Pond Boss Forums FISH & FISHING Sunfish-Including Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass Newbe question? can't find the answer.

This pond was neglected for many years. It had a leak that we fixed. When it fills up this fall it will be around 3 acres and over 20 ft deep. It is currently 14' deep. We have started a fertilizer program and are about to test for lime requirements. Pond has northern large mouth that are small in size(largest one caught is about 16"). Large numbers of 6-10" blue gill. A few redear 9-10" and white crappie around a pound (that was a major mistake).

We want primarily a big bluegill pond. Crappie are ok if we can control them(probably not going to happen). The pond has traditionally produced 1 lb bluegill and redear. The largest was a 2 lb 5oz redear.

With the neglect and leak, an unintentional draw down occurred each summer resulting in large gills and crappie and small bass. If I understand everything correctly this helps create larger gills.

This pond has usable fish in it so we will not kill and start over until the other ponds on our place are rehabbed and ready to fish. We have a pond that we are turning into a minnow pond. If we supplement minnows into the pond, will that keep the crappie from stunting again as in the past?

What size gills do we need to keep and what size to release?

All feedback is appreciated. I am certain all these questions have been answered, I just cant find the info.

Hello 8fishermen and welcome to Pond Boss. Hang on for some feedback.

I guess I could introduce myself. My name is Greg and I am from Pelahatchie MS. We love to fish and work on the farm when we can get down to it. It is in Prentiss and is about 65 miles south. We catch plenty of fish out of the Res that is close by so these ponds are really for the kids and me to play with.

If anyone could point me in the right direction for info I would be grateful. I don't know enough of the lingo to correctly search. I am still trying to figure what all these letters stand for.

Well the acronyms I can help you with...
What the heck do all these acronyms mean?

OK. I am an idiot! I just found MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Forum.

Don't feel bad, there are a lot of idiots here. PM me and I'll send you a list.

Can someone move this to the correct forum? Thanks for the acronyms list.

We'd love to help, but as of right now, we don't have an idiots forum!

Calling Ewest!
We are all pond idiots. You've come to the right place. My pond is in Tylertown, so give me your coordinates. I'll be glad to 'survey' your pond. Kidding. Welcome aboard.

Especially now, keep all female bluegill. Small ear tab, yellowish belly. Full of eggs. That will be a good start. It sounds like you are already bass heavy. Use a trap to see what BG sizes are abundant; then more suggestions can be made. Best suggestions; get those kids to fishin'. They dont care what size they are.

Good luck.

OK. After re-reading, the pond should have a lot more water in it by next spring. I would suggest just catch fish, sample relative weights, cull the puny ones and put back the high Wr ones. I will try and summon Ewest, a moderator from Jackson area; he will know how to guide you.

Feeding a high protein fish feed always helps bluegill growth. 3/16 inch.

8fishermen...welcome to the forum, I live in Starkville, MS. I am new to Mississippi, so I have no idea where you live in comparison to me. Your in good hands here on this forum.

Guess you got me on that one! Thanks all for the hellos and info. I am starting to figure out how to post and search. I will resubmit more intelligent questions later. You know, after I become smart or something !

bump for Ewest on advice to a fellow Mississippian.

Welcome to PB and sorry for the late reply.

If the pond fills and you let it run its own course it should be just like what you have now only bigger. Most LMB/BG ponds in MS that are unmanaged or managed for big BG have lots of 12 inch LMB and some big BG/RES. The crappie are a wild card in your situation and could cause an unmanageable population. They could alternatively negatively affect the LMB population , the BG population , both or neither. It just depends on the situation and how it unfolds. Adding minnows will not help much as the LMB and crappie will eat them. You will end up with more small LMB and crappie with that approach. If you add enough to feed the LMB and crappie then you will have higher BG survival and thus less food for your big BG.

It would help to feed the BG. Move gradually to larger feed like AM 600 so most of the food goes to the big BG.

Good water quality always helps but be sure you need to fertilize first. If your alkalinity is below 20 ppm then fertilizer will not work and the excess nutrients can set the stage for serious problems later.

If you still have questions ask away.

I started fertilizer 3 week ago before I found y'all. I could see a jig at 3 feet. We are starting to get a bloom.

We have 4 ponds. We have reworked spillways in two and are starting on the third this weekend. We will install pipes before the fall. I am going down for a week or so and will contact the usda next week. Hoping to get them to shoot grades and set flags.

Let me tell you what we have and see what ideas you have about stocking each. I am willing to kill all ponds and start over on each. We will do them one at a time with the largest pond last as we can currently fish it.

When all are full...
3acre 20' max depth (lots of neat contours... Points, bluffs, pockets,)
3/4 acre 10' max depth
1/3 acre 8' max depth Small island in shallow end(This pond could easily be drawn down and seined)
30' diameter 6' max depth (easily seined)

If they were yours... what would you do? I am willing to try anything once!

It’s about your goals 8. Why don't you say what you hope for and we can go from there. You have lots of options but we need to keep it in the realm of possible in a deep south pond.

We have six children from age 4 to 11. We all love to fish. We eat catfish, bream, and crappie. We catch plenty of fish to eat from the Rez. We have been keeping some of the bg and all crappie and filleting them. We like to fish for anything that swims. Fishing will be the primary use.

Six children from 4 to 11?!!!