Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Evaluating and adjusting fish populations Schools of Fry!

Saw something new today while mowing around the pond - (numerically) small, medium, and large schools of fry at and near shore, doing that neat swirling around in a mass to confuse predators thing (as seen on TV!). They looked to be about 1/2" to perhaps 3/4" long, too small for me to positively ID from as close as they would let me get.

I believe they were also out in deeper water because of the vibration-like surface disturbances that occasionally occurred out in the middle of the pond. I think they were LMB fry, as I have watched BG fry for 3 years now and have not seen this behavior; last year was our first LMB spawn and I could certainly have missed it once. I am pretty sure they were Centrarchidae from the body shape/fin layout. Anybody have a good idea?

I may have to tape an aquarium net to a broom handle and try to catch a couple to get a closer look. But it was a really neat sight and caused me to stop the tractor for about 10 minutes and gawk.

Small BG



Small LMB



School of LMB fry

That's a very interesting observation. I wonder if Dr. Willis has seen that. When I was fishing the Gulf a few weeks ago I watched the swirling maneuver for hours on end, but I haven't seen it in fresh water. Get that net going--let's see 'em.

Towards the end of the summmer, August-September time frame, I have noticed small ripples on the water that make very sudden changes in direction. I always suspected it was a large school of small fish that were being attacted by a predator. These are always in the center of a 3 acre pond and during the late afternoon-early evening. The ripple changes were such that a gust of breeze could be ruled out. Over the years I have seen less and less of this behavior with the areas smaller and smaller. As the pond cools this behavior disappears and is not seen again till the next summer.

Can someone hazard a guess as to what type of small fish this is? This is a North Fla pond. We have BG, LMB, Flathead cats, Mosquito Minnows?

Theo from my expereince that was probably bass fry. Did you observe the male adult trying to guard them? You sometimes seem him 5 feet away to side but sometimes right under them. Pretty cool you see them bunch up into tight 2 feet group then when predator leaves back out to larger more spread out 4 feet diameter group. BTW if you cast a fluke in the middle of the school he will bite most everytime.

Eric: School density was about the same as your third picture. (Your section picture, I have caught on a nightcrawler! )

Greg: I could not see any guarding males, but after you mentioned it, I bet they were there. These fry looked to be sitting ducks for anything with a mouth bigger than a 3" BG has, but nothing seemed to be bothering them. I bet the proud poppa LMB were on patrol.

Bruce: If it stops raining this afternoon I'll see if I can snag and photograph some of them.

Up close, they look a great deal like Eric's BG fry picture, albeit less "humpbacked." The lateral line is VERY prominent on all of them. So I'm really not sure whether they're BG or LMB - any amateur or expert opinions based on the following picture? For reference purposes, the white lid is 3 5/8" in diameter and the piece of fish food is about 1/4" across. This fellow is typical of the current fry size.


They were mostly hanging under plant cover today, maybe because it's windier, but I found a couple of schools swarming around a little bit out from shore.


There were even a bunch of them cohabitating some very shallow water with a few toadpoles.

Theo :

My guess is LMB yoy. Eye is high on head, mouth looks bigger and eye is at or above spine/LL whereas on BG pic above eye is below and small mouth. Also your has longer length to width.

Eric, I agree with LMB. The racing stripe is getting defined.