Chad, does the owner want to manage it for big BG or big LMB?
We have some flexibility there, Shorty, but overall I would say neither. He is more interested in a balanced fishery. Certainly the situation of the last several years with a small number of really big bass, isn't of value to him.
DD, absolutely understand that electofishing is just a sample and that other species (particularly bass) may be present in small numbers. We also know there are carp. I don't expect the pond to rebound on its own as you suggest. The lack of aquatic veg seems to be resulting in FA blooms under the ice, that die off and create DO sags once we get snow cover. This year, the already tiny population of bass took a hard hit, other species were untouched, as you might expect. The over population of gills and tadpoles also point to very limited predation. I can't envision a "natural" rebound since bass recruitment is likely to be slim to none.
