Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Evaluating and adjusting fish populations 12 acre Pond, year 7 Tagging Experiment

My 12 acre pond was stocked in 2008 with only LMB and BG. We have been wondering if we need to do any restocking of baitfish or harvesting of LMB.

This March we went fishing and brought a tagging gun, a scale and a measuring stick. Here is what we caught, tagged and recorded that afternoon. Let me know if you have any opinion on this small amount of data as far as what the weights/lengths suggest to the health of the fishery. Also if you have any advice on what we should be looking for in the future when we catch them...

Tag 307 17" 2 lb 14oz
Tag 308 15.5" 2 lb 0oz
Tag 309 12.75" 1 lb 3oz
Tag 310 13.5" 1 lb 7oz
Tag 311 12.5" 1 lb 5oz
Tag 312 12.75" 1 lb 3oz
Tag 314 21.5" 6 lb 8oz
Tag 316 18.5" 3 lb 9oz
Tag 317 20" 5 lb 7oz
Tag 318 18.25" 3 lb 4oz
Tag 319 20.5" 5 lb 8oz
Tag 320 13.25" 1 lb 7oz
Tag 321 12.5" 1 lb 4oz
Tag 322 16.25" 2 lb 8oz
Tag 323 15.25" 2 lb 0oz
Tag 324 16" 2 lb 7oz
Tag 325 14" 1 lb 12oz

Great record keeping beeza. According to your numbers, it looks like the relative weights on nearly all of them exceed 100%.

Let me know how my numbers look...

Tag 307 102.52%
Tag 308 98.33%
Tag 309 110.03%
Tag 310 114.60%
Tag 311 126.97%
Tag 312 110.03%
Tag 314 112.49%
Tag 316 104.83%
Tag 317 119.89%
Tag 318 96.34%
Tag 319 110.80%
Tag 320 121.65%
Tag 321 126.97%
Tag 322 105.71%
Tag 323 103.57%
Tag 324 111.07%
Tag 325 119.05%

Regarding the timing of the fish catching/tagging.

Were those fish pre or post spawn?

Thanks Omaha

Esshup,

It was March and they were spawning, most of the big ones had eggs. Is there a relative weight for bass in prespawn?

Standard weight is the same regardless of time of year. The important thing is to sample them at the same time of year if you want to compare body condition. Looks like you have some excellent LMB to work with!