Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Evaluating and adjusting fish populations LMB Removal Project

I’m starting a new thread so all the updates will be in the same spot. I have a 2.1 acre pond that is overpopulated with small skinny LMB. My goal is to remove 60 to 75 lbs of LMB this summer. I have the help of a Boy Scout Troop, a local fly fishing club and many friends and coworkers so the pond will be fished heavy. Removing the LMB should increase the survivability of this year’s BG. Next spring I’ll be adding structure, FHM and tilapia. I am removing all LMB regardless of size and marking the BG and releasing them.

Week 1
42 LMB were caught and removed
Size range was from 5-1/2” to 11-1/4” with an average of 9.13”.
WR ranged from .476 to .833 with an average of .651.
Weight of LMB removed = 12.13 lbs

15 BG were caught, marked and released
Size ranged from 4” to 8” with the average being 6.25”.

Week 2
30 LMB were caught and removed
Size range was from 5” to 11-1/2” with an average of 9.25”.
WR ranged from .377 to 1.400 with an average of .708 Two fish had WR over 1.0.
Weight of LMB removed = 9.62 lbs

26 BG were caught, marked and released
Size ranged from 6” to 9-1/2” with the average being 7.04”.

Totals
72 LMB were caught and removed
Size range was from 5” to 11-1/2” with an average of 9.17”.
WR ranged from .377 to 1.400 with an average of .674. Two fish had WR over 1.0.
Total weight of LMB removed = 21.75 lbs

41 BG were caught, marked and released. No repeat catches.
Size ranged from 4” to 9-1/2” with the average being 6.75”.

I am working on a scatter chart which I will post next week. One of the fly fisherman said he thought one was a pumpkinseed. I’m looking up how to tell the difference and may post photos next week to get proper ID. Still no other fish but LMB or Bream caught. If you find yourself in Alamance Co. NC, come by and catch some fish.

Not much data here yet but any comments are welcome. Once I have more information I know I will have questions.

Great work! I wish I had some groups like that to help me out.

At some point you might need to change to live bait. They don't stay conveniently dumb forever.

Great thread! I just began a similar endeavor myself and this thread makes me realize I need to keep better records!

I have never seen WR's that low. You have removed 21 lbs thus far. I think I would remove at least twice that much.

My guess is that the 2 fish that were 100%+ of WR were two of the larger fish?

Opps, I was not using a correct WR chart so I corrected the numbers for the first two week. They are now based on the charts provided on this site.

Dave, I figure I'll need to start doing live bait soon. Worm the BG hit too quickly for the bass. I tried minnows about 6 weeks ago but out of a dozen none were taken by fish. Did catch two snappers on them. There are no minnows in the pond now.

Salex, the two over 100% were not the biggest but they were also measured and weighed by someone else. I keep a log book at the pond so fish can be recorded if I'm not there. I have found other error that have been made.

I'm late getting the results for the last two weeks up due to a couple new additions to the family. Brother and sister Lab mix puppies, 9 weeks old. I had selective memory about how much time new puppies take. Their main job next year will be to keep the geese off the pond.

Due to rain and at an out of town conference not much fishing done in week three. Week four I was the only one that fished and that was only after work and chores. In the last week I am also finding about 20% have small fish in them (less than 2”). Unsure what they are.

Here are the results of the last couple weeks:

Week 3
4 LMB were caught and removed
Size range was from 8-1/4” to 10” with an average of 9.19”.
WR ranged from .375 to .566 with an average of .462.
Weight of LMB removed = 0.75 lbs

4 BG were caught, marked and released
Size ranged from 7-1/2” to 8-1/2” with the average being 8.13”.

Week 4
18 LMB were caught and removed
Size range was from 5-1/2” to 11-1/2” with an average of 8.74”.
WR ranged from .476 to .752 with an average of .628.
Weight of LMB removed = 4.38 lbs

12 BG were caught, marked and released
Size ranged from 6-1.2” to 8-1/2” with the average being 7.60”.

4 week Totals
94 LMB were caught and removed
Size range was from 5” to 11-1/2” with an average of 9.09”.
WR ranged from .377 to 1.400 with an average of .656.
Total weight of LMB removed = 26.88 lbs
Total BG marked and released = 57 with an average size of 7.03”

Thier first encounter with a fish. It started with sniffs and licks. I stopped them when it became a tug of war.

Great stuff! Keep at those skinny bass.

If you buy fathead minnows next year they will all be ate in a few weeks by the leftover bass and big bluegill i suggest buying Golden shinners that 4-6". Then you will have brooders every year. Just a suggestion fatheads minnows are really only for a new pond in my opinion. or you can buy more bluegill or redear.

Here is the scatter graph I started. First time I tried one. One thing it does not show is number of same size fish. Such as there have been fifteen 9"/4oz. LMB caught. It only shows them a single dot. This is for a total of 82 fish. Fish less than 8" not in chart because that is the lowest size WR I could find.

Try charting just length vs. WR instead of weight.

Due to weather not much fishing done this week. I did get in a few hours. Bass are still small and skinny as I expect they will be for awhile. Over the next four Saturdays I have groups showing up to fish (fellow employees from work with their kids, Boy Scouts coming back and a couple Men’s Church group outings). Hopefully I’ll see more fish removed with all the help.

Week 5
9 LMB were caught and removed
Size range was from 6” to 10-1/2” with an average of 8.89”.
WR ranged from .476 to .714 with an average of .610.
Weight of LMB removed = 2.19 lbs

3 BG were caught, marked and released
Size ranged from 6-1/4” to 8” with the average being 7.25”.

5 week Totals
103 LMB were caught and removed
Size range was from 5” to 11-1/2” with an average of 9.07”.
WR ranged from .377 to 1.400 with an average of .652.
Total weight of LMB removed = 29.06 lbs
Total BG marked and released = 60 with an average size of 7.04”

I made some adjustments on the chart so all the fish show up.
Bocomo, I did not change it to length vs. WR instead of weight yet but see how that would make a better chart.



