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Jan 10th, 2023
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Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 113
Lunker
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OP
Lunker
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 113 |
I was wondering is there a danger of putting too much coppernose bluegill in a 1 acre LMB pond? I want my bass to look like footballs, FAT!@.......... BUT CAN I OVER DO IT,. wHAT ARE MY LIMITATIONS? IV`VE PUT 60 4-6 "REDEAR, AND 50 cOPPERNOSE, 4-6" , i WANT MORE COPPERNOSE AT 4-7 INCH, HOW MANY CAN i TOP OUT AT? tHE POND IS CLEAR AND GOOD BASS NUMBERS, 17 INCH TO 7 INCH. MAYBE i WOULD GUESS 25 -40. I WANT TO TOP OUT AT THE COPPERNOSE CAPPACITY ,ANY SUGGESTIONS.
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 16,055 Likes: 277
Moderator Lunker
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Moderator Lunker
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 16,055 Likes: 277 |
Yes, it's possible to overstock coppernose and any other fish. However, I believe you have seriously understocked your forage base. You haven't said how the coppernoses are doing but I assume you have reason for concern based on your observations. Nor have you said anything about the timing involved in the introduction of the various species. Timing can be critical.
The following assumes that you are like me and not overly encumbered by patience when it comes to stocking bass.
My personal thought is that you ought to add about 1,000 small coppernoses or about 300 larger breeders plus consider 5 to 10 pounds of breeder size tilapia to take some of the pressure off them until they can get really well established. If you want FAT bass, then they need a really good forage base and maybe culling to control their numbers. The "average" one acre Texas pond often winds up being bass heavy/forage light due to the catch and release mantra. You may have more bass than you think and it's easy to wind up loving our bass to death.
It's not about the fish. It's about the pond. Take care of the pond and the fish will be fine. PB subscriber since before it was in color.
Without a sense of urgency, Nothing ever gets done.
Boy, if I say "sic em", you'd better look for something to bite. Sam Shelley Rancher and Farmer Muleshoe Texas 1892-1985 RIP
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Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 904 Likes: 12
Lunker
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Lunker
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 904 Likes: 12 |
One of our 1/2 acre production ponds produced between 30000-40000 1"-3" bluegill in 2005. Was the pond overstocked? A bass could state a good arguement.
Because of population size, limited food source, and no predation, these bluegill weren't growing fast. At 2.5 lbs per 1000, they only consisted of 100 lbs of biomass. A productive pond can produce and sustain about 500 lbs of bluegill per acre, without bass in the equation. If you do the math you might find that you are far from overstocked.
500 lbs of 4"-7" bluegill might consist of 5000 fish.
It's ALL about the fish!
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