Here is why if I had one pond I would manage for a balanced pond. You might catch a trophy LMB or trophy BG or #s of LMB or BG or RES etc. A balanced pond is a healthy pond for all fish species.
This is what we are striving for. A balanced pond with decent relative weights (at least not skinny fish). Admittedly this might be difficult given the variety of species that we have. We are going to actively track RW during 2009 to try to make so assessment of the various species and then develop a culling strategy accordingly.
You can have a balanced pond population with bigger fish by feeding pellets. Notice I did not say it would be a trophy pond just fish a little bigger and healthier. But you have to watch #s and water quality.
Feeding is not a option for us (absentee owners, the pond is 500 miles away). I guess the question is (at least in our pond) will it be possible to have a pond with a variety of species that have decent relative weights without feeding?
I realize that I have probably made my life more difficult in selecting a variety of fish but for those of you that know me, you know that if there is a way to get to a place and back by walking up hill in both directions then that is probably the route that I will take, it's just the way I roll.
