Pond Boss Forums FISH & FISHING Sunfish-Including Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass Bass won't bite

I've got a 1/4 acre pond that is about 40 or so years old that I am renovating. It was cleared of all fish around 10 years ago, drained and cleaned and has pretty much sat until this past fall. I started cleaning it up and getting it ready to be active again. It is not directly fed, but has a free flowing creek that runs beside it and water is pumped into the lake from the creek when needed. My initial plan is BG and LMB. Not nessicaily for trophy, but for family recreation. I have two young kids and young nephews and am wanting to have it set for them to enjoy.

My plan was to add coppernose BG this spring and bass in the fall. Well before I got up to the fish farm to pick up the BG, my brother took it upon himself to help out and added 5 LMB. 4 were around a pound and the 5th was about 3lbs. He caught them at another local pond and transported them over before I could explain to him my plan and the process of establishing the BG before adding bass. So a few days later I drove up to the fish farm and picked up 200 coppernose BG, 2-4" range, 200 fathead minnow and 5,10" white Amur. I introduced them to the water and they seemed to take just fine. I inserted them I'm different locations so that they were not all pooled in one spot. That was about 3 weeks ago. I've seen several of the BG near the banks at night when I shine a flashlight in the water, but have not seen them much during the day and have yet to see a bass or carp. I've got a good bit of structure and some sections of vegitation.

Today I decided to fish a little. Basically to check the status of the bass. I fished for a few hours and threw everything at them and never got a bite. So now I'm a little worried.

Do y'all think that they are eating so much on the BG that they are not hitting artificial lures and plastics? I've yet to see a floating fish so I don't think the bass have died, I'm down at the pond daily.

If they are eating up the BG, do you think I will run out of BG before their first spawn cycle? I want the BG to grow beyond forage size so they will produce future forage for the bass. I bought the BG a little bigger with the hopes for them to establish the next generation soon to sustain proper forage quantity as well as various sizes.

The pond is also pretty full of bullfrogs and bullfrog tadpoles. I've seen a bunch of tadpoles in the shallows.

I can get more BG without a problem. The local, private owned, fish farm is about 45 minutes away and sells coppernose for $40 a hundred, so I'm good with adding additional BG, but would still rather the BG become established and produce future forage themselves.

If my brother did that I'd flog him. He really messed your plans up. Hard telling what you'll end up with now as far as balance.

Unfortunately I think they are pigging out on the CNBG. Try letting a 3" CNBG swim around under a bobber with a hook pinned under the rear of the dorsal fin.

It's getting close to spawning time down there, look for any LMB beds. With those fish in there, you might not need to stock any LMB. If one pair pulls off a spawn, you'll have all the LMB you need right there.

I know, even if not for the fish, I'm sure there is some other reason to let him have it. But to his defense, I hadn't explained the plan to him and he is completely unaware of strategies for developing a pond. He is 21yr old and just typical of his age.

About how many CNBG do u think they would consume a day? How big do the BG need to be to spawn? I'm feeding or attempting to feed the BG with fingerling protein floating food that was recommended by the local co-op. I can't find the purina food local but this brand of food is around 60% protein.

I stand corrected If he didn't know your plans.

How many CNBG? You'll here the statement "that all depends" and I think it's very appropriate for that question. I've seen some impressive LMB growth in ponds where they have unlimited forage fish. I'd say they could consume over 30# of CNBG per year per LMB if the conditions were right and the CNBG were of the correct size.

Esshup is right. Catch a 3 inch BG and put it on a hook with a larger bobber. They will eat it.

I have a hard time catching bass on my pond also, but put a BG on the hook and in 10 to 15 minutes I got a fish. Given the conditions outside are right. They can't stand it they got to hit that BG thats flopping around. It's just in their DNA!! Maybe you could at least get that bigger one out of there!!

RC