Originally Posted by TGW1
Most all the lakes I have fished were at their best in the 4th or 5yr. Not saying there were not other good years that come and go. But, the fourth and 5th year would usually produce large catch rates of good fish. Toledo Bend and lake Fork come to mind. So, not ever having a pond I don't have much experience there. But it seems to me the pond just might be in one of it's best years right now. And that was or is a concern when looking at it. How many pounds is too many? I really feel like it's time to thin the herd. Based on what I see at the feeders. Lots of Bg along with some schools of TFS that move through. And the HSB that just BLOW UP when hand feed. Along with a few feed trained lmb.


Tracy, it's hard to tell. One way is to keep good catch records. Record the weight/length of the fish. As the pond ages you can track the growth rates of the fish. Once the growth rates start slowing down, then I'd say you have reached carrying capacity.

Carrying capacity all depends on how heavily managed the pond is. Feeding/aerating, etc. all have something to do with carrying capacity. I know of some Amish that grow LMB for the restaurant industry. At harvest size of 1 1/4# LMB, they will have a crop that is between 4,000# and 5,000# per surface acre. BUT they are checking water quality parameters on a daily basis, using test kits, O2 meters, etc., not just looking and guessing at what the water quality is.

Last year my pond went from approximately 1 1/8 surface acre to .49 surface acre. I removed over 100# of fish from it before the pond iced over as I was worried about water quality levels and O2 levels with ice on the pond. I kept more than 10% of the pond open last winter and didn't have any fish kills. The pond is at the same low level or even lower this year and I took out a bunch of fish again this fall. Due to the low water levels, all the spawning areas were above water this year, so I didn't have the reproduction that I would normally have. I believe with the SWAG method of how many fish are in the pond I am on the ragged edge, and if we don't get a BUNCH of rain this coming Spring I will be forking out the $$$ to put a well in just to keep the pond full.


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3/4 to 1 1/4 ac pond LMB, SMB, PS, BG, RES, CC, YP, Bardello BG, (RBT & Blue Tilapia - seasonal).