Forums36
Topics41,028
Posts558,646
Members18,544
|
Most Online3,612 Jan 10th, 2023
|
|
8 members (Boondoggle, Tinylake, Retired on 40, Sunil, Rick O, Shorthose, gehajake, Knobber),
957
guests, and
186
robots. |
Key:
Admin,
Global Mod,
Mod
|
|
|
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 12
|
OP
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 12 |
I just started fishing in a pond 6 1/2 acres, because i know the owner. I have caught 2 healthy 6 inchers, and i reeled in this bass the other day. Is it unhealthy, or maybe a little skinny because it just spawned? It is 20 inches and 3 lbs 15 oz. If there isn't enough forage, how would the bass get that big in the first place? How can i keep bass this size in the pond and spend minimal money? I am still gaining new info about fish sizes, as ive only caught those three. Flickr
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 10,458 Likes: 2
Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame Lunker
|
Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame Lunker
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 10,458 Likes: 2 |
There could have been forage in the pond the right size initially but then the forage became limited. Remove bass, so that those remaining have more food. Simplest and cheapest way to produce bigger bass.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 28,607 Likes: 866
Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
|
Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 28,607 Likes: 866 |
At one time that 20" LMB weighed 4 1/3#. What did the littler LMB look like?
Like CJ said, either the food that it needs to continue to grow is gone, or there are way too many weeds in the pond, allowing the forage fish to escape easily.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 12
|
OP
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 12 |
Ok....so you don't think it was skinny or weighed a little less because it just spawned?
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 12
|
OP
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 12 |
And the little ones were average weight i would say...their bellies werent skinny. Which makes me think the bigger bass had just spawned? Do you guys think i should catch more numbers of fish to see what they look like/weigh and then come back and ask again?
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 3,800 Likes: 72
Hall of Fame 2014
|
Hall of Fame 2014
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 3,800 Likes: 72 |
How can i keep bass this size in the pond and spend minimal money? will the owner allow you to add Bluegill? they will reproduce and create a strong forage base. I think you can buy Bluegill depending on their size from like 40 cents to 80 cents each.
Fishing has never been about the fish....
|
|
|
|
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 15,164 Likes: 495
Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
|
Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 15,164 Likes: 495 |
Do you help the owner manage, work at, and provide resources for the pond or do you just fish it? What are you doing with culled fish? Do you provide cleaned fish for the owner to eat? How are you assessing the forage fish populations?
Last edited by Bill Cody; 06/15/12 09:18 AM.
aka Pond Doctor & Dr. Perca Read Pond Boss Magazine - America's Journal of Pond Management
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 10,458 Likes: 2
Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame Lunker
|
Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame Lunker
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 10,458 Likes: 2 |
If you do stock BG, make sure they are northern BG not coppernose BG. You are too far north for coppernose BG to survive.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 15,164 Likes: 495
Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
|
Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 15,164 Likes: 495 |
CJ - usually anglers are not willing to spend money on doing the right management methods for someone else's pond. Many 'freeloading' anglers are interested in only catching large bass and not spending money to benefit the fishery, thus proper BG stocking from a hatchery is probably not an option.
Last edited by Bill Cody; 06/15/12 09:34 PM.
aka Pond Doctor & Dr. Perca Read Pond Boss Magazine - America's Journal of Pond Management
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 12
|
OP
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 12 |
I know the guy, and i am just asking the cheapest ways we can get the bass to grow bigger. I am fine with the idea of culling but i just feel like if i take out too many they will barely reproduce
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 10,458 Likes: 2
Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame Lunker
|
Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame Lunker
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 10,458 Likes: 2 |
LMB are very prolific, they will reproduce just fine.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 28,607 Likes: 866
Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
|
Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 28,607 Likes: 866 |
Believe me, in that sized pond, you won't be able to catch all the LMB, and what you don't catch will be plenty to spawn. This problem that you have will be an ongoing problem. You will continually have to harvest LMB. In my pond last year I removed more than 80 LMB. My neighbor fishes in my pond, and the rule for him is that he takes out ANY LMB that doesn't have a tag in it, no matter what size it is. I tagged 38 feed trained LMB last year and stocked them into the pond. Even with that management plan, I don't see many BG, but the LMB aren't thin because of the feeding program. I put in between 1,500 and 2,000 BG last fall that were 2"-3" and I rerely see one. That might give you an idea of just how many fish LMB eat.
Last edited by Bill Cody; 06/17/12 04:51 PM. Reason: spelling edit
|
|
|
|
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 5,730 Likes: 289
Lunker
|
Lunker
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 5,730 Likes: 289 |
I have a recovering LMB poulation and plenty of BG. I see quite a few 4 t0 6" LMB and a few larger ones. Is there a slot size that is recomended for removal LMB to select for bug ones? I do not feed.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 12
|
OP
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 12 |
Ok so what im getting from this is i should fish at this pond and see if theres one predominant size that is underweight and if there is i should harvest them whenever i catch them
|
|
|
Moderated by Bill Cody, Bruce Condello, catmandoo, Chris Steelman, Dave Davidson1, esshup, ewest, FireIsHot, Omaha, Sunil, teehjaeh57
There are no members with birthdays on this day. |
|
|
|