Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Evaluating and adjusting fish populations So I have a SMB pond and caught this

I'm curious how old this fish is. Is there any chance this fish is from this year? If so I can possibly see where it could have entered my pond...

I'm in central/western MD so it's not the longest growing season for fish.

At this point I'm not so sure how I feel about it. I've learned to just roll with the punches on these pond things, but I don't know how to target bass of this size to see if there's more in the pond. The pond is only 1/4 acre so I might just put a worm on a hook and see if I catch any more over the weekend.

to me, that looks kinda big to be YOY

I agree... Looks to be a year old.

My thoughts were it wasn't from this year either and that's good to get some confirmation. I have no clue how this could have ended up in the pond other than someone placing it there. Which is always fun since it's on private property (time to put up a trail camera). At the same time, I don't know why anyone would dump that size fish into a private pond even if they're poaching/trespassing.

The pond is ground water fed, no streams going into it. I did stock more HSB this spring, but I hand sorted each and every single fish put into the pond. I remember because I tossed out a few that looked unhealthy to me.

Ruh-roh

If there is one LMB, there might be more.

That is the fear... He was healthy too. Hard to tell from this piture, but he had a big ole belly on him.

I'd guess yoy in spring 2015 if pond has lots of forage...2014 if lots of cover/poor forage.

one year old. Could it have come in with the SMB ?

No. SMB are 2012 or 13 (don't remember without my notes). I'm guessing it would have had to of happened this spring/winter when I put the HSB in. They were 5-8" fish, but I do remember hand sorting them... Oh well. Here's to hoping it's just one and I'm not forced into managing LMB instead of SMB.

Do a seine survey and look for LMB fry.

I would actually like to do that. I've looked into it before and haven't really found anyone that does it around here. I'm sure I probably didn't look hard enough, but it's not something I'm interested in doing myself at this point.

Seine surveys are very easy to do, all you need is a seine net and someone else on the other end of the net, I does involve getting a little wet. My wife and I do one every year. My experience with small LMB is that they are very quick and they can frequently outrun a seine net.

Quick Seine Survey

I know this post is a few months old, but caught another one... Significantly larger than the first one I posted. Good news is, I've learned to not get bent out of shape when it comes to managing a pond.

I will welcome them and look at it as less work I have to do in order to keep my bluegill population in control.


http://i1373.photobucket.com/albums/ag368/lukkyseven/2217554328222853891-account_id1_zpsxavd2lyq.jpg

And another positive note, the YP are still healthy

http://i1373.photobucket.com/albums/ag368/lukkyseven/yp_zps9hkzshpm.jpg

From what I read, once those LMB get some size the YP will make the LMB even healthier. I think a pond need lots of cover for the YP to survive with LMB. I have seen my SMB hitting my YOY YP hard.

I honestly only keep so many YP for variety of fishing. This is more of a BG pond than anything due to it's small size. Any bass that gets to about 3lbs will be pulled out. That size may have to be smaller now that I have LMB. The 3lb number was based on SMB.

Also, I supplemental stock the pond with larger YP throughout the legal fishing season.

Have you seen any Babies. Perhaps you are getting lucky and getting the couple that got in out before the found each other to spawn.

There is a legal fishing season (and therefore a time where it is illegal to fish...) on your own private pond for YP?

I think he means he bucket stocks his pond with YP he catches elsewhere on public land during the season.

oops, sorry, yes that makes sense now. Maryland fish facts state that perch are everywhere in Maryland, can live up to 13 years, and the largest is 3 pounds, 5oz. Sounds like good opportunities abound to bucket stock.

Sounds good. I wish we had native YP around here.

This is something I don't know (as it pertains to any fish species). However, if there were a season and one was caught out of that season, I don't think it would be eligible for any kind of records or citations.

I haven't seen any babies yet, but I tossed these fish back. If they out compete the SMB (which they will) then I'll end up having to do less work with the BG in the pond.

I add about a dozen or two 10-14" YP each year to the pond. I will selectively pull some under performers out throughout the year to eat, but may have to sit down and figure out what the plan is going to be here forward.