I will try to clarify my comments about SMbass w/ perch and weeds. P.S. I'm glad to see that people read my comments closely. GOOD. Whenever in doubt ask more questions. I'll see if I can explain this apparent "double talk" or contradiction. .
My first mention of "SMB with perch working better in weed free ponds". I was referring to if a weed free pond had SMB and perch and another pond had LMbass and perch, the better perch population would develop in the pond with the SMB rather than the one w/ LMB. In these two ponds the perch would dissappear first in the pond w/ LMbass. And from my experience of both situations, if the SMB are allowed to get big (greater than 14"- 15"), AND the numbers "high" or numerous AND the largest perch are harvested heavily the all perch in this pond would also soon dissappear (about 6 -8 yrs or sooner). In a weed free pond perch would not do very well in either situation compared to a better managed pond where some weeds beds or a good amount of denst cover are allowed, minnows survive year round with out supplimental stocking and bass are not allowed to get very large or numerous. Perch are strongly daytime active whereas SM & LM basses can funcion fairly well in low light periods. Coupled with bass agressiveness, mouth size, and reproducive nature narrow bodied perch are quite vulnerable to bass predation.
Perch and bass esp when together need selective harvest and proper management of fish and weeds/dense cover for both to be present in fair/good numbers to allow for a harvest of edible fish each year. A good survival of a year class or improper harvest of either species can easily upset the predator-prey balance in a small pond. This is where good or wise management or manager intervention needs to occur.
The second reference and apparent contradiction was in the words - "For a small pond to really succeed w/ SMB and perch, it needs quite a bit of weed cover and minnow forage". The key words here were "to really succeed". The first reference was that a marginal fishery would or could develop. Whereas if you want a truly quality SMB-perch fishery you need weed cover and a GOOD minnow forage base. In the small pond with only SMB and perch,,, growth of both species will be fairly slow and the number of sizable sport fish will be fewer/smaller than in a similar sized pond that has a constant supply of minnows. And for minnows to thrive in a smaller pond, usually a fair amount of weed cover needs to be present. Typical amounts of artificial cover (compared to good weed beds) are often not adequate. Most pond owners do not really comprehend the amount and type of cover needed by small fish and/or forage fish. The species of minnow stocked can also be an important factor here regarding ability to survive, spawn, and grow in the presence of intense predation. Properly managing or maintaining adequate weed growth can be a very challenging task for most pondowners. Attitude about the amounts of acceptable weed growth is also a hurdle concept many cannot grasp.
A given factor is - the growth rate of fish and numbers of larger fish will increase as the food base increases. Increase of food base, at least in northern ponds, can be achieved with abundant forage, artificial feeding or I prefer both methods. Myself, Dr. Willis and others think artifical fertilization is not really a good approach in northern ponds to increase the food base. See "Forget fertilizer for northern ponds" by D. Willis, PB magazine Jan-Feb 2004.
If you accept this concept then the pond with SMB, perch and a strong minnow forage base will produce a much better fishery than one with only SMB and perch. And I think for minnows (fatheads, bluntnose, dace, shiners) to survive year round good weed cover needs to be present. Other wise you are stocking minnows every year trying to maintain abundant food for hungry bass and perch. I have seen mature perch chase minnows that have been added to a pond right up on to shore. Also I have seen perch dive into the bottom weeds for these same newly introduced minnows. Hungry perch by themselves can be quite aggresive. I know of several pond owners that find it very difficult if not impossible to maintain fatheads in smaller ponds with only perch present, medium amounts of " artificial structure" and/or low abundance of weed growthsome Chara beds (small, low growing patches) and/or several lily beds.
For reference,,, my background on this topic is fairly extensive. I have been working with yellow perch in small ponds (less than 3/4 ac) for 19 yrs and more intensively studying them for the last 13 yrs. Last summer I fished in and sampled 15 ponds near me that were initially stocked with yellow perch as the primary panfish. There are now at least 50 ponds within 20 mi of me that now have perch as the primary panfish. Just about every pond, that I sampled, had different "setups" (fishes present, forage species present, supplimental stockings, type and numbers of predators present, frequency or absence of artificial feeding, and age of pond or time since first stocking). I did not sample ponds less than 3 yrs old. Results were published in the article that Dr. Willis mentioned above. So I am not just talking from my readings or from experiences w/ a couple of ponds. I do not claim to be the authority on raising perch but I do have some good learning experiences with raising perch in several different small pond situations.
If you have more questions feel free to ask them. My general rule in learning is -- the only "dumb" question is the one not asked.
Last edited by Bill Cody; 03/12/11 07:26 PM.
