Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Evaluating and adjusting fish populations 3 days of hard fishing

Before this cold front comes through we needed to get out to the property and fish it hard. Only had 3 days and just made the goal to take as much fish out of 4 of our ponds as we could hook and line. Turned out to be a beautiful weekend with mild 70`s and mix of south/west winds. Totals for take were 38 LMB, 41 BG, 34 Black crappie, 3 flatheads, 6 CC, 19 albinos, and a total of 8 snapping turtles.

Those albino CC are so hard to obtain (at least here) that I am committed to leaving all of mine (fourteen stocked) in the pond indefinitely.

Now that is some awesome fishing! ......I love harvest time. That will be some fine eating! Well done man!

Yes we love our Albinos. We have just shy of 300 stocked. 3 years ago this time. They have some interesting growth rates I can spot some in the 3lb range and some are well into the 12-18lb range. We were harvesting mainly the big bulls with large heads since we think they are putting a hit on our HBG.


We have plenty for a few fish dinners. Vacuum sealing and labeling is the key to keeping them straight in the freezer.

Bass Pro might like one of those big albino CC to display in their big tank. How did you manage to obtain that many albino CC?

That is just way cool Snakebite! Thanks for posting such great pictures.

how about the snapping turtles, were they big? i have put 3 or 4 in my pond and a soft shell turtle. i rarely see them. i would love to have a few big ones in my pond. i know a man that has 2 that look like they would weigh 100lbs. too neat.

Many people think snapping turtles are the scourge of the pond! But the more enlightened pondmeisters that frequent PBF seem to be more tolerant.

Since I have a small seasonal stream right behind my main pond that leads to our major creek, the snapping turtles, at least one musk turtle and one huge softshell along with a variety of red ear sliders seem to come and go as they please. I might have several snapping turtles then none. I have had baby red ear sliders in the main pond, the sediment pond and forage ponds every year since they were built.

I don't know if you introduced them they would stay. They might if they like it there, but snappers have a propensity to roam.

love the albino cats! nice size!

I should contact our Pyramid Bass Pro to see if they would be interested. We obtained these from a local who raises Green Sunfish,Shiners, CC which he gets a good mix of albinos he picked out for us.


I honestly don't mind snapping turtles, but they do rip into our netting cages and steal from our night time jugs. So I prefer not to have many if any in these ponds. On a plus I have a family member who knows how to harvest the meat and makes a really good white meat feast. Most of ours are in that 20-30lb range

I have been so busy working that I haven't been able to wet a line in six weeks, but after seeing this I am going to take the time today. Thanks for sharing.

Cray please do so. Also post some pictures of some of those monster CNBG if you catch any.

I turned my 12 year old nephew lose in our pond and told him to catch all the fish he could. 3 hours and 29 fish later he caught us a fish fry. No albinos!

Todd, it looks like he wore them out. I spot some nice HBG in there too.

It makes a Monday work morning more tolerable to see great (and a great many) fish pictures. Thanks for posting!

Those harvests look good. It is time to take a few as well.