Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Evaluating and adjusting fish populations Bass harvesting question........

Hello everyone, I'm new to the board.

A little background....I built a new 12.5 acre lake in central Al and dammed up in 12/02. Primary purpose is to grow big bass. Stocked bream (1000/ac) in 2/2003 followed shortly by fathead minnows (2000/ac) and a mixture of bass, F1 and fla, (80/ac) in 6/2003. The lake has been well fertilized since early 2003. Began fishing for bass in late summer of 2004.

I began harvesting all bass under 1-lb in sept 04. I've pulled out about 110lbs. to date. Since the beginning of the year, I have caught a handful of 2+lbs, 3 3+lbs, and in the last 4 weeks, 3 4+lbs. All of these fish were weighed and released.

I have a couple of questions for you guys. Should I continue pulling all the smaller bass (1-lb or less)out and release the larger ones? We are still catching a ratio of about 10:1 of bass 1-lb or less. Do I need to start harvesting a few of the the larger bass? Any thoughts would be appreciated.

One dumb question (OK, two): How big were the bass when you stocked them in June 2003? (Large enough that they spawned and the sub-pounders you are taking out are all 2004 YOY?)

Hey Theo,

I stocked all fingerling (1-2") in 6/03. I have a wet weather creek that feeds my lake and several small springs. I poisoned (rotonone) the creek and potholes around the lake bed shortly before I dammed up, so the lake was basically fish free before I stocked.

a little more info....

The guys advising me (state wildlife and fisheries guy and a private consultant) both advised waiting till the bass were one year old before fishing (to make sure they had spawned). They both also advised to begin harvesting at this time also. I waited several months (til 9/04) to begin harvesting.