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OP
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Hey everyone. I've been doing some research the past couple weeks on this topic and I've read that it is quite easy to overfish a pond the size of mine, which is one acre and is stocked with LMB and BG. I believe the LMB are already becoming hook shy, so I'm taking a bit of a break from my pond, perhaps 2-3 months. But my question is, how often should a pond this size be fished to avoid being overfished? Feel free to link a thread with a similar topic if this question has already been discussed. Thanks.
Last edited by S_Hulsey39; 02/28/17 01:19 PM.
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Joined: Mar 2014
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Joined: Mar 2014
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1.8 acre pond with CNBG, RES, HSB, and LMB Trophy Hunter feeder.
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Joined: Jul 2016
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Joined: Jul 2016
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Hello. I don't know if I am afraid for nothing, but in my main pond friends and family was fishing, so one day I was afraid, if they catch to much or all the females or all the males. So I made a little pond 50x100 feet and I put Yellow perch in it. Now everybody can catch all they want in the main pond. I want to put Smallmouth bass in the main pond, I thing I will have to do the same thing, make a little pond for the smalmouth genitor. Like I said perhaps I am afraid for nothing  A+
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Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 21,709 Likes: 370
Moderator Hall of Fame 2014  Lunker
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Moderator Hall of Fame 2014  Lunker
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 21,709 Likes: 370 |
Cautious is a better word and the caution is warranted.
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 16,346 Likes: 351
Moderator Lunker
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Moderator Lunker
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 16,346 Likes: 351 |
My pond is about 1.5 acre and I only fish it about every couple of months. When the BG and bass hear footsteps or the 4 wheeler, they get lockjaw.
It's not about the fish. It's about the pond. Take care of the pond and the fish will be fine. PB subscriber since before it was in color.
Without a sense of urgency, Nothing ever gets done.
Boy, if I say "sic em", you'd better look for something to bite. Sam Shelley Rancher and Farmer Muleshoe Texas 1892-1985 RIP Grandpa
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Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 557
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Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 557 |
My experience in fishing small ponds (1 acre and less surface area), which is substantial, is this; - overcrowded ponds have higher catch rates though the fish may be underweight (makes logical sense the bite continues because lack of enough food for all)
- just right or under stocked ponds have a lower catch rate after just 1 year of fishing
- live bait results in more strikes and more lands than artificial lures
- clear water is more difficult to fish due to sight
- early morning, overcast, and gentle breeze (just enough to make ripples across the water surface) are better to fish versus sunny blue sky mid-day calm weather
- clothing that matches the environment is better than bright, striking clothing, and patterns are better than prints or solid colors. IE, camo and tans, greens, greys are better than the Patriots Super Bowl Champs t-shirt and yellow shorts
- squatting or kneeling or sitting is better than standing
- casting from a few feet or yards back from the water's edge is better than standing at the water's edge casting
- chumming the water with bait that has no hooks has resulted in more hook sets than a single rigged baitfish or worm (a few freebies without hooks and then surprise a hooked bait!)
Probably a lot of this is common sense or knowledge. But I still watch my fellow fisher folks at some of the ponds I fish walk right down to the edge of the pond, I see the bedding bass dart away from the shore, and make cast after cast without a strike. They see me standing 10 to 15 feet away from the edge, behind a tree or squatting down, wearing camo or neutral colors, landing fish, and they ask me "What lure are you using?" And lots of times it is the same as them - a worm! But they don't see the obvious difference. LOL Or they are casting from the open areas to open water, and I am casting behind brush or into small pockets between trees and brush.
I've got a friend who has a chum feed into his pond. Every day he flushes bait fish into his pond. The bass line up to eat them. They hear that water pump turn on and then swim to the outflow 4" pipe. When those dead and dying bait fish hit the water the boil is on! Those bass just pop 'em! And you can fish any lure in the world at that moment and only fish you'll land is a foul hooked bass. But if you put on a dead or dying baitfish you will land a bass with every cast. Not exactly sport fishing, but is fun.
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Joined: Jan 2017
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OP
Joined: Jan 2017
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Man that's such a bummer to have a pond and only be able to fish it that often.
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Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 580 Likes: 117
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Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 580 Likes: 117 |
My pond is about 1.5 acre and I only fish it about every couple of months. When the BG and bass hear footsteps or the 4 wheeler, they get lockjaw. No worries on those two species DD1. What we want to know is what about your Real Targeted Species, the wily GSF?!
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Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 1,930 Likes: 2
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Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 1,930 Likes: 2 |
I have a limited amount of predators in my pond and they have surely become hard to catch on artificial. Live bait does seem to work for them. I am pretty sure the tarpon in my pond have been hooked and caught several times.
Goofing off is a slang term for engaging in recreation or an idle pastime while obligations of work or society are neglected........... Wikipedia
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 16,346 Likes: 351
Moderator Lunker
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Moderator Lunker
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 16,346 Likes: 351 |
I can easily catch GSF in my smaller pond. But, in the presence of bass in my larger one, they don't make it.
It's not about the fish. It's about the pond. Take care of the pond and the fish will be fine. PB subscriber since before it was in color.
Without a sense of urgency, Nothing ever gets done.
Boy, if I say "sic em", you'd better look for something to bite. Sam Shelley Rancher and Farmer Muleshoe Texas 1892-1985 RIP Grandpa
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Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 46
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Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 46 |
Man that's such a bummer to have a pond and only be able to fish it that often. In Norway where I live, Im only allowed to keep Koi in my pond, so no fishing. So, dont complain 
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 16,346 Likes: 351
Moderator Lunker
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Moderator Lunker
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 16,346 Likes: 351 |
It's not about the fish. It's about the pond. Take care of the pond and the fish will be fine. PB subscriber since before it was in color.
Without a sense of urgency, Nothing ever gets done.
Boy, if I say "sic em", you'd better look for something to bite. Sam Shelley Rancher and Farmer Muleshoe Texas 1892-1985 RIP Grandpa
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BRES
by esshup - 04/27/25 10:11 AM
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Full pond
by John Fitzgerald - 04/27/25 08:14 AM
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Koi
by PAfarmPondPGH69, October 22
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