I am a member of a hunting club which has a 20 acre pond in southern Mississippi. We catch big bream in the spring and small bass year round but usually not more than about 10 bass per person per trip and sometimes just a few depending on conditions. The bass are thin and mostly 1/2-1lb. The biggest my son or I have caught after dozens of outing is about 2.5 lbs. no small bream caught-all big. White perch added 8 years ago. They get up to about 2 pounds. Rarely catch more than about a dozen per trip white perch.

It has been fertilized yearly for 5-10 years by another member. I’m not sure what product he has used. The members would like larger bass primarily. I am told they caught 5 lb bass in the pond regularly about 10 years ago.

The ideas for improving the catch without breaking the bank have been:
1. Add baitfish. Considering fathead minnows, small bluegill crawfish. Leaning towards fathead minnows 1000 per acre each spring.
2. Add cover-looking at Christmas trees or PVC pipe trees.
3. Adding lime.
4. Fertilizer.

Some have said it’s prolly overpopulated and to keep 50 bass per acre per year under 14”.
Others have said white perch are eating all the eggs and small bluegill and food and may not be overpopulated with bass but just don’t have enough food.

One person said shock pond but that will cost 3k I’m told. Another said kill all the fish and start over but no white perch.

The club has approved 1-4 yearly with a budget of about $2000/year.

Do you all think I can make progress with 1-4 above?

Thanks.

Last edited by Jkschwab1; 02/20/18 05:37 PM.