Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Evaluating and adjusting fish populations small size fish kill?

Went to the farm pond to find hundreds of dead CNBG around the banks on the bottom. Some were at the top near the edges sucking for air. its an 8 acre lake 3 years old and has HBG, CNBG, LMB and Sterile Grass Carp.

Weve had a lot of rain especially a week ago and the lake got tons of water and is fairly murky. Visiblity is 1ft or so.

The weird thing is I dont see any Hybrid BG dead, only Copper Nose. No bass dead that I see (can only see 1ft down)and no CNBG over 3 inches died.

I cant expalain it. One manager thought it could be fireants that were washed in and stung them to death, but I doubt it due to the sheer numbers of dead fish. No signs of other species and I fished for several hrs without a single bite (not even bream on rooster tails).

Most dead fish had open mouths. What could this be?

Alan rain could have washed in somethign toxic. If an 8 acre lake and total kill there woudl be fish everywhere. I think the fish were stressed but many may likely recover. Not fireants this time of year. I would try fishing again. Doubt it is total kill.

Are you guys serious about the fire ants?

Yes. They get washed in, fish eat them, and (smaller ones especially, IIRC) die.

Thanks Greg. I will be out there this weekend and I'll report back. Is there any explaination as to why only Copper Nose BG's were effected? I was suprised that no hybrid BG's were dieing?

Was out there today, caught one HBG, saw some bigger bass cruising around the edges? Smaller bass were hanging out in the shallows, and I saw many small bluegills that seemed fine. I did notice tons of huge ant piles around the edges and they were teaming with ants when kicked....so maybe the ant theory was right??