Originally posted by Dave Davidson1:
......I still prefer a balanced pond (what's that?) but even the standard BG/LMB combination can get out of whack without active and knowledgeable management.
My recent experience supports what I've seen on this forum. The neighboring ranch pond is a good case study of what happens in a good size reservoir (5 ac. up to 30 ft deep) with only BG/LMB, receives very light fishing pressure, and has never been "managed". The pond is very old (~100 yrs) and was periodically stocked w/ "local" BG/LMB from yet another larger ranch pond in area. It has not been supplemented by stocked fish since the 70's. Theo would love this place. It is a pure unadulterated 5 acres of 10 billion 6-12-inch LMB with an OCCASSIONAL lunker, and truly behemoth BG. I mean these things are PIGS. Largest I've ever seen.
I put some of the stunted LMB in a 5-gallon bucket and they were burping up LMB fry. I need to get y'all some facts from the field, and I need some help ID'ing the males/females, but I caught nearly two dozen BG hogs last week down there and I'll swear some made 2 lb and they all felt like 10lb LMB on light tackle. They are now the first breed stock in my pond.
A while ago I was contemplating a BG/LMB population for the newpond, and am now (keeping things real simple) strongly considering BG only, and/or stunted/breedable LMB just for BG forage
