Just bought a property with a 3.5 acre pond. Pond probably newly stocked about 5 years ago. Unable to get much information from previous owners.

I believe the pond has been over fished and under maintained. Catching a lot of 10 - 12 inch bass so far. And a good amount of other fish that I thought were bluegill but not sure now.

I need help identifying the fish in the 3 attachments.

First 2 are bluegill last one is a crappie

Did you notice the spit tail on the second pic? That's a different characteristic that I am used to seeing.

I've caught a few BG like that over the years...always assumed it was just some genetic anomaly?

#1 Female
#2 Male
#3 Not sure

Under fed bluegills with the last fish a black crappie.

If you want bluegill in better condition don't remove the small bass.

Can you please explain why leaving small bass will help condition of bluegill?

Not planning to remove small bass, but don't understand how this will help bluegill.

It reduces their numbers


Lots of small bass reduce bluegill numbers and increase relative weights of bluegills due to less bluegill mouths to feed. Typically ponds with large bluegills have lots of 8 to 12 inch bass.

That's why I love my pond chock full of skinny fat headed bass.. thrm ugly bass sure do keep my BG purty. .

And, once the BG get big enough they cannot be predated by LMB that are not at least 3 times their size in length. Theoretically, it takes a 15" bass to eat a 5" BG, 18" LMB to eat a 6" BG, etc. And, the LMB usually stunt and not grow large in a "bass crowded" pond

I'm new at this so I'm sorry for buttin in, I have tiny worms in my pond that come out of the mud in the shallows. Someone said they're a mud worm but I need knowledgeable person's input I have pictures but like I said I'm new to this stuff

Thanks
Theresa

Are they red?

Welcome to Pond Boss Theresa... Anybody think they could be leeches???

And back to the OP'S thread .