Bill, here is the lake/fish summary;
1. Spring time bought property from a older lady who didn't like water or the potential for this lake-wasn't used-Lake naturally had many perch and rock bass in large quantities with all sizes but mostly small in the 3-5" range with a. 10-15% only in the large range. Didn't see any predator fish at all LMB or SMB but caught hundreds of perch and rock bass only. Later in the summer I saw some SMB 6-8" swimming in swallow water looking for YOY and YOY SMB first schooling then becoming predators and independantly swimming looking for fry and growing well from 1 1/2" to the 3-5" in late fall viewing. Caught many of these fish in a dip net and to my surprise they were SMB not LMB. (smaller mouths not extending beyond the eye). Lake was developed and started 12 years ago when they started removing the sand and gravel creating approx 1 1/2 acres per year of open enclosed water with no streams, just spring fed and ground water.
2. Thousands YOY bluegill up to 3" (late fall)from a few approx 100 adult stocked in May/June 02. Also bought 600 mature bluegill in fall that have the colour of the green sunfish in Bob Lusk picture you commented on elsewhere-very dark
3. Many yoy perch and rock bass as well. Estimate 10-15% large perch 8"+. I will harvest all perch 8"+ when icefishing. Should I return the extra large perch 12-14" for breeding stock as one would do with bass?
4. Many rock bass but not as many as perch. Again mostly smaller but 10-15% large 6"+. The kids caught one rock bass at 12". I am removing all rock bass when caught. Will I be able to control their numbers in time with this method and further bass predatation?
5.I added 14 mature (12-16") SMB caught elsewhere but had YOY spotted later in the summer as they grew and searched the shoreline for live food. Therefore, I believe there must have been a few mature SMB already in the lake before I added mine. Based on the fact I seen 6-8" SMB and caught a few in fall (probably 2-3 years old?)
6. I believe there is no minnow population in the lake, only YOY perch that shape and size similar to minnows. I caught and added a few dace and chub minnows from a nearby stream totalling 30 in the spring 2002.
7. Yes no walleye added, but I caught and added 30 mature LMB from another gravel pit from 12-16" throughout the late spring and early summer.
8. 10-15% weed cover from common pondweed mostly, concentrated in various areas on lake so not many batches but thick in those defined area, to provide a good cover for forage fish to grow and hide. I can watch very large schools of fingerling move from batches of weedcover to open water to other weedcover a short distance away. Thousands and thousands of YOY from bluegill/perch and rockbass.
I would like to control these quantities of YOY before they get out of hand but should I wait another year and another YOY for perch/bluegill and rock bass? If I were to add say 150 mature LMB in the early spring 2003 would this create major problems to the biomass? My goal is to have large perch, good numbers of various size bluegill for a forage base and some eating ourselves, the removal of the rock bass if possible or at least the reduction in numbers, the development of a good population of both LMB and SMB with some big but not necessarily trophy size. The introduction of some minnows to help feed the perch and other fish if required. In time adding a third predator fish, walleye say 200 6-8" fingerling to later catch and eat-maybe even reproduce???? Adding some structure this winter both dense and loose form by adding Xmas trees grouped 3-5 together and pallets nailed together forming a triangle- both will be weighted with a concrete blocks (to concentrate fish in desired areas for fishing). Already added some native white water lilly last fall in defined areas hoping they will not spread into deeper water greater than 5'for the LMB?

Thanks in advance to all and Merry Xmas and Happy New Year. I hope this helps Bill and sorry for the run on.

Rowly