Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Corrective stocking I too have bullhead but not many bluegill

WELL I JUST GOT BACK FROM WI. WE JUST BOUGHT A LITLLE 12FT JON BOAT AND TOOK IT OUT IN THE POND TO MEASURE THE DEPTH. FROM WHAT WE CAN TELL THE MAJORITY OF IT IS 5 1/2FT DEEP WITH SOME SPOTS AS MUCH AS 6 1/FT. ITS AN OVAL POND ABOUT 100' X 100FT.
I PUT IN IN 30 BLUGILL THAT WE COUGHT THIS TRIP, AND OVER THE PAST 2-3 YEARS WE HAVE PUT IN PROBABLY A FEW HUNDRED. WE NEVER SEE ANY DEAD FLOATING ONES.
I RUN AN AIRRATOR AND SUMP PUMP IN THE WINTER.
I KNOW WE HAVE A TON OF BULLHEAD BUT WE DON'T SEE MANY BLUGILL AT ALL. IS IT BECAUSE THE POND ISN'T DEEP ENOUGH. OR AM I JUST NOT PUTTING IN ENOUGH FISH AT ONE TIME?
THANKS
DAMONE

Refresh my memory - any predators?

High density of bullheads will put high predatory pressure on bgill fry and the small fingerlings 3/4"-1.5". Your bullheads esp if they are 8"-10 long are eating all your hatchling bgill.

A FEW LARGE MOUTH BASS WOULD THEY TAKE CARE OF THE TOO MANY BULLHEAD PROBLEM OR WOLD THEY EAT THE REMAINING BLUEGILL FIRST .

It all depends. Several inter and intra-related things will determine if the introduced LMB will "take care of the bullhead problem. 1. Size of LMB. 2. size of bullheads, 3. Size of bgill. 4. Abundance of each species in comparison to each other. 5. Amount and type of cover and or refuge areas. 6. Other types of forage items and its abundance. Reducing an abundant bullhead problem will not be as simple as just adding LMB. Also do not expect the LMB to quickly get the over-population of bhead back down to manageable or low numbers. Long term control of bullheads will also be affected by the recruitment rates of LMB, bgill, bullheads, annual abundance of weeds, and relative density of all species including any additional forage items involved. Ponds are dynamic always changing complex ecosystems and often unpredictable; definately not a simple one predator, one prey relationship.

Damone,

Here are a couple of posts to add to the comments submitted by Bill.

http://www.pondboss.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=7;t=000127#000002

http://www.pondboss.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=8;t=000113#000000

Look for posts from Brian Loberger. He was fighting a bullhead problem a couple of years ago. In particular he states that LMB will not be affective on culling bullheads if they (bullheads) are over 3", which relates to item 2 in Bill's post.

I haven't seen Brian post lately but he does have an email address. Perhaps you could contact him for an update and post the results here.