BBJR
Sounds like a great project and you are collecting important data. Can you provide an update? If you don't mind I have a few questions:
When/why did you stock the LMB or are they in a different pond than your SMB? Are you OK with the knowledge they may outcompete the SMB? Thoughts?
They are in the same pond. My best friend put them in there without asking me. He thought he was doing me a favor, and his intention was to help control the GSF population. Honestly, I am not happy about it, and am aware that they may out-compete the SMB, but I am going to do what I can to keep them in control.
Did your SMB pull off a spawn? Did you create beds for them? If not, did you witness where they ended up making beds? Please share.
Yes, they pulled off a spawn last year and this year for sure. My son was 2 last year and caught a 4" SMB, it was the first YOY SMB I had seen in my pond. It was a proud moment in a couple of ways.
I have also seen multiple schools of YOY smallies this summer, and have caught a number of them.
I put in a few brick piles, and a large rock pile near the feeder, but the only bed I have witnessed was made in the sand.
You mentioned your YP were a tad skinny - I can relate. I think my skinnier fish are males, however - hoping the same for you. Are you pellet feeding? That enabled my YP to grow from 4" - 12" in about 18 mos. My YP only fed during low light conditions once water temps entered the 70's. Might be an idea to have a feeding time right at dusk to help?
Yes, I am pellet feeding. I have seen YP in the area of the feeder during feed times, but they are always near the bottom, and I can't tell if they ever actually eat any of the pellets. I am definitely going to try your tip of feeding near dusk, to see if it helps. I might go out tonight and add a feeding time to the timer.
You have two GC managing a 1.75 acre pond for vegetation. How are they doing? This is a lower density than recommended, but I'm also trying the lower density in my ponds but would like to know what to expect. Your experience can shed a light on that for me.
I went with a lower density, because I had a bare bottomed pond to start out with, and just wanted them in there to keep things under control. To me, they have done a perfect job. I have some submerged vegetation, but only maybe 15% of the bottom in water that is 4' deep and shallower. Anything deeper than that is still bare. I have noticed that the GC clean up all the leftover pellets that the rest of the fish do not eat, so I am guessing they have their fill of vegetation.
Sorry for all the questions - really interested in what you have going on out there. Thanks for sharing this information with us all!
TJ
No problem, TJ!
