Originally Posted By: Allmadness
Originally Posted By: n8ly
Thanks KingRace! Hopefully more people will add their experiences. Maybe someone will chime in with the definition of trophy too. In Kansas I would sure classify 8-10 lbs as a trophy. Being stocked 12 years ago would support our theory that those big fish caught over the years were more than likely not produced from your pond, but rather stocked into it.


Totally disagree - We have a pond that was stocked in 1989 and today in 2012 are catching large crappie and HBG - (no stocking in between) those fish couldn't live 23 years in WI with 1 freeze out on top of that. They were born in the pond and grew to that size on their own in the pond. I am with Kingrace on this one.



The largest fish that I typically shock in a years time are in lakes following a major fish kill. Those original fish couldnt live 23 years, but I bet a few years following your fish kill in the late 90's/ early 2000's the survivors of the kill grew to very large sizes and some of which are still alive today. Good chance for another fish kill freeze out within the next few years as your fish population again builds larger than your pond can support during a stressful period of time.