Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Thanks Bob! You helped a lot

To everyone...Mr. Spinhirne called this morning, and we had a 45 minute telephone visit. Essentially, I suggested he follow the formula below.
1. Establish well thought out goals. At some point, the fish/lake committee will need to justify decisions they have made, and those they need to make. Good goals make a long term plan possible.
2. Understand management options, in order to decide what level or degree of managment you want. No management? Then stock moderately and wish the fish luck. Mid-line management, maybe stock basic fish, fertilize from time to time? More intensive management? Stock, fertilize, feed? Or intensive management? Heavy stocking, fertilization, water quality monitoring, good records, weighing and measuring fish regularly, steady feeding program, regular electrofishing? Once you know what management levels you intend, and set some deadlines, a five year management strategy is appropriate. Once that plan is defined, and you have peace with it, build the budget, based on tasks, products and services you need.
3. With good ideas of 1. & 2., get into the fisheries management business. Evaluate the habitat of your lake, and make sure it fits the fish you intend to stock. HABITAT. Then, make crucial decisions about food chain. Largemouth bass need approximately ten pounds of baitfish to grow a pound. Food chain is important. You have to have the best species, the right sizes, the right numbers, all for a fair price. FOOD CHAIN. Next up, genetics. Since trophy bass management is a big goal of this group, Florida strains of largemouth bass are key. Learn as much about them, F1's and native northern largemouth as you can. It will make for the best decisions. GENETICS. Last, but not least is the concept of harvest. At first, catch and release is the order. But, once your originally stocked game fish begin to reproduce and grow into the 10-12" range, those fish will need to be selectively harvested. HARVEST. Those are the big four concepts of fisheries management.
4. Prepare to deal with the politics of the biology of managing a subdivision lake. Make rules, establish bylaws, and communicate with the board of directors. Always remember the HOA BOD. A board typically changes every three years, and if you don't have good records and a good plan, at some point your plan will be gut-shot. And, when you are eight years into a trophy bass lake, you don't want someone coming into your plan and making drastic changes.
So, there's your starting points. Once you decide what you want, think about a consultant. It may be your fish supplier, it may not. Find someone you are comfortable with, who can give you common sense answers for important questions. Compare the different fish prices, sizes, quality, etc. and make good decisions. Spend some time on this site. It is invaluable and you will get lots of information. Go get 'em.