Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Evaluating and adjusting fish populations one acre pond - adding fish

My friend (brian callanan) has a 1 acre pond with an existing population of of LMB, BG, HBG and catfish. he bought the pond a year ago and did not do the stocking (the original owner did).

The fish were stocked only 2-3 years ago. The biggest bass that we have caught is about 13 inches. The biggest BG and HBG are large and heavy (see pictures below). Brian is interested in adding perch, and ignoring (letting me catch) the catfish.





There are lots of bass, and they seem well fed. I have not seen any small bluegill, but have seen groups of small minnows swimming in the chara.

here are my questions. Does it make sense to add perch? What should we do to help them establish? Would adding minnows at the same time up their chances of surviving? Are we silly to try this? If we do this, how many should we add for a one acre pond?

You can add YP in advanced sizes (8 inch) as a bonus fish. Start looking for a source of about 30. More FH would be good. Also it would be good to add/use feed trained YP and feed pellets. Take out enough of the CC and HBG to offset the YP biomass added. I would also reduce the LMB #s a little.

Would 3-5 inch perch just get wiped out? There is a fish day by the house on Saturday.

That size YP with adult LMB would be a short term snack.

that is what I was afraid of. If the bass are about 12 inches, how big do the perch have to be so that they have a chance?

I am going to start to cull some bass. I think that almost all of them are in the 10-14 inch range (have not seen any smaller). This might be the first year that they are going to spawn (I was told it takes two years to get a spawn). Is that why I don't see any little ones? Or is it that the all get eaten? There are in good shape, so I don't think that they are underfed, and I have seen some minnows (I think BG).

I also will start culling some BG. Problem there is that they seem all the same size. Which do I take and how many? My thought on that is to pull the HBG and leave the BG to spawn?

My thought on that is to pull the HBG and leave the BG to spawn? - yes


If the bass are about 12 inches, how big do the perch have to be so that they have a chance? - 8-9 inches.

This might be the first year that they are going to spawn (I was told it takes two years to get a spawn). Is that why I don't see any little ones? - yes , probably.

Big CC are a problem just like the LMB.

thanks for all the help. I will get to work (darn, I have to go fishing!).

That's a nice fish at the top can someone tell me what type of Sunfish it is and if it is some type of hybrid or not?

Also I have heard many things about not stocking crappie in smaller ponds or maybe not even stock them with bass or HBG as they compete for food.

Any truth to this?


Will LMB not eat smaller crappie? I would think that if they did then if you have them you would have plenty of forage for the LMB since crappie drop so many eggs.

Would someone please help me out with this?

Thanks

Pic at top is a BG and not a hybrid, I believe. The second picture is a HBG. Most people will say no to crappie since they compete with other fish for food and have such a tendency to overpopulate and stunt, especially in small ponds. BG are a better option for LMB forage. Those are my thoughts, but I am by no means an expert. Someone will be along shortly to help out.

The female crappie lays approximately 22,000 eggs. She lays them prior to other sunfish like bluegill and bass spawn. So, they get a head start and abundant groceries.

And then, the next year, they might not pull off a successful spawning.

I know 2 guys who are managing crappie in ponds less than an acre. However, this could be the year that everything goes South.

Some are touting Hybrid Stripers as the fish that could potentially control crappies but, IMO, the jury is still out on that.

So would it be a coppernose bluegill or a native bluegill? I have a hard time trying to keep these sunfish separate.

So are you saying that Bass or HBG will not eat the crappie frye or there are just too many for them to eat?

If crappie are what I am mainly wanting to have a pond for what would be the best thing for me to stock in it to feed them?

Are there any issues with adding Catfish to the mix?

What all types of sunfish will cross breed with one another?

I know that the Green Sun Fish and the Native Bluegill give you the HBG. But are there other combinations as well?

Has anyone ever heard of a hybrid crappie?

So would it be a coppernose bluegill or a native bluegill? - Native - Mich is to far north for CNBG.


there are just too many for them to eat? - yes - they overwhelm the pond and compete with all the other fish for food. See the Crappie archive -

If crappie are what I am mainly wanting to have a pond for what would be the best thing for me to stock in it to feed them?
- See the Crappie archive

http://www.pondboss.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=92447#Post92447


Are there any issues with adding Catfish to the mix? Yes probably depending on the goal and the mix.

What all types of sunfish will cross breed with one another? Almost everyone can cross but most time conditions do not favor that.


I know that the Green Sun Fish and the Native Bluegill give you the HBG. But are there other combinations as well? - Yes but generally not sold commercially.

Has anyone ever heard of a hybrid crappie? - Yes see the Crappie archive.

Interesting thread on Magnolia Crappie.

Mr Hello, definitely familiarize yourself with the crappie archive that Eric directed you to. I think what you will find is for small BOWs and crappie, the most important thing is a very attentive management practice. It is almost necessary for you to either live on your pond or live in very close proximity so you can manage it properly. If you are not willing or able to devote extensive time and energy to maintaining your crappie pond, it might be best to go a different route.

Does anyone happen to have pictures they could post of both male and female of the following sunfish.


Coppernose Bluegill
Native Bluegill
Hybrid Bluegill
Red Ear
Green Sunfish


I thought I was pretty good at telling the differences between the types and sexes but after a recent trip to a pond I was blown away and confused at what we caught.

Also is there any type of sunfish that should never be introduced to a pond?

=

Start here.

Is it possible to overstock a pond with either Coppernose or HBG?


My thought is is would be easier to get a large forage base setup before introcing too many fish rather than trying to add larger Bluegills later to make more frye.


Will HBG spawn enough to keep them in my pond or feed fish or should I add something else in with them?

Please let me know.
thanks

Lots of times it might be better to start a new thread when the questions are off topic on this one. I don't mind, since my thoughts are done.

We are planting perch this weekend. They are on the smaller side, but he wants to do it anyway. We are also adding minnows, so he hopes that some of the perch will avoid the bass. We are starting to cull the HBG this weekend and are having a big fish fry. Thanks for the input.

MRHELLO is from Oklahoma, I don't know how coppernose do down there. The don't survive up here. The fish in the top picture is a regular BG and the second one is a HBG.

Now, back to the crappie!