Todd has already filled you in, but here is a little more info.
I put two baited minnow traps out and in 36 hours I caught two 1" long CNBG and that is it. So I have no FHM and no small CNBG or RESF to speak of.
This is very easy to explain, because in four hours Saturday I caught, on artificial lures, over 80 LMB. This is in addition to the 20 or so I caught in 15 minutes Friday night. Everyone of these fish were within two inches of the same size. And when I quit fishing I was still catching them almost as good as I was when I started.
I have been an avid bass fisherman my whole life and an avid tournament fisherman for many years and I have never seen as thick of a bass population in a body of water.
Just to answer a few questions:
It is too far to throw fish from my fence to my pond.
The fish did not get into the pond via a high water situation. We have not had any high water or overflow since the pond was built.
Also these are Florida bass and not native.
When my fish were delivered from Overton's, I helped Walt get them from the trailer to my pond and I was the one that actually poured the fish out of a bucket into my pond. I am not saying that there is no way that a few bass could have made it in, but I don't think that there is any way that I poured hundreds of bass in without knowing it and that what would have had to happen to cause this problem.
The only other answer is that somehow at least a few adult fish got in there before the stocking of my baitfish and then had a very successful spawn.
My pond is visible from a fairly busy road which is a common route to and from Caddo Lake. Also my fence is not so secure that someone could not get in if they wanted to. My best guess right now is that either someone I know or a well intending neighbor coming home from a day of fishing decided to deposit their days catch in "that new pond to help out with my stocking"
I have been in contact with both Todd and Walt Overton and they have been more than helpful.
