You might very well be correct. A quick history. Pond was originally built fall of 2013. Pond was roughly 1/4 acre at the time. Now about 1/2 acre do to renovation in 2015 which probably disrupted BG spawning. Roughly, here is how it was initially stocked. In April 2014 FHM were stocked. By midsummer there were lots of FHM swimming around and 50 adult 5 to 6 inch BG and 25 BG 2 to 3 inch were stocked. They spawned maybe late August. In September or so, 8 SMB and 1 LMB, all around 8 inches, were stocked. In November 50 YP at 5 to 7 inches were stocked along with 100 PS 2 to 3 inch.
Edit: Was looking at my notes, I also stocked an additional 10 lbs of FHM fall of 2014.
Bill D. -
I'm no expert in fish or pond management so remember that as you read on.
It definitely seems that your forage base was way under recommended numbers for predatory fish. The 9 bass around 8 inches would have devoured FHMs and BG fry quickly. So it then was a game of how fast could the BG reproduce? And is there structure/cover to let those fry grow to small and then medium edible size for the bass?
It seems like you are missing or may be missing forage fish of correct size for the bass to grow - because you had adults, 2-3 inchers, and then the fry. The 2-3 inchers were fair game for the 8" LMB. That bass would have dined on those 25 fish easily. Provided they were found by the LMB of course.
