Originally Posted By: Bill Cody
Just about everyone, except now esshup, underestimates the aggressiveness and predatory habit by green sunfish upon fish fry upto to 1" long.


Bill, I learned that about 8-9 years ago when this happened. The biggest problem for this pond (I believe) is that the pond owner didn't stock any predators for at least 2 years after digging the pond. AND when he had the pond dug it was a wet hole in the woods that they didn't sterilize before starting to dig.

I believe that if he'd have stocked the correct number of forage fish in the first place (he stocked a little less than half the recommended fish numbers), then followed that up that Fall with the predators, a considerable number of GSF would have been eaten OR some of the desired fish YOY would have survived. The majority of the GSF were 3", maybe 4" and at that size they were reproducing like rabbits. Even GSF down to 2" had eggs. They were doing what Mother Nature does - filling a void in the pond. Only a handful of GSF were 6"+ and I imagine those were the ones that were in the wet spot in the woods when they started digging the pond.


www.hoosierpondpros.com


http://www.pondboss.com/subscribe.asp?c=4
3/4 to 1 1/4 ac pond LMB, SMB, PS, BG, RES, CC, YP, Bardello BG, (RBT & Blue Tilapia - seasonal).