Here is my plan for a 2.5 acre trophy LMB pond.
Add as much cover/habitat as possible including rip rap (crawfish), pea gravel (BG nesting), Xmas trees (BG & GSH fry), pallets (FHM nesting), brush piles, laydowns, etc..(LMB hangouts).
Aerate.
Feed.
Fertilize.
Fall:
25 pounds FHM
25 pounds GSH
1000 papershell crayfish
1000 grass shrimp
Following Spring:
2000 5"-7" BG
1000 3"-5" BG
1000 3-5" RES
Following Spring (1 yr after BG/RES stocking):
100 F1 Tiger LMB fingerlings
100 Northern Gorilla LMB fingerlings
With this plan you should your LMB survival rate should be 80-90% (Thanks Greg!).
Harvast males only heavily the next spring. You will be able to tell the males/females apart during spawning season. If you catch a female clip the fins. If you catch the same female again remove it. Harvast about 80 LMB total, say 60 males and 20 females. This leaves you with about 100 LMB, 30 males and 70 females.
Second LMB year continue to harvast all males, twice caught females and any fish under 12".
By LMB year three spring you should have about 40 females up to 5 pounds each. Keep harvasting small LMB and larger males.
Thats my plan after lots of PondBoss research.
Thoughts?
