Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Corrective stocking 18 Acre lake, need advice

I have a friend that has an 18 acre lake that has a small saltwater creek close by. On high tide the water flows in the lake and low tide it flows back out of the same small culvert pipe.

We used to catch 30 or more 1-3 lb bass in 2 hrs. It was loaded with bass, BG and mullet. Then he had a fish kill about 2 years ago. Tons of carp, eels, mullet, BG died but only a few bass. Prior to the fish kill he had the DNR out and they said he needed to remove 100s of bass to allow for larger fish.

After the kill off, the lake was pretty much dead for 1 year. This winter it started coming back again, but nothing like it was. I catch 10 - 15 bass max sometimes only 3 or 4. They are healthy looking fish. But since I never see mullet or BG in the lake anymore, it makes me wonder if I should get some TFS and BG to establish a forage population again. This lake has potential for some really nice fish and we have caught the occasional 5-6 lb fish out of it prior to the kill off.

I don't mind helping but I don't want to throw a pile of cash into it since it is not my lake and I cant control what the other guys do to it.

Best to own your own place, but maybe talk to the others that have control and see if they are willing to chip on your plans for their lake.

Consistent catch rates of LMB over 5-6/hour is a stong indication of an overpopulation, and therefore stunting, of LMB. The DNR was right! 30-40 1-2 pound LMB caught an hour is a heavy overpopulation and begging for a fish kill due to more BOD (biochemical oxygen demand) than can be generated or held in reserve when a few cloudy days come along.

In an 18 acre lake, a catch rate of 1-2 LMB per hour will be much healthier. If your LMB "look healthy" they have to be eating a lot of something! Have you targeted catching BG with a small hook and worm? It is extremely rare to have a total fish kill....large fish die first because the suffocate first. It is entirely possible few dead LMB were seen because they may have sunk, birds of prey and scavengers cleaned them up...lots of possibilities on that.....scavengers like eating the biggest things they can first, like most animals.

I have not targeted BG there, I just noticed a drastic difference since the fish kill. The last trip in there I did see a few good sized mullet back in the lake. I am assuming they are eating mullet and other saltwater fish that find their way into the lake during high tide.

Also the guy that reported the fish kill was the main one that cares for the lake, his house overlooks it. I am sure some fish could have been missed, but he said he made multiple trips with the bucket of his tractor full of fish to bury. But that he only saw a handful of bass?