Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Feeding Seasonal growth / temps

I am wondering if anyone has something like a chart or knowlage of the best times / temps that sunfish grow. Is the dead summer or spring and fall. Also any type of typical growth chart etc. Thanks

I highly recommend a new book from the American Fisheries Society - " Bluegills Biology and Behavior " . It is an outstanding compilation on BG from hundreds of studies as well as the author's (Stephen Spotte) own work. A few others may have this book and can comment more. I have found no chart on the question but here is some info. Please note WRT the question the part underlined by me. There is much more in the book including north to south differences WRT growth and mortality. You should check on AFS and the book - you don't have to be a member to buy the book ($ 35).

Growth in BG is to a large extent dependant on water temps. Best growth is at the optimal temp with growth continuing towards the upper temp limit. As the water cools metabolism slows as does feeding and growth. Because water temps are different from place to place growth histories are widely different. There are other factors as well like food available at the right time and size , spawning activities and population dynamics (crowding).

Thank you, that is very good info. Looks like the optimum temp is 77-88 degrees.

I will order that book.

Been getting into these Blugill lately. I caught 2 the other day that were huge. I thought I had a catfish.

Since I have been paying close attention to what is eating what. I use 3 feeds, Aquamax 400, 600 and Gamefish. First I throw the big pellet Aquamax, Stripers and BIG sunfish cream it, when the catfish show up, I load the place with Gamefish then when it slows I nail the dock with the tiny pellet Aquamax. this is the late afternoon biggest feeding. In the morning I feed both aquamax feeds only but really load the docks.

It seemed to me that this past month the bluegill have been really feeding more and seemed to be growing before my eyes. When I got this pond less then 2 years ago the sunfish were few and far between and didnt look great. Now I got armys of fat mules, has to be the feed and limeing.

I have stopped all culling of Largemouth bass, this year. I would like to have a healthy sunfish population and have the bass crowded. a 12 inch bass is still fun to catch in a small pond. I noticed the big ones are hard to catch. If I can get 12 -15 inch bass plentiful and Blugill big and fat I think I will be more then happy. I still like the 9 or 10 stripers and a few big cats. I think I will have a little problem next year, I stocked a lot of small cats that are still there.