Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Evaluating and adjusting fish populations Bluegill growing like crazy and LMB cull part III

With regard to stunted fish growing. My prior noted experience is moving stunted fish to an environment where there were no other LMB but where there were abundant GSF prey. It is worth noting that the LMB quadrupled in weight from fall to spring in Northern OK. So they gained in the cool months 3 times as much as they had gained during their previous stunted life. But it is also worth noting that this situation is completely the opposite of the OP's scenario. I stocked very limited number of LMB into a "GSF only" pond while 1997 stocked a modest number of BG into an "LMB only" pond. Be opposites, all other things equal (species interacting with no human harvest), it is not unreasonable to expect opposite results. In other words, instead of LMB benefiting from the prey species ... perhaps they would decline. 1997s harvest was crucial (I think) in preventing the decline of his LMB. I think I can say that because of the evidence. He substantially reduced intra-species competition but the gains thus far have been muted for his predominate sized LMB concentrated in 8" to 9" sizes.

What I have learned from 1997 is that a predator only pond may be more difficult to balance with prey than an existing predator/prey combination that is out of balance. I have learned the introduction of a prey fish will likely inhibit the condition of predators and that moving to predator/prey combination will require a much more intensive harvest of predators than the standard rule of thumb.