Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Fertilization Is it too late to fertilze for a bloom?

As far as I can tell, I've never had bluegill spawns this late in the season before. The weeds and cover around my pond edge are filled with thousands and thousands of bluegill from about 3/4-inch to 1-1/2 inch. Unfortunately, this time of year, we have very little plankton in the water. I currently have at least 24 inches of visibility, and it would be even more if it weren't for the catfish stirring up the mud on the bottom.





This is the pond that I manage as my "trophy" bluegill pond, and that provides us with lots of 7-9 inch bluegill "culls" each season. It is the pond that I figure has the state record in it, as we catch a number of 12 inchers every year, and we always see what appear to be much bigger BG at the feeder and on the spring spawning beds.

My pond usually doesn't have a thermocline because we have so much wind. The water temperature where these fish are near the shore, was 64 degrees at noon-time today. It was also 64 degrees seven feet down at the end of the dock. Based on our weather forecast, I expect this pond will drop to below 60 degrees in the next couple of days. The other pond is already at 54 degrees.

This pond has many marauding schools that include five to twenty LMB per school, that range from about 6 to 9 inches. There are easily a few hundred of these small LMB going around the edge of the pond looking for easy meals -- they will take just about anything I put in the water on a hook.

Feeding at the feeder is way down by the bigger bluegill and catfish. The smaller pond is at 58 degrees, and the catfish and HBG have mostly quit feeding.

So, do you all think is it too late to fertilize this pond with all the baby bluegill, in hopes of getting a good bloom for them to fatten up on for the winter?

I have to head to the local farm co-op first thing tomorrow morning for other stuff. If I don't hear back, I guess I'll just fertilize, and see what happens.

Thanks,
Ken

Temps Below 60° F exhibits little growth for Algea Production.

PS I am already grinding up fingerling feed for these in my ponds and feeding around edges in designated areas.

It is late but there are different kinds of blooms including some in the fall. I would not add much fert. When temps fall the BG's need for food shrinks (cold blooded so metabolism slows a lot). In colder climates BG yoy often starve to death over winter as the fat supplies won't last through the winter. We don't have as big of a problem with that in the south.

Thanks guys. It isn't what I wanted to hear, but it was pretty much what I knew in the back of my mind. Oh well, the small bass should have plenty of small forage.