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FishinRod (Dec 3rd 2022)

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Re: 3 acre new SE PA Bass pond #553892 Dec 1st a 06:10 PM
by esshup
esshup	30:1 to 60:1 ratio between Bluegill and Bass, stock 500 Redear Sunfish per acre too, on top of the Bluegill numbers. i.e 3,000 BLuegill, 500 Redear and 50 LMB per surface acre. Do not stock more than 50 LMB per surface acre. If it was my personal pond, I'd leave the CC out - once they reach around 3# they compete directly with the bass for food. Don't stock more than 50 LMB per surface acre and I'd fin clip the stockers. Then the year after the LMB pull off a spawn (which could be as soon as the Spring of the year after they are stocked) I'd start removing 60# of LMB per year from the pond. Use a ruler and scale to weigh/measure the fish and remove any that are under performing - i.e. under 90%-100% RW. Be ruthless about harvesting LMB, that is the only way to grow trophy bass. Have the correct habitat for the BG and Golden Shiners to reproduce. Add 20 HSB per acre 12 months after the LMB are stocked. The LMB should be 12"-14" by then. As for the Golden Shiners, 20#-50#/acre will help the LMB grow but in the long term the BG will be the main food source for the LMB. If the Golden Shiners are able to achieve a self sustaining population in the pond then those will be the main food of the HSB in addition to the commercial fish food. In ponds that have ample food for the LMB, and are fed a good commercial fish food. I've seen RW's (Relative Weights) of up to 165%. A 23" 7# LMB is what you'd find as a LARGE bass in the public lakes here. A LMB that length that is at 165% RW would weigh 11.5#. 4# and 5# LMB that were electroshocked in a customers pond in August. These fish are 3 or 4 years old. As for timing, stock the Golden Shiners asap, the BG/RES (at 2.5"-4") as early in the Spring as possible, and the LMB at 5" in late Spring , early Summer. You could wait until the Fall to stock the Bass too, but stock the bass at 5"-7" length to help ensure that you are getting the fast growing fish from that hatch vs. the left over runts. Stocking bass at that length will eliminate the BG from predating on the bass, which could happen if you stocked LMB that were only 2" long.