Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Evaluating and adjusting fish populations Spawning

I am curious about spawning rates and ages of the different species in my pond. Do bluegills spawn a certain time of year and at what size will they spawn the first time? Do channel catfish spawn in a 1 acre pond? :rolleyes:

I stocked Coppernose bluegill and Redear sunfish (2 to 3 inches) in my pond (1/3 acre) on May 1 last year. The blugill spawned in late September through mid October. They were from 4 to 7 inches long at the time. Bluegill will spawn from Spring until it gets cold in the Fall. Not sure about the Redear, but I have seen a couple building nests this spring.
A friend of mine also put 12 large bass in my pond in April of last year, 8 Largemouth and 4 Smallmouth. One of the Largemouths built a nest and spawned very early this spring.
One of the Smallmouths also spawned. I saw a lot of tiny fry yesterday close to the bank of my pond and one of the Smallmouths was swimming around close to the fry and was chasing the bluegill away from the fry.
Don't know about the catfish. I would assume that if they have nesting structure in the pond that they will spawn.

Larry

Bluegill spawn several times yearly, as many as four or five times, depending on geography. Farther south? More spawns. Bluegill can mature as small as 2.5 inches in length, six months old. But, those young spawners only occur when there are few larger fish. Bigger males keep younger ones off the nests, by competing for that nesting space. Rates? Depends on fish size. Bluegill can lay as many as 2-3,000 eggs per spawn.
Catfish spawning in a one acre pond? Sure, they can. Don't encourage it. If catfish spawns are successful, you wind up with too many. And, catfish will quickly outgrow their environment. I get calls every August from people who have had catfish die offs, due to overcrowding. That's the bad news...here's the good. When you have bluegill, catfish spawns are less likely to survive. You see, catfish spawn last each year, and their little babies are mere morsels for an aggressive bluegill.
So, look at catfish as a "put and take" fishery. Stock some, grow them, plan to stock more. Bass and bluegill will reproduce, survive, create a food chain. Catfish are quite as successful at it.