Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Bluegill Rolling Spawn?

Just removed YOY bluegill from my hatchery pond. Don't usually do it this late but it had to happen that way this year.

Seems to be four size groups. My guess is at least 3 different spawns? The 1/10 acre pond had four males and four females for broodfish. I had more bluegills this year than ever. Problem was there were so many they kept clogging my intake on my trash pump so I was not able to pump the pond all the way down this year. If I had been able to I would have removed more.

I now have several hundred in the basement tank after slowly raising the water temp in an acclimation tank. Used 0.5 percent salt and added Amquel to keep ammonia from building up while the water warms. Works like a charm. For this salt is a gift from God. I usually get 99.999 percent survival if I use salt.


Now for thoughts from the experts here. Three to four separate spawns?

So what will happen to the ones left behind? Will they be there for you to harvest in the spring? Does the pond fill again by itself or do you need to use a well?

Normally I call it a day and lime the remaining water, wait a few days and refill with the well. The problem is by wading around in the standing water I kick up a lot of muck and hydrogen sulfide. If I don't remove the fish right away they usually have issues.

I think since the pond is now frozen I will refill when we get out thaw this weekend and deal with it this spring. The banks are so steep they will slough if I don't refill the pond asap. It's a SNAFU situation due to some things that were out of my control. Won't happen from here on out!

Just happy I have several hundred to carry me through another year. The fish are primarily for my own grow out and if I have extra I sell them. It gives me control over my stock and there is no pressure to produce numbers.

I really got tired of dealing with some fish farmers and the crap the government has done with interstate sales. I had one fish farmer I would have been happy to buy fish from every year but he refused to sell me any more. Refused to give me a reason why too. A five hour drive round trip drive for nothing! Nuts!

Awesome setup! So is it safe to assume you enjoy an occasional BG fish fry?

Absolutely not! They are worth too much. Eating one would be like eating two or three twenty dollar bills!

When my bluegill can be sexed the males go into my trophy bluegill and yellow perch pond. They are fed until they reach a pound or more and are sold to taxidermists and replica makers. I get a minimum of $40.00 each not counting shipping. All I have to do is list them on taxidermy website and they are quickly sold. My record is 4 minutes with money in my Pay Pal account.

Keep in mind these are not your run of the mile bluegills. Thanks to Bruce Condello linage and other crosses, and over wintering the YOY indoors for faster growth, they are built like they are on steriods. My males reach 1 lb. at 9.5 inches, 1 lb. 4 oz. at 10 inches, and 1 lb. 7 oz. at 10 1/4 to 10 1/2 inches.

If I want bluegill to eat I catch runts out of the local lakes.

Very cool! What do you do with the females?

My calculation is the biggest one is 4". Correct? Excellent growth for YOY northern BG. I guess each of those fish is from a different spawn. With four males & females in the pond you could easily have had separate spawns at different times.

I mount them of course.

Uh oh I'm in trouble now!

I've been dumping them in Scott's (Esshup's) pond or holding them in a cage. Don't do cages much anymore due to escapees.

And the LMB in the pond love them!!!

I gotta get more agressive on culling LMB in the pond. I'm still predator heavy.........

Not even going to try to repond to that!

Yes I believe you're right on the size Bill. This frequent spawning is why it's very important to have predators of sufficient quantity in a pond if you have bluegills spawning up to four times a year. It also shows you how important bluegills are as forage fish for largemouth bass.