Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Types of fish to choose Too many largemouths!

I have acess to 4 acre pond in central Georgia. The Lake is 20 ft deep or better at the dam. It was stocked 8 years ago with bass, bream (bluegill maybe others?), and I have been told crappie, although I have never seen or caught one. The lake was rarely fished until two years ago, I began fishing it then. I came to the conclusion that there were too many bass so I began harvesting only the small bass. The lake is still full of 1/2 to 1 lb bass. I can litterally catch 20-30 in a two to three hour period, go back the4 next day and do the same. Big bass are few and far between though. I have caught and released a few larger bass, but they seem to be thin. The bluegills I catch are nice size but there aren't alot of them. I beleive the bass have overpopulated, and don't have enough forage.

Any suggestions? Maybe stock shad?

I think your on the right track, continue harvesting the smaller bass. If you can catch 20-30 at a time it wouldn't take long in a 4 acre impoundment to make a dent in the population.

Stocking Shad may also be a good idea but it sounds like you have a lot of hungry fish and with so many bass of good size, they could make quick work of them. What kind of cover is around the pond for baitfish now?

Well I pulled out about 200 year before last, and about 150 last year, but they are still plentifull. Hasn't seem to have made too big of a dent in the population. As far as cover, it is pretty good, when the dam busted 10-12 years ago they left the lake empty for a few years, let alot of brush grow. There are alot of small channels around the lake, stump fields, and submerged trees. I was wondering if there was anything else I could do. I have never known of a lake to only have bass and bream.

Large bream and lots of small bass, classic case of a bass heavy pond. You are doing the right thing take out all small bass you will never catch them all. Over a period of time you should see larger bass and bream in all sizes.
Is the pond fertilized or is there a feeding program?
I am in Putnam County, where is the pond?

I am in south Rockdale. The lake is not fertilized and not fed. I was fishing yesterday and pulled another 8 small bass out, they weren't hitting well. The water is crystal clear, can see the bottom 6ft deep. Bream are doing a little better this year, I caught about 20 nice sized, a few big enough to lip like a bass. I see no bait fish around the shore, all of the other lakes I fish have alot of small bass and bream swimming around any cover they can find, but my pond I don't see any. I saw for the first time this year a school in the middle of the lake breaking the surface. All day long they would go from one send of the lake to the other. I don't know what they are, but I don't think they would be bass or bream. I did get a little encouragement yesterday though, there are at least three bass in there at least 8# or better. All day they patroled the shoreline. They're huge, but I can't get them to hit anything, not even live bream.

Boy I could use some of thoes bass..I don't have a single one!

Big Pond how is your water level?

Still four feet down from the top..

If you want them and you think you can catch them and keep them alive, come get them. Thanks everyone who posted for the info.