Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Evaluating and adjusting fish populations Large LMB and large BG

I have a 2 acre pond that is all BG and LMB. There may be some shiners in there from a stocking 3 years ago. Not sure. Anyway I am trying to have large BG and large LMB so I have been killing 50-60 8-14" LMB and not keeping any BG for the past 3 to 4 years. I catch a few 3 to 4 lb. LMB from time to time and almost no big BG lately. There seems to be decent numbers of small BG but nowhere near the number of big ones I used to catch before I started culling the small bass.

Since I have just moved to the property and can control it better now I would really like to have a pond with large LMB and large BG. Is this possible or is it too fine of a line to achieve realistically? I just fertilized yesterday and hopefully I will get a bloom. Unless I buy a floating feeder(maybe next year) that is not a viable option because bears destroy them immediately.

Have I been doing this wrong by culling the LMB? I don't really have either big LMB or large BG right now.

From what I have seen a guy needs to target one dominate large speci es or the other. Or go for a balanced fishery. Or feed and every thing gets big. The smaller bass you culllled would have helped keepthe BG population a little thinner helping them get bigger because of there being more bluegill typppe food per fish

Mark, PM me. I've been having great luck in producing both large BG and LMB in a friend's 4.5 acre pond in King George. I've got some ideas for you.

I have question about my pond it is decent in size about 40 yards across and in the pond there is Bass, Bluegill, 1 Grass Carp, and maybe catfish. I catch decent sized bass the biggest around 5 pounds. There is some BIG bluegill and I think I should start getting rid of them because they are competing with bass for minnows. I'm also thinking about taking out some of the small bass so the big ones get even bigger. I stocked the pond 12 years ago when I stocked it I put catfish in my kids fish it often, but never catch any catfish. I think they are all dead. I'm in need of help.

Thanks,
ZieglerL

Zeigler, I would start your own post to get more exposure. From the basic info you've provided, it sounds like your pond is likely bass heavy. I would not remove any BG, but I would remove every bass you catch, especially those under 100 RW.

Hi CBJS, do share, please!

+1

^^^^ +2