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Pond question? #1096801
10/01/14 03:47 PM
10/01/14 03:47 PM
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 372
Albertville
D
doublefistful Offline OP
4 point
doublefistful  Offline OP
4 point
D
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 372
Albertville
I bought my place about 3 years ago and it has a pond that is about 2 acres. It has bass, bluegill, and shellcracker. The problem is the bluegill and shellcracker are doing very well as far as size and numbers but the bass all seem to be the same size which is 1lb or less. I know for a fact that in the past it has had some very nice size bass in it because I have talked to a few people that has fished it and they said that some big ones once lived there. Last year I spoke briefly with a fisheries biologist and he recommended me take out around 20-25 lb of bass per acre. I did that and started fertilizing the pond as recommended. Still hasn't helped. Can bass get stunted? Should I catch all that I can out of the pond and restock? I am not a professional fisherman but if decent bass were in the pond I would have caught one by now. Any advice/recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

Re: Pond question? [Re: doublefistful] #1096846
10/01/14 04:09 PM
10/01/14 04:09 PM
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 372
Albertville
D
doublefistful Offline OP
4 point
doublefistful  Offline OP
4 point
D
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 372
Albertville
I meant to post this in the general forum. Mods feel free to move. Sorry

Re: Pond question? [Re: doublefