diverse habitat. Your pond will attract all wildlife. Learn to allow for this diversity.

“I have too many pond weeds. I need a bunch of grass carp.”

And finally, grass carp. This is a common—yet rarely accurate—perceived “solution” to your vegetation problems. The fist step is identifying what weeds are growing in your pond, and in what months they take over. Pond Vegetation Control has always been challenging. Learning about what exactly you are dealing with before jumping to a conclusion is the best plan of attack.

We are now scheduling pond audits with electrofishing for spring 2020

Over the next few months we we will be conducting pond audits with electrofishing in ponds all over Iowa. Our customers (Home Owners Associations, campgrounds, and private pond owners) will be able to see firsthand what fish species and sizes they have in their ponds allowing us to provide stocking and harvest plans that will help them reach their goals. Concerns over invasive vegetation will also addressed with a bit of education and mitigation plans for the control of unwanted plant species.

A pond audit with electrofishing is the best way to learn about the fish population and overall health of your pond. Contact us via our Online form or Or call (319) 350-2918.

After you receive your pond audit, we will work with you to develop a stocking plan that works with your pond’s current fish population. In time, your pond will become the healthy and diverse fishery that you want.


Deleted:

Deleted: Excited for the future of their pond Full net Final day of electrofishing

Visit the 2020 QCCA Fishing, Hunting, and Outdoor Adventure Show and Save. Your visit will put some cash back in your pocket!

Kevin Bjornsen will be manning the Bjornsen Pond Management booth at the QCCA Fishing, Hunting, and Outdoor Adventure Show, Today—Thursday, February 13 through Sunday, February 16. We’re ready to talk with you about your pond and we will have vouchers at the booth for huge savings on select products.

Save on select Aeration Systems, 12 x 12 Dock KitsPond Audits With Electrofishing, and PondFit Beneficial Pond Bacteria.

 


$100 Off of Select Aeration Systems

120v AC Aeration Systems

$100 Off of 12 x 12 Dock Kits          

Docks, Swim Platforms and Pads, Paddle Boards

$100 Off of Pond Audits with Electrofishing

$20 Off of 25 lb. PondFit Beneficial Pond Bacteria

PondFit Beneficial Pond Bacteria

 

 


It’s that easy. Visit. Chat. And leave with a voucher for significant savings on select products. We’ll see you at the QCCA Fishing, Hunting, and Outdoor Adventure Show!

Show Location:

QCCA Expo Center, Quad Cities
2621 4th Ave
Rock Island, IL 61201

Show Hours:

  • Thursday: February 13, 4:00 PM – 8:00 PM
  • Friday: February 14, Noon – 8:00 PM
  • Saturday: February 15, 9:00 AM – 8:00 PM
  • Sunday: February 16 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Visit the 2020 Cedar Rapids Sportshow this weekend and we’ll put some cash back in your pocket!

Kevin Bjornsen will be at the Bjornsen Pond Management booth the entire weekend ready to talk with you about your pond. We will have vouchers at the booth for huge savings on select products.

Save on select Aeration Systems, 12 x 12 Dock KitsPond Audits With Electrofishing, and PondFit Beneficial Pond Bacteria.

 


$100 Off of Select Aeration Systems

120v AC Aeration Systems

$100 Off of 12 x 12 Dock Kits          

Docks, Swim Platforms and Pads, Paddle Boards

$100 Off of Pond Audits with Electrofishing

$20 Off of 25 lb. PondFit Beneficial Pond Bacteria

PondFit Beneficial Pond Bacteria

 

 


It’s that easy. Visit. Chat. And leave with a voucher for significant savings on select products. We’ll see you at the Cedar Rapids Sportshow!

Show Location:

DoubleTree By Hilton Cedar Rapids Convention Complex
350 First Avenue NE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401

Show Hours:

  • Friday: January 31st, 3:00 PM – 8:00 PM
  • Saturday: February 1st 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM
  • Sunday: February 2nd 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM

The Bjornsen Pond Management team will be attending the 2020 Cedar Rapids Sportshow, Friday, January 31st through Sunday, February 2nd, 2020 at the DoubleTree By Hilton Cedar Rapids Convention Complex in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Show Location:

DoubleTree By Hilton Cedar Rapids Convention Complex
350 First Avenue NE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401

Show Hours:

  • Friday: January 31st, 3:00 PM – 8:00 PM
  • Saturday: February 1st 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM
  • Sunday: February 2nd 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM

Let’s get together to talk ponds, lakes, and fish. Spring is on its way!

We are putting our electrofishing schedule together for Spring 2020. Contact us via our Online form or Or call (319) 350-2918 to reserve your spot on our schedule! Or, better yet, give us a call and come visit with us at the 2020 Cedar Rapids Sportshow.

If you can’t make the Cedar Rapids show, we will be at other shows in central and eastern Iowa:

We look forward to meeting with you at the 2020 Cedar Rapids Sportshow and getting to know you and your pond needs!

Come along with us on this 2 minute ride as we finish out our fall 2019 fish stocking! It’s not too early to get on our schedule for spring 2020. Get in touch with us today!

Fall 2019 Pond Audit and Electrofishing Tour

Over the past couple of weeks we had a break in our other activities allowing us to conduct pond audits with electrofishing across eastern Iowa. After each outing our customers were able to see firsthand what fish species and sizes they have in their ponds. Over time we have found that a pond owner’s “best hunch” of what is in their pond rarely matches reality and each outing revealed interesting data. We addressed size and populations of each fish species and concerns about invasive vegetation, leaving each owner with a stocking and harvest plan and education on controlling unwanted plant species.

We met a lot of new people, saw some great ponds, and had a lot of fun. A pond audit with electrofishing is the best way to learn about the fish population and overall health of your pond. Contact us via our Online form or Or call (319) 350-2918.

The Heat is On—Will Your Pond Keep Its Cool? Summer was slow to arrive but in the upper midwest it is certainly here. We have had long stretches where daytime temperatures have been in the mid to high 90s with high overnight temps as well—high enough that pond water temps have been climbing fast.

While warm water is great for swimming and recreation it contributes to the explosive growth of unwanted vegetation and stress on fish due to low oxygen levels.

Just like humans, fish require oxygen (in the form of dissolved oxygen) to survive. Your lake’s or pond’s dissolved oxygen requirements are highest in the summer when water temperatures reach into the 80s and 90s. Higher temperatures reduce water’s ability to hold oxygen creating conditions that can lead to fish kills. Dead (and dying) vegetation like algae use large volumes of oxygen as material decays and is digested by bacteria. Oxygen depletion leaves fish and other aquatic organisms with very little of what they need to survive.

We have been monitoring ponds all over the midwest that have been taken over by vegetation such as Water Meal, Chara, Duck Weed, Filamentous Algae, Coontail or even Cattails. Having pond vegetation is good—to a point. But, when the plant material starts covering most of your water surface, bad things—like plummeting dissolved oxygen levels—can happen.

We often go back to the four basic methods of dealing with explosive vegetation growth:

  1. Preventative measures
  2. Mechanical removal
  3. Biological removal
  4. Algaecides, herbicides, dyes, and beneficial bacteria to slow growth

In addition to taking measures to reduce aggressive vegetation growth, you may want to seriously consider an aeration program to ensure your fish are getting the oxygen they need.

Bjornsen Pond Management can help keep your pond in good health. We have the products and expertise to help your pond “keep its cool.” Check out our pond vegetation control products, PondFit Beneficial Pond Bacteria, aeration systems, and mechanical tools that will help make short work of your pond cleaning tasks. And, of course, you can always ask us specific questions online or call (319) 350-2918! We are always eager to help!