I am adding a bunch of homemade structure to an existing pond that doesn't have much of any now. I am trying to manage it for trophy bass. I do have some CC. I didn't think they were a problem but after posting here I learned that they are gobbling up a lot of the food the bass could be eating. So I am going to try to get rid of them. I do not want them to use the new structure I am adding to spawn. I don't know that their fry would survive, but I certainly don't want to encourage it. I understand that if i lay a bucket or pipe on the floor of the pond this will probably be exactly what I don't want to do. I am looking at photos of some structure with drain pipe laid out stacked in between two posts. I've read about Bruce Costello's "bluegill condominiums" here. If the pipes are laying horizontally, but not right on the floor, will the catfish still spawn in them? I thought about adding some mesh to the ends and then have a vertical strip open where only BG could enter.

Out of curiosity what do you in MO consider a trophy largemouth (just for reference to determine your goals)?.
One problem that Ive found with using mesh or screen in pond is it very often gets caked or clogs with algae and growth and becomes a blockage rather than a exclusion. Mesh will work better in some ponds compared to others based on nutrients and type of algae growth present. Try it and see what happens - report your results. I have seen spawning CC wedged into 4" dia drain pipe that drained into a pond so your concern is justified. If you use mesn to cover the pipe ends I suggest use something on the size of 2"-3" mesh so it does not clog with algae very quickly.


CC normally spawn in water 10"-4ft deep, but will spawn deeper if structure is not available shallow. Normally CC young do not survive to reach 8"-10" long if adult bass are present. I think most young CC in ponds with minimal cover get eaten before they are 6" long.

Bill thanks for your thoughts. My goals for the pond are 8 or 10 pound bass. You can find my post in the "improving fish populations" i think i titled it "trying to make my pond great". perhaps it has been 5 years ago now but we caught 3 or 4 LMBs that summer that were 6 pounds or a little more. I caught and harvested an 8 pound CC 2 years ago. My dad will feed the CC with floating food occasionally but not regularly. I feel like if a catfish can get that large then a bass could get that large as well. In march i am adding several different types of Plastic things that will hopefully help. using milkcrates, melted down bottles, buckets, miniblinds, etc. i am going to try to add things for the fish fry and then larger structures for the bass as well. I'm getting lots of good ideas here. i apppreciate your input and ideas. maybe on the pipes to keeep catfish from going in I will just add some 1/2 inch pvc pipes to make almost like a jail cell. The catfish in the pond all seem to be 5 pounds are bigger, there aren't any small ones, or i've never seen them anyway. This would support your idea of no survival from spawning catfish. We are also going to try to use a seine net this summer to get some of the small bass out. Between my friend and i we can push taking out 200 pounds of bass in one weekend by rod and reel.

Or perhaps it wouldn't matter if the catfish are spawing in some of the structure that I add because the bass and large catfish that are present would eat them regardless? Maybe this would only add to the forage even if they do use some of it for spawning?

One of the key items to a quality fishery is proper harvest of the crop. Consider allowing catfish spawning structure, harvest the large ones. If bass are a minimum of "normal density" you should never see appreciable recruitment from the CC. Bass like to eat small CC cause they are easy to catch as if gthey were giant sized fatheads.

Ok sounds good. Thanks sir.

Costello made me laugh a little..