Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Evaluating and adjusting fish populations How many is too many adult GSH to add?

1 1/2 ac (and shrinking) pond, not a lot of cover in the pond (yet). LMB, CC, BG, RES and maybe a few HBG. I can catch adult GSH (7"-9+") and transfer them to the pond from a local lake. I know that some of the larger bass are targeting some of the GSH that I've put in already, but the main question is how many are too many? So far the largest LMB that I've caught in the pond has been 19", CC has been 28". I've been able to relocate 90 of them so far. (just put 40 in today)

I have seen very few BG between 3" and 6" in the pond, and what LMB that I've caught are over 100 WR (RW?).

I had a 16" LMB in the holding pen at the lake that I caught this a.m. after it tried to grab one of the GSH that I was bringing in (chartruse spinnerbait) but as soon as I put the net in the pen to start transferring the fish he jumped back to the lake.

I'd be surprised if you could add too many-you're 19" LMB can probably eat just about any GSH you're likely to catch, and it's unlikely that the GSH will spawn before next spring....I'd put in as many as I could catch.

I don't believe you can have to many adult GSH. I'm so thankful for my GSH. Although I have yet to see any signs of a BG spawn my GSH have spawned twice so far this year.

esshup, stock as many as you can... Both your LMB and CC are gonna hammer them. You may get your GSH to spawn this year, but they are likely done for the year and will not spawn until next year. That's a lot of predation before they spawn. When I try to do the catch and transfer of GSH, I try to do it in early to mid spring so they are ready to spawn shortly after stocking...

I really would have liked to transfer them earlier, but the feeder has only been for a month or so, and I just noticed that the GSH were hitting the pellets. They would hit the cottonwood seeds, but that was a really small window of time. When I get some free time I'll start practicing with the cast net. Unfortunately, it seems that the GHS are schooling 40' - 50' from the pier and waiting for the pellets to drift to them. I can cast the rod/bait that far, but I'm unsure on the cast net!

Hopefully they will be back next year earlier! I'll catch & transfer as many as I can this year.

Keep up the hard work, but know you'll get more next spring before they spawn and should be OK... If anything, you'll really fatten your bass up on all those big GSH! HAHA