Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Evaluating and adjusting fish populations what do I do

I began stocking my pond the right way (1/4- 1/2 acre) I stocke 250 small bluegill first. Well my neighbor comes by saying he heard I like to bass fish so he put 7 bass in my pond for me. a 7lber, 5lber, 4lber, and 4 at about 1-2 lbs. I have since placed twenty some adult gills in and I can catch small bluegills so I know the bass did not wipe them out. I also have many small minnows and crawfish in the pond. I want the bass fishing to be better, what should I do?

If you don't shoot the neighbor, I would at least tell him to keep away from my pond. Try to catch the smaller bass and eliminate them. I doubt that the bigger ones will do well on small forage.

Here's the rub. Most people never have a chance to raise big bass in small ponds. You have them but they can't do well. However, the bluegill will have a tough time getting established.

If it were me, and it's not, I would try to eliminate them all and hope they don't spawn this year.

I would also try to add more adult BG so they can spawn this summer. The more BG that pull off a spawn this summer the better.

Try and return the favor, so your neighbor knows just how much you appreciate his "help".

Let's say he likes small, furry animals. You could place several rabid weasels in his house for him.

WRT the pond, what DD & Shorty said - try and remove the big bass, add large BG AND a stern "No Trespassing - This Means You Mr. (fill in the blank) " sign.

that conjurs up a good sign for me.

I'd rather you fish than help me stock my pond.
But, dont take that as an invitation.

How about:

The birds stock my pond for me,
thanks they don't need your help!

Hi dchance,welcome to the forum.
It has taken me years to figure out that I dont want anything bigger than 5lbs in my one acre pond.Fish are inherently lazy.They dont want to eat a bunch of snacks,they want one big meal,and therefore eat as big a fish as they can swallow.I mistakenly put big fish in my pond,and now Im trying to cull them out.

have actually caught the bigger fish a few times and they are healthy. Just don't catch them often. I have seen crawfish around 4 inches or so down to about an inch big. Caught the bass and have seen crawfish in their throat so I know they are eating them. Also many bluegill around 3" or so so I think the smaller ones that made it have spawned. I have seen bluegill beds so I know they spawned. What about adding more smaller bass?

Howdy dchance, welcome to the forum.

I guess we should ask you what your goals for the pond are....maybe the big bass fit in with your plans/desires?

The bass will probably take care of any needs for more bass on their own, almost regardless of your goals; probably the addition of a lot more adult gills will be most necessary/helpful.

I would like to have decent sized fish, I know it is a small pond, but I also want the fishing to be good. Just don't want it loaded with 10 inch dinks. Doesn't need trophy fish (although they are fun). Right now, 95% of the time or more when I fish I don't get bit. every so often I catch one. Would like to be able to catch a few when I fish.

How about

Trespasser found at night will be found in the morning

The realtor that took me to view some property told me about that one

I wouldn't add more. You are going to get more no matter what you do. Without a really good forage base, 10 inch dinks are a sure thing.

There is nothing worse than going fishing and not catching fish, especially from your own pond.
That's why I stock HSB annually to be able to catch quality fish each trip to the pond - a fish that will outfight LMB in a heartbeat.
They will thrive on BG but better with supplemental feeding,

Photo below is a HSB from 1/4 acre unaerated pond with limited supplemental feeding, BG forage.

Dang that's a great looking fish.

So. George, we havent heard your thoughts on hybrid stripers as a pond fish. Are they any good? kidding.
I cant wait til mine get big enough to sample. Stocked as small fingerlings from Keo last Sept. Plenty of bluegill, fatheads, and feeding. I havent seen any feeding, but only there sporadically. About what size should I expect? Stocked 75 LMB last Aug. now 12-14 inches. 75 HSB the next month.

went out with the ultralight and some worm and had good BG action all over the pond. caught adults that I previously stocked and many small gills that where from the load of fingerlings I stocked. BG population seems to be doing really good. I would like the bass fishing to be a little better though.

Hey Burger, just saw your post - sorry I missed it...

How "small" were HSB “fingerlings” when stocked last Sept?
How large were LMB when stocked last August?

No problem, George. The bass stocked in Aug. were 73 2 inchers and 2 about 4 inch.
The HSB from Keo stocked in Sept. were pretty small. 1 1/2 to 2 inches. I figure the larger bass may have cropped some, but there were also many fatheads and bluegill hatchings by then.

Burger, the HSB were on the small size for Sept – I expect HSB to be at least 4 inches by fall.

Same year class HSB should be as large as your LMB.
I would be concerned about predation.

George, if I get 25-30 out of that 75 I will be happy. I figured Keo produces them year round, since they supply a lot of sellers.
If I have any, which I think I have seen some feeding from a distance. how big would I expect at, what, close to 1 yr? I know the females get larger, just wondering. I sure hate to go the panty hose thing, but I may just havta.

Burger, I always assumed the HSB were spawned early spring when the big females were ripe, but hatcheries manipulate spawning cycles so maybe the biologists can address this subject on a new topic - already hi-jacked this one....
I would expect 8-10 inch+ HSB at 1 year.

PH Pellet - man's gotta do what a man's gotta do...
Samples HSB population better than a seine...

Oops! Excuse the hi-jack Mr. chance. for some reason I thought George started this topic.

Pardon us Mr. Chance, we'll back out of your thread and start a new one.
Carry on Gents...