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I have some very fond memories of my grandfather. One was when I was probably 6 or 7. It was an evening just after dinner at Buehlers Idlewild. The sun was going down on a clear night as we were out floating in a row boat on the pond. It was peaceful and quiet as we sat there with fishing lines in the water. We watched our bobbers floating out in the distance, anxiously waiting for it to bounce up and down before it suddenly disappeared beneath the surface of the water. It’s one of my first memories of fishing. We caught a bunch of sunfish that evening and some nice bass. The bass clearly identified themselves when the line started peeling off an running farther away from the boat. I instantly knew as a kid that fishing = fun! And yeah, the sunfish were fun to catch, but the bass were something else! It wasn’t a night where we reeled in any trophy catches but I remember it being the moment where I knew it wasn’t just the fish that got hooked… I did too.
Over the years, as the Idlewild tradition goes, we returned over and over again. Always anxious to get out on the pond and drop a line in the water. My brother and I, along with a friend, started taking different approaches to fishing as we got older. In our teenage years, we became obsessed with Bass. We read magazines and watched shows trying to learn the ways of catching this prized fish. We cruised around the pond and picked apart every spot where we thought a big bass might be living. We learned how to fish with lures and practiced proper fish care and handling. The fish care and handling was a big deal. It was all in an effort to enjoy fishing and make sure things were going to continue to be great for years to come on Buehler’s Pond. Over the years, myself, my brother, and my best friend have all caught our personal best Bass at the Idlewild, all 5+ pounds. Needless to say, the pond has afforded us unforgettable memories with our family and friends and it has always reminded us to appreciate the outdoors.
Im sure many folks have their own stories about fishing at the Idlewild. For many it was probably your first fishing experience and maybe even now, it’s been your children’s first fishing experiences. Those are moments we can all appreciate.
The Current State of Things
Idlewild stewards Mark and Mary Crouthamel have worked hard to preserve the legacy of the farm. Their tireless devotion to it has kept the tradition alive and well for many families who have attended for generations. And while they have worked to maintain the Idlewild experience, the reality is the Pond is another project in itself. Whether it be the weed growth or the fish population, it’s requires attention. While the pond has maintained itself over the years, it is in need of some help. Mark has been focused on managing some of the vegetation growth over the past few years. He has found a way to keep a good balance in place so the pond remains fishable for the Idlewild visitors. It has been a combination of learning the Buehler Family’s old methods of management and deploying some if his own.
Now that Mark has a focused effort to manage the ever-changing pond’s ecosystem, its time to re-institute a fish stocking program. Mr. Buehler once managed this on an annual basis, bringing in a steady addition of various species to support the cycle of life and growth. That was 15+ years ago at this point in time. As some of you know from fishing there in more recent years, there has been a decline in the quality of fish that live in the pond. Sure there are some 3-4 pound fish that are caught each year, but many of the bass are skinny and their numbers are small. Just as important, there is certainly a lack of bluegills, perch and sunfish swimming in the waters. In an effort to get this back on track, fisheries biologist have advised on stocking more bluegills, perch, and small to medium sized Bass. In turn, the spawning of these smaller panfish result in creating more food for the Bass. Simply put, these smaller fish help grow the bigger fish. Its a natural example of the ecosystem food chain. And the introduction of these new fish also help improve the genetics of the fish that live there, facilitating a healthy growth cycle. So it becomes a win-win in the long run: For visitors to the farm, there are more small panfish swimming around that are fun to catch and the Bass get bigger!
Many of us have seen older pictures of great big fish that have come from Buehlers Pond. Some of those fish even hang on the walls in the dinning room! This pond has the potential to return to a healthy fishery for all to enjoy, allowing for even more great memories of the great outdoors. Lets help make it happen!
So what are we asking for?
Mark and Mary have committed to creating a stocking fund. They will be contributing $1000 towards purchasing the fish for the program. That will be a great start, but it will be beneficial to have some more funding since purchasing fish is not cheap. Basic details of the plan are below. Mark plans to purchase a mix of Bluegills, Perch and some medium sized Bass. I’ve decided to create this page to raise an additional $2000 to help supplement the effort to get the budget to $3000. When stocking fish in a pond of this size, its going to be a case of “the more the merrier”. Fish stocking programs need to run over the course of a few years to truly make an impact. This being year 1, it would be great to make a bigger “splash” to get things rolling (lol. sorry, had to). This target seems to be a reasonable goal if we get various contributions from the 500+ people that traditionally visit the farm ever year. All contributions large and small will help, and every dime received will go towards this effort. Please help supplement this mission to reach the goal of improving the fishing at Buehlers Idlewild!
Thanks for reading! Tight Lines to All!
Cliff Humphreys
Purchase plan (qty):
Perch (6”-8”): 110
Blue Gill (4”-6”): 1000
Largemouth (6”-8”): 200
Largemouth (8”-10”): 100
Estimated cost: $3000
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