The Importance of Fish and Pond Health with Shan O’Gorman

 

Show Notes:

Shan O’Gorman is a fisheries biologist and we’re going to pick his brain a little bit and talk about bass and other types of fish. We’ll also talk about some misinformation that might be out there. I own a swimming pool business that’s similar to Shan’s pond management business and we chat about the similarities. When Shan got started, he was working with community pools and then was able to transition into a paid pond job before he went to college. He then transitioned into his own business and was eventually bought out after running it for 20 years. 

Shan now has a successful online presence and feels like he’s really helping fisheries. It’s a pet peeve of his that fish health isn’t something most people understand. He helps people determine whether or not to keep bass based on measurements and other factors and good catch and release practices. There’s ways to tell whether or not you should harvest bass and when are the best times, and these are big issues when it comes to pond management. Shan’s pond principles also translate to larger bodies of water, like lakes and reservoirs. 

 

Shan paints a great picture of what a healthy pond ecosystem looks like and the indicators you should be looking for. We talk about bass weights and ages and what matters more. We also talk about electric fishing and how Shan uses it to sample fish in a relatively unbiased way. Shan shares signs of bass stress, as well as some of the most common misconceptions people have around pond and fish health. Most of the public is really misinformed around these important issues, so it’s great that Shan is out here providing consulting and info through his channels.

What’s Inside:

How Shan got started in pond management and built his career.

The importance of knowing about fish health.

Indicators people should be looking for in a healthy pond ecosystem.

Healthy bass measurements and how scientists obtain good data.

Common misconceptions people have about lakes and ponds.

 

Mentioned in this episode

Phoenix Shooting Bags save 20% with code johnstallone

Howl for Wildlife: https://www.howlforwildlife.org/

GoHunt: https://www.gohunt.com/

Aquatic Biologist YouTube

Aquatic Biologist Facebook

Aquatic Biologist Instagram

Shan O’Gorman Patreon

 

Short Description:. 

Shan O’Gorman is an expert in fishery biology and is dedicated to clearing up public misconceptions about pond and fish health. It’s important to know the signs of a healthy pond or lake ecosystem when you’re out fishing, and Shan goes through all the details. He also talks about what to look for in terms of fish measurements to determine a healthy harvest.

 

Tags:

big game hunting, hunting tips, hunting guide, big buck hunting, hunting stories, bass fishing, fishing stories, fisheries, pond management