Thanks for the comments.

Awesome data. The way you have it is fine, too. The red line makes it pretty apparent that all the fish are well below the ideal WR.

My dog loves to eat LMB, too. He's a dachshund. He snaps at each fish I pull out of the water even before I've unhooked them!

How do the fish look? Most of my LMB have several parasites each. I'm considering adding RES.

There could still be a monster lurking in your pond, too... The neighbor's boy came over to do some fishing at our place, and wouldn't you know he pulled out a 4-pounder? Pics on my thread.

No parasites on the fish. They have all been clean inside and out.

I know there is at least one or two good size fish in there. I hooked into two or the same one twice. I’m using light gear and they just peeled it off the reel. I lost both but the second time the fish jumped as it spit the hook. Best guess its 18”-20”, but that’s from 40’ away with the adrenalin pumping. It’s been my experience that fish shrink once they hit the shore.

If it is that big it may go back in. It will propbably eat more sub-5" fish than I will catch.

I'm looking for some ideas on good lures for weaner bass. I've been using Rat-l-traps and other lures, but am looking for recommended artificials for the 8" and under fish. They're easy enough to sight fish, so I may wind up with .22 shorts.

Thanks for the ideas.

-RFL

Small curly tail grubs on lightweight jig heads or a long shank hook, 4" plastic worms, 2" floating crank baits. Rebel Wee-R 1" or so imitation crawdad, if sight fishing, a leaf worm on a hook with no weight or bobber works when dropped in front of them. 4# test

I'll give some of those a try. My current assortment is just too big for these little guys.

Thanks,

RFL

Roostertail inline spinners. Small topwater poppers (2"). Nearly all the fish removed in my spring survey were taken on a 1/16 oz chartreuse Roostertail from Worden's.

Small bluegills

The pond was only fished one day last week. I invited my co-workers and families out for a BBQ/pot luck and fish fry. 9 or 10 tried their hand at fishing; some for the first time. (How do people in their 30’s and 40’s get through life and never been fishing before?) A couple of them caught their fist fish every. Biggest fish (12”/10oz / wr .694) was caught since I started removing bass six weeks ago. Fun times for all.

Baby Bluegill are starting to populate the shallows. I dug out my casting net and caught three once I relearned how to use it. I used them as live bait and hooked two snappy turtles and an 11.5” bass (WR .781). The bass looked deformed with a big head and small body. Wish I took a picture before cleaning it.

This weeks numbers:

Week 6
10 LMB were caught and removed
Size range was from 5” to 12” with an average of 9.1”.
WR ranged from .301 to .781 with an average of .542.
Weight of LMB removed = 2.63 lbs

8 BG were caught, marked and released
Size ranged from 5.5” to 8.5” with the average being 7.23”.

6 week Totals
113 LMB were caught and removed
Size range was from 5” to 12” with an average of 9.07”.
WR ranged from .301 to 1.400 with an average of .644.
Total weight of LMB removed = 31.69 lbs
Total BG marked and released = 68 with an average size of 7.06”

Boy Scout Troup coming next Saturday for a day of fishing.

I’m switching my weekly report to every two weeks as the pattern appears to have set. Not as easy to catch LMB but they are still there. Two weeks ago I was catching 2-4 small BG with each throw of the casting net. Now it’s one or two every 8-10 throws of the net. I suspect this is because the LMB have been working on them. Almost all LMB also have contents in their stomachs now. So the remaining fish are eating better. The biggest LMB was taken this week at 12.25” and 12 oz. on a live BG. About half the LMB caught were on live BG.

This brings up my question for the experts. I’m going to start buying bait minnows to catch LMB. But I have read you have to be careful not to introduce trash fish into the pond. What precautions do I need to take to prevent this?

The number of BG caught went way up because I’m catching many nice BG with the casting net. One throw had 4 BG all over 8” in the net. I’m not tracking any small BG that I use for bait. Should I be doing that?

Week 7 and 8
13 LMB were caught and removed
Size range was from 6” to 12.25” with an average of 9.2”.
WR ranged from .500 to .857 with an average of .711.
Weight of LMB removed = 4.5 lbs

43 BG were caught, marked and released
Size ranged from 4” to 9.75” with the average being 7.02”.

Eight week Totals
126 LMB were caught and removed
Size range was from 5” to 12.25” with an average of 9.08”.
WR ranged from .301 to 1.200 with an average of .645.
Total weight of LMB removed = 35.94 lbs
Total BG marked and released = 111 with an average size of 7.12”

With close to 36 lbs removed I figure I’m getting close to the halfway point.




All coments welcome.

Thanks.

The trash fish in bait minnows should be pretty easily recognized. The main fish species that will reproduce to be trash are: carp, bullheads ('catfish'), green sunfish (GSF) or sunfishes non-bluegill including crappie depending on ones goals. GSF and other sunfishes will have a hard time establishing themselves in an established bass-BG pond. Suckers will very rarely reproduce in a pond so I would not worry about them being a big problem. Bass (12"-16") will eat most all the small suckers before the suckers reach 10". Not many other fish species will be present in minnows as bait to be a big concern in a bass bluegill pond.

Thanks for the information Bill.

All the information I read here says to remove all LMB until I get the 60 to 75 lbs out. Does that include small 2" LMB caught with the casting net? I was trying to catch baby BG for bait when they were caught in the net. First ones I've seen.

Still very few Baby BG. Caught 6 in about 30 cast of the net.

Bill might have a different answer, but I count LMB pounds as just that pounds of fish, no matter what the size.