Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Corrective stocking New guy here with pond ???

Bluegillerkiller:

Welcome to PB! I agree with what's been posted so far. I have a question for you. What do you consider to be a "big bluegill"? i.e. size and weight.

HBG won't get as large as pure strain BG, although they will grow faster in the first couple of years.

CC, once caught are damn'near impossible to catch again. (at least, that's been my experience in my pond.) Even if you stock 10" long CC, and catch one 11" long a week later, I think you will have a hard time catching it again. I KNOW that I stocked 150 10" or so CC in my pond in the past few years, and I'm pretty sure that I know how many have been taken out, unless some have been poached out. By my count, there still should be close to 100 CC in the pond (1 to 1 3/4 ac, depending on the time of year) and I'm having a hard time catching one.

Towards the top of the first page, you will see an archives thread. Look in there for a Relative weight chart for LMB and BG. If you catch some LMB and BG, see if you can measure/weigh them. That will tell you (and us if you share the info) how well the fish are eating.

If you're near St. Louie, and can get free for a day or so:
It's not too late! Let's get you to Big Cedar and the Pond Boss III Conference and Expo.

Pond Boss III Conference
September 17-19, 2009

Program

Thursday, September 17, 2009
2 – 5 pm Conference Registration in Big Cedar Registration Building
After 3 pm Check into Big Cedar Rooms
1 – 5 pm Fishing Tournament-Sponsored by Vertex, Bill Dance Signature Lakes & Pond Boss—Sue Cruz, chairperson
6 – 10 pm Poolside Icebreaker (light hors d’oeuvres and cash bar)—Sponsored by Forever Green & Purina Mills
7:30 – 8:30 pm Speaker’s Dinner—Sponsored by Purina Mills & Forever Green: Keynote by Dr. Jim Morgan

Friday, September 18, 2009
8 am Conference Registration and Expo Open
8:45 am Welcome to Pond Boss III– Bob Lusk & Mike Otto
9–10:30 am Session I – Nuances of Ponds
9:00–9:30—“Seeing What Your Pond Says”-Bob Lusk
9:30–10:00—“Nuances—It All Depends”-Bill Cody
10:00–10:30—“Tales of the Nuance"-Dr. Dave Willis
10:30 – 10:45 am Break
10:45 – Noon Session II – Practical Pond Management: Do It Yourself or Call a Pro?
10:45-11:05—“Hands-On Habitat/Structure”-Eric West
11:05-11:25—“Evaluating Your Fishery Through Angling”-Bruce Condello
11:25-11:45—“Overview of Non-Traditional Fish for Stocking”-Todd Overton
11:45-12:00—“Amenities Around the Pond”-Mike Otto
Noon – 1:30 pm Walkin’-Talkin’ Lunch at the Expo
1:30 – 2:45 pm Session III – What’s New in Fisheries Management
1:30-1:55—“Hybrid Striped Bass & Crappie”- Dr. Jeff Slipke
1:55-2:20—“Stocking 10X Forage and Low Density Largemouth”-Greg Grimes
2:20-2:45—“Old Days-New Ways: Smallmouth Bass, Yellow Perch, Pike, Crappie & Walleye”- Dr. Dave Willis
2:45 – 3:00 pm Break
3:00 – 5:00 pm Session IV – Outside To The Pond! Hands-On – Analyze The Pond-Rex Rains, Moderator:
Electrofishing–Shawn Banks and Pond Boss Moderators
Water Quality Analysis –Dr. Rusty Wright
Seine Sampling –Nate Herman Recirculating Aquaculture System –Cecil Baird
Fish Identification-Bob Lusk
Aging Fish–Matt Morgan
Weighing and Measuring-Pond Boss Moderators
Plankton Collection –Bill Cody
Trapping Fish – Chris Steelman
Stomach Contents: Lavage—Justin VanDeHay

6 pm Expo Closes
7:30 – 9:00 pm Dinner on the Lawn—Ticketed Event
9 – 10:30 pm Small groups in Conference Foyer; Bar; Your Lodge—Pond Boss Moderators

Saturday, September 19, 2009
8 am Expo Opens
8:30 – 10:30 am Session V – Panel Discussions
8:30-9:15—“From the Ground Down-er’ Up-Construction”-Mike Otto, Dave Sefton & Michael Gray
9:15-9:30—Today’s Feeding & Nutrition-TBA
9:30-10:30—“Everything You Want to Know About Aeration”-Panel of Experts

10:30–10:45 am Break
10:45–Noon Session VI – Panel Discussions
Aquatic Plants: “Good” vs. “Bad”–Invasive vs. Non-Invasive
Habitat Management-Unintended Consequences
Fish Population Dynamics
Noon–1:00 pm Lunch – Box Lunch in Expo
1:00 pm–2:45 pm Session VII – What’s Science Got to Do With It?
1:00-1:25—“Pond Enhancements”-Dr. Rusty Wright
1:25-1:50—“Science of Bass Genetics”-Dr. Wes Neal
1:50-2:15—“The Proper Care and Handling of Fish”-Gene Gilliland
2:15-2:40—“Role of Vegetation in Iowa Lakes" by Dr. Joe Morris



2:45–3:00 pm Break
3:00–5:00 pm Hands On! Equipment Demos—Rex Rains, Moderator
Aeration
Feeders
Angling-Dr. Bruce Condello; Temple Fork Outfitters; Others

If you can make it, even for part of a day, I highly recommend it.