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Did a lap around my pond today. NOT GOOD!!! Found 14 very large and I'm almost sure all Male, BG that are DEAD... This year I've kinda took it easy and just did some hand feeding until this week when I plan on starting up my feeders.. Also I have ran my aerators either since the winter mess..

What you guys think is going on can't be spawning stress even though they are bedding..

Wow hate to hear that BK... Can you see any sores on them or anything weird?? Or were they to far gone already? I really have no idea what that could be. Man it could be a lot of things.

Sounds like some sort of parasite got to them to have that many. Unless they just starved to death?? But I wouldn't think all 14 deaths would be from that.

Sorry man,
RC

How old are these fish? Anything different in the area surrounding the pond? Any other species affected? How fresh are the morts?

Morts are day or 2 old.. only effected is large male BG.. only difference is quite a bit of cloud and some rain last couple days..

I didn't see any sores really but in thr couple days they are pretty rough shape already bloated slimy and half ate..

I don't know guys very weird..

Also size wise they look excellent but the bloating could be part of that..

What about their age? What year class are these fish?

Did you recently drop any of them?

Perhaps you had a pond turnover. Granted, if that happened, you might be seeing other dead fish too, besides bluegills.

This fish are older fish not sure on age but end of their life most likely but I don't see 15 fish dying in 2 days of old age..

The fish haven't been handled this year.. and the pond turning over I don't see just effecting my large bluegill I'm thinking maybe it was an oxygen issue in a certain area where they were bedding and guarded the net til there death..

Yeah that many means something has happend not just old age I don't think?? Either turn over like sunil says or lack of D.O. for a while?? Or some sort of illness??

That is really weird though only large males??

Strange
RC

I'm still haunted by the reproachful, accusatory look that fish gave me as it slipped away into nothingness......

Thanks yolk, now I'm sad. Some loyal customer of mine who is enduring a grass growing emergency while their mower is down and in my shop, will have to wait another day to have it repaired. Too depressed to finish work.

The crabgrass will own this day, and probably lay claim on the morrow.

Nice buddy, real nice.

Would a BG remain on the nest even in an environment low in DO? What about vegetation....how much, and has it been treated this year? Nobody else fishes the pond? Bird of prey?

I've noticed Yolk's tone getting a tad bit acerbic...

Granted, I don't know what 'acerbic' means, but it sounds about right.

I prefer to think of it as an intrepid pertinacity occasionally misconstrued as waspishness.

You might be the only one thinking that..........primarily 'cause you're the only one who may understand what you just said.....

It's none of the common issues if you ask me.. to localize to large male BG unless it was one of those issues in a certain small area all these hogs were bedding.. strange usually when I have a DO issue my LMB take the hit first.. but these BG were up on beds so maybe they got hit in the shallows..

Could have something nasty washed into the pond like fertilizer, weedkiller, etc?

I found a large CC dead in my pond, half dragged out of the water. It wasn't there yesterday. It was dead for a few days already and stinky. I'd say the gape was 5" (width) and I estimate it's head was 7" or 8" wide. I can get a pic and measurement tomorrow if it's still there. What caused it? I have no idea. Could be old age, there are/were some in there that are probably close to 15 years old.