Pond Boss Forums FISH & FISHING Sunfish-Including Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass Help Identifying Forage Base

This weekend, I took the kids out to catch some BG and SF. We pulled in a fish every 30 seconds of the bait hitting the water. I stocked CNBG and RESF back in March but there were aready GSF is the pond. Even after spending many of hours looking and pictures and searching the archives, I still can't figure out what is what...of course I see the experts disagreeing some times as well. Below are the various fish that we caught. Any help would be greatly apreciated!

Fish 1


Fish 2


Fish 3


Fish 4


Fish 5- almost as big as my rattle trap


Fish 6- the biggest...probably 7 or 8 inches


Fish 7


Fish 8


Fish 9


Fish 10- This fish had some spots on its fin. Should I be concerned?


Once again, I appreaciate everyone's knowledge and expertise!

Whoops....that didn't work. I thought I could insert the actual pics into the post. Let me do a little research and I will try and repost.

Sorry.

Open up a Photobucket account or something similar, makes posting pics on here very easy... Or, post your pics in the photo section.

OK...I fixed it. Thanks for your help, CJBS2003. Photobucket seemed to be much, much easier! That's what I get for trying to use my wife's Kodak Gallery account.

Fish are all BG, looks like a few are some of the CNBG you stocked. The rest are probably original native BG that were in the pond already. The spots look like white grub.

Hey thanks! I catch many fish that look exactly like these. I assumed they were bluegill,but wondered if maybe I was seeing some hybridization.Big help!

Agree on BG with some possible hybridization. No green sunfish.

Another confirmation - no GSF evident. Apparent variation among pictures is due to sexual maturity, spawning condition, immature, mature, males vs females, and probably BG vs CNBG. The eyes appear a little on the large side on some of those individuals suggesting some food shortages and or over crowding of BG. Spots of fins include the black ones - black spot disease - another parasite with snails as a host in the life cycle.

I agree ! No disagreement on those. Note the red eye on fish No. 4 . Some of the others have a hint of red eye also. Where did you get your CNBG ?

Bill - are you refering to the white spots ont he fins or the small black spots?

Ans: Bill - was referring to the small black spots on the fin.

Thanks for all of the info. I do have 2 feeders that are set to go off 4 times a day for 8 seconds each feeding. All the food is usually eaten within 15 minutes.

I specifically didn't post any pics of what I thought were GSF because I have posted them before. I'm hoping over the next several years the BG will squeeze out the GSF...maybe it's wishful thinking?

As far as the red eyes and spots on the fins of the one fish, is there anything to be concerned about? That is the only fish that I have ever seen with spots.

I bought the CNBG and RES from PondKing. They are just 40 miles NNW of me. It was my first experience having someone come out and do the stocking. The fish seemed happy and healthy.

On the one fish's pectoral fin, the white blobs are white grubs and the baclk spots are black spot disease. Both are parasites with part of its life cycle spent in snails. Hopefully your RES stocking will help control the issue.

The red colored eyes are nothing to be concerned about. It is a natural variation in genetics seen in BG. I often see CNBG with red eyes, perhaps more so than not.

With a healthy population of LMB and BG, I believe you'll quickly notice far fewer GSF present.

The red eyes are not a problem so far as I know. Do you know where PondKing got their brood stock ? I have not seen the red eyes on CNBG except in a couple of locations.

I fairly certain that when I was researching PondKing that they told me their fish came from a fishery in Arkansas. I don't remember a name though.

The CNBG and BG have definitely out spawned the GSF! Now, I only put in 500 of the RES while I stocked 2500 CNBG. Is there a proper ratio for RES for keeping the parasites under control?

Not sure there is an exact science to the ratio of RES to BG when parasite control is the goal. RES controlling parasites is a theory, but far from a proven fact IMO. I like a 3 to 1 ratio, BG to RES when stocking a new pond and looking for a balanced fishery. In established ponds with bass, sometimes less but bigger sized RES are better.

Standard is 1/4th to 1/3rd RES.

Once again, I can't thank everyone enough for the knowledge! It looks like I went a little light on the RES. Does anyone have a picture or good description of a RES so I can see if any of the fish I catch are RES? I feel as though me additional stocking was sufficient in quantity. My lake and creek total about 10 to 12 acres depending on rainfall. I had an existing population of GSF, HBG, CC, LMB and mudcats. But the fish were only 3 to 4 years old since the pond is only 5 years old. Most of the original fish weren't stock....the fish just appeared. I guess from upstream runoff or other natural ways.

I will post a pic of the creek later, but it is basically flooded timber with tons of cover. I stocked 4 to 6 in fish and I thought they could avoid predation with all the cover. They have seemed to have spawned all summer but none are really fat.







These pics were taken several months ago when the clarity was only 18 inches or so.

Very cool looking pond... Look in the archives under the sunfish primer. There are photos there of the different sunfish species. You can also just plug redear sunfish or shellcracker into Google and do a search. Many more photos will come up...

For most, RES are extremely hard to catch outside of their spawning season. So you may not be catching any this time of year. They are most likely there though. Especially if you stocked advanced sized fish like you did...

Look at the pic below on this post - a RES.

Here is the link CJ noted - lots there.

http://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=92482#Post92482

Thanks for the link. Very good photos. When do RES spawn in my area and do they spawn multiple times a year? My place is in Alvord not too far from Dallas/Fort Worth.

Now, to further this post even though I'm going off my orginal subject (but staying within the Forum), I would like to get some pure Florida bass for my pond. The existing LMB population is fairly establish with bass between half a pound to 4 pounds. I would really like to catch some 10 pounders down the road but I'm afraid that the existing genetics just won't get there.

How many should I add? And I assume that I am going to have to pay the big bucks for 12" + since I have an existing population? And would it make that big of diffeence in long term genetics?

I was down there in the Sulphur Springs area and the RES were spawning in late March/early April. They spawn at the same time as BG so. As for multiple or single spawns, the general concensus is that they spawn once a year. But, in my pond, I have seen them Spawning with the first 2 spawns that the BG have, usually a month apart, near the full moon. Look for them to spawn when water temps approach the mid 70's right around the full moon.




I'd look at the Pond Boss main page, go to the resources guide and look up the fisheries consulting service in your area. I think Overtons, Texoma or Tyler would be able to help. As for stocking numbers, I don't know. I think that would depend on how many LMB/ac you have in the BOW now.

First you have to be sure there is room for them in the pond. Only if water quality is good and there is an ample food supply will genetics make the difference.

Call Bob about the Fla LMB.

RES spawn once and on occasion twice a year.