Originally Posted By: KapHn8d
Fishing is not the goal, but I am curious is you comment is based on pond size or running out of smaller fish? I'm completely ignorant when it comes to "managing" fish population and growth.

I hand feed in the mornings just after dawn over coffee and again at dusk over bourbon... you know, the way nature intended it. I live a short drive from a fishery, so restocking minnows is not more drive than going to get a burger. I am not really focused on growing giant fish in a tiny, tiny pond, but I do want to learn for when I have a larger acreage pond. My wife and I are opportunistically looking for a couple hundred acres further from any major city to use as recreational property. At least one larger pond or a great site to build one is one of my criteria, so this knowledge would come in handy eventually.

Thanks!
Clayton

Originally Posted By: Bill D.
Thanks Dragon!
I think the pond will be full of stunted SF in not too long. Maybe ok if fishing is not the goal.


Sorry for the late reply Clayton. I just saw your post.

My thought was simply that BG are prolific and produce huge numbers of offspring per season. Without a predator to keep their numbers in check, they can tend to over eat their available forage and stunt. Right or wrong, I think of it in pounds of fish a pond can support. For example, if your pond can support 100lbs then it could be 200 8oz BG or 800 2oz BG. IMO With no predators, the BG population will move towards the stunted 800 or more. Adding food could work for a while to get the fish bigger but the pond only has so much capacity to process waste before the water quality will degrade.

Keep in mind I'm not a pro...just my 1 cent

Last edited by Bill D.; 11/21/17 09:03 PM.
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