Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Evaluating and adjusting fish populations Private Farm Ponds

That's a great LMB there Keith, well done. I would imagine the GC are keeping pond somewhat turbid with lack of forage?

I would guess that LMB would be happy to eat fillets from any species - tilapia, crappie, bg, gc - just have to get them trained first. Dangling strips of fillets off the dock with just an overhand knot on the line is the way I started once they were close to dock eating hydrated pellets. Might need to start with live BG to get them eating under the dock, then switch to fillets same presentation. Didn't take long for them to clue into the fillets, now I can just throw chunks during feeding time and they are on it.

Thanks, TJ and yes, very turbid and the GC is the only thing I can attribute that too.

But if there's a good side to that (turbid water), it may be one reason why I've had no FA over the past couple years? Lack of penetrating sunlight? My clarity is 12" or less at best. Although it's done nothing for the Blue Green Algae which was really bad last year.

Regarding the LMB, they already hang around (and under) the dock area, picking off BG during feeding time as I have 2 feed rings tied to the dock to keep the feed from drifting on windy days. Which is so cool because it's such a violent strike it splashes food right back up on the dock. And if you're not expecting it, or it's very early in the morning and you're not quite awake yet, it can scare the bajeebers outta ya!

Regarding the GC, last year on our trip our guide on Lake Okeechobee was the self-proclaimed "Bass Whisperer". I wonder if Nebraska has a Carp Whisperer .

It's my goal to remove them this year so I'll be trying all the suggested ideas I've seen here on the forum!

GC removal is beyond my expertise, but I've been told the only reliable method is via angling [if they like pellets] or a bow or electroshocking.

Flyfisher11, please think twice about adding BCP to your pond!

Today caught 35 in an hour and a half. I'm beginning to think it's impossible to even thin them out!



The crazy thing about it was I threw a Panfish Assassin right in the middle of my deep water diffuser with almost a strike every time. Off to one side or the other, nothing. Right in the middle of the diffuser,,, Bam!

Fun stuff though and great eats!

Geeze, I know those stinking BCP are in my pond somewhere, and there is a massive one building a nest right next to the dock, but I would be happy if I could catch that many fish in such a short period of time! I cannot catch squat.

I think us northerners don't have as ideal conditions for BCP as further to the south. In fact I see no YOY in my pond, but older size classes only. Last year was strange.

I've never seen any fry or fingerlings in my pond. Not last year or this year. I have nesting beds galore, and I've been seeing fish (maybe all BG) spawing for a couple weeks. Until about the beginning of last winter, I was catching a fair number of crappie, mostly, but maybe not entirely, WCP. I'm wondering when the crappie explosion is going to occur. I'd like to catch a lot more.