Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Evaluating and adjusting fish populations Not catching any Bass at all

1 acre pond in central Ky water temperature around 60 degrees now.
We have Caught over 200 fish in 3 different days spread out over a month . Only caught bluegill and Redear. Absolutely caught 0 Bass using numerous different baits.
Only caught a few last fall. Hoping it is because having so much forage.
120 lbs of minnows total. But I just can’t believe we have not caught any this spring.

Stocked in 2020
60 lbs fathead total   30 fathead 30 rosy reds. 1 pnd = (275 fish) 16,500 total fatheads
60 lbs shiners (120 shiners per pound) around 7200 total shiners
120 lbs minnows total 23,700 total minnows
700 papershell crayfish  Smith Creek
750 bluegill
375 redear
2021
70 feedtrained bass 40 f1 tiger  30 northern bass Gorilla  American Sportsfish 4” length
25 hybrid striped bass 2”-3” Jones Fish

Any suggestions?

ANY SUGGESTIONS?

Be patient..
the FHM and GSH you stocked is about 10 times higher than needed for a starting pond. When they reproduce, they can almost kill/wipe out the food chain below them without continued fertilization to support new growth.
There's a lot more complex answer but sounds to me like the Bass need time to eat themselves out of the corner first.

+1 on what Snipe posted.

Just curious, did you happen to have either the F1s or the Northern LMB fin clipped? Since you got them all at the same time would be interesting to track how they grow relative to each other. Another thing I was curious about was whether you are observing the F1s at feeding times eating the feed? If not a +10 to what Snipe said.

Read on here on doing a seine survey. That should give you some guidance.

See link pg 16

https://www.mdwfp.com/media/1722/mississippi_pond_mgmt_revised_feb_2016.pdf

Imagine this scenario:

You go into a restaurant with a huge buffet. They have an abundance of your favorite foods. Ribeye steak, all sorts of sides,, pies, cakes, ice cream. Whatever your favorite food is they have it. You finish off a couple three plates of it. Then just as you are stuffed to the gills with food, a waiter comes along and offers you a can of sardines. Would you eat the sardines then?

With all the minnows stocked and the gazillion babies raised, that is kind of what those bass feel like when you offer them the equivalent of a can of sardines (your baited hook).

They probably ain't hungry enough to eat the sardines yet.

My go to bass bait is a 2 to 3 inch bluegill.

Good idea from DD1 - fish with a small BG.

Thanks everyone. I will keep you updated