I looked back to be sure that I was not doing what was suggested.

Here is the direct answer I provided on page 1 -Quote - " I understand and yes you can cut off forage fish tails/fins and let the predators eat them. It takes lots of work.".




Your question to me is really what is shown below which is more complicated. It s seems to really be - by cutting off the tails of BG so predators can more easily eat them can I replace the extra forage fish I have been stocking yearly with out reducing predator growth and condition ?

Originally Posted By: AquaticsFanatic
Hey guys,

...only stocking I�ve done the last two years was 100 pounds of GSH and 50 pounds of FHM per year. That has helped to keep the fish growing fast but want to find a way to eliminate some of the costs of stocking but still get the excellent growth rate. IMO it seems like I could cut the tails on 100 smaller bluegill per day and not dent the population if I keep throwing my breeders back.
.... I feel like I could give them more forage than the 150 pounds per year that is costing me over 1,000 bucks per year in just stocking.

Any other insight would be great!


You ask for any other insight. While cutting off tails to make predation easier does reduce the energy used by predators to catch them it does not increase the available food supply. In energetics terms you get a plus on the energy used end but no added energy ( a negative) into the pond. To answer the question you have to consider would some or most of the fin clipped fish been eaten anyway and what the predator energy savings results are. Then compare that to the energy value you have been, but will no longer be, adding by supplemental stocking. I hope this makes some sense from a total pond perspective. That is why I reference the linked threads on energy use and carrying capacity.

At no time did I tell or suggest that you were not managing your pond correctly.

My guess , and it is a guess is that from an energy perspective it will take a lot of fin clipped BG (predator saved energy)to offset the additional forage you have been stocking.

Also I point out that the Forum has rules against directing negative comments toward any individual. That is uncalled for and not allowed.

Last edited by ewest; 05/09/18 06:01 PM.