Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Evaluating and adjusting fish populations How do you know when to stop harvesting your bass

I have read many times that when your pond is overcrowded you need to start pulling out bass shorter than 12''. I started this on my pond in northwest florida last summer. Me and my friends caught and threw out close to 50-60 bass. The pond is about 8-9 acres. What is the sign to stop pulling out fish, is it as simple as when you start catching bigger fish or what. Don't get me wrong we catch nice fish from time to time, just last year we pulled a 8lb.4oz on the 4th of july but other than that since july of 1988 there have been 2 10 pounders and a 11lb. 8oz caught. The pond is beautiful and has all the potential in the world but it just seems to me that bigger fish should be caught more often. Any advice or info would be mush appreciated.

LMB crowded ponds often have a few very large LMB and lots of 10-12 in. ones and some large BG and very few 3-4 in BG. Here is a link to pond balance.

http://www.pondboss.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=20;t=003702;p=1#000008

Keep taking <12 in bass until the number 8-12 equals number 12-15. Ideal pond structure is 40% 8-12, 40% 12-15 and 20% 15+

Dick thanks for that note on pond LMB size structure.I added it to the Archives on fish size/balance.

Dick good point. Ward you goign to PB convention? I will have a talk on bass harvest. I will add a slide to try and answer your question. Are you running Wr index? If not start now! Here is a link for you. http://www.lakework.com/articles.php
go to bottom of page. If you track this you will start to see a shift in Wr. Keep in mind there are seasonal variations as well. It takes time. A genral rule of thumb with many factros that determine # to remove but low # is 25/acre so I think you still need to pull 150 more out of the lake. Also folks worry about pulling out too many, you will know. If you normally catch 40 in afternoon of good fishing weather and no pulling out 20 you starting to get there. Good luck!

Thanks for the helpful link Greg I appreciate it. I actually went down to the lake monday the 12th and fished for a couple of hours and caught 28 fish and out of all of those only one was big enough to put back. I had a great time catching the fish but it just seems like I have a pretty big problem with overstocked lmb. But like I had a great time. Anytime when it is 74 and sunny on Feb. 12 and I am fishing I can't say much.

Next time runs the Wr post them here and folks will give you their opinions. Sounds like to me still got some bass that need to hit the propoane cooker.

Yep, time to get an electric fish scaler. Too small to filet. Just right for frying up whole.

BTW..what is best bang for buck on a handheld scaler?

BM, Your right you get more if you fry up whole but so many folks hate messing with the bones.

We just removed bass for a golf course pond, transferred all nice bass, (also 1800 5-7 inch bluegill, nice) and some smaller but still had about 50 9-12 inch bass that I thought best to not put in the new pond. We took then along with 2 big bulhead cats home. I love to filet this size to me they have as much meat as a really big bluegill. I see your point but to me it is hard to beat a small filet b/c it frys up so quick in the propane cooker. The fillets fed many of us and had them all cooked in 3 big batches. I guess my point is if you got lots of bass there is more meat on 10 inch bass than people believe and easeir to fry than whole.

Maybe you can bring a fryer over to the PB conference. Local posters can do the bass harvest, and I will do the cooking.

"Maybe you can bring a fryer over to the PB conference. Local posters can do the bass harvest, and I will do the cooking."

If that's the case, we're going to need some crappie too.

I volunteer to eat.

Me too! I believe that the request for crappie to eat at the meeting is done with ample time for the Guvnor to get his cane pole and Pardner (little partner) out and get busy.

You gotta be kidding. Do you have any idea how cold it is here? It hardly got out of the fifties all day. Too dang cold to fish!

I know Dave, but were talking about late March.

That's still wintertime for our thin blood around these parts.

Winter/Shminter....toughen up Dave!

Dave, just where do you get your weather forecasts We're in the 70's...is your blood thinning ?

I get them from the TV Weather Guessers.

Eastland and Dave

I get my weather from the National Weather Service and Intellicast. Both offer lots of data and forecast by zipcode.

I am kinda a weather nut and have my own home station and software that updates my web site. See http://www.frankpinkston.com/weather/index.htm

Frank

WOW, Frank.

DD

Thanks. I use a weather program that generates and uploads my weather web site.

Try http://weather.noaa.gov/ then select state and city. NOAA has lots of info and is a great source.

Frank

Frank, I'm going to be traveling to New Mexico next June,....2011. Could you give me a heads up if I need to pack an umbrella or not?


Kidding, just kidding.

Sunil

I put my spare computer (an Apple II minus) to work on your custom forecast. It should be available by July 2011.

LOL

Frank

Frank, that is really cool, I'm impressed ! Would I be asking too much to suggest an additional reading for your water temps


LOL, maybe an online underwater camera so we could watch your fish !

Eastland

Thanks

Unfortunately I do not live at the pond so automated temp readings are not possible.

I do have take manual readings every time I go and I keep a chart of those readings. I just don't publish the pond temps. I'll work on publishing those temps.

Frank