Hi guys. I have a conservation lake that went dry in the drought 2 yrs ago. Everything dead, even minnows. I took the opportunity to dig and re-contour the bottom and some coves. The rains came and the lake filled. Now 45ac. So time to stock my dream pond!
In June 2015 I stocked Coppernose, redear, and FHM in the appropriate amounts(Overton's) and started feeding. Mid June 2016 I put in the F1 Tiger bass. As I survey the forage population I am finding fish I didn't expect. Can you help me identify these guys?
* during the floods the lake went up to 200ac, I think some fish made it in from a stock pond on a ranch above mine. I caught a few bass that shouldn't be there (before I put in the tiger bass)
Unwanted GSF could have come in from above, or they could possibly, often. and more likely, GSF swim up the spillway from drainage streams...it's amazing how high GSF can jump, and swim upstream in surprisingly high velocity water flow. The unwanted LMB probably entered from upstream waters.
Increasing in size from 45 to 200 acres had to be both impressive and scary!
DocHotch, not sure when your pond flooded, but if it was earlier this year, those fish could have been only 1" to 3" when they got in. Fish that size take very little flowing water to move around at will. Been there, and done that.
If the goal is trophy LMB, are GSF better than BG? I have a LMB/BG pond and am wondering what addition might favor big LMB. Would adding GSH be any advantage? How about YP?
In an earlier big rain event at my ponds thousands of BG went over the emergency overflow and the flow was easily deep enough for 2" fish to have swam upstream if they wanted. A bunch of the BG ended up stranded in my back yard grass.
I have watched lots of small 1 to 2" fish swim upstream from my sediment pond into my pre-sediment pond in inch deep water.
With as much water as you describe, you could have had fish enter your pond from both above and below.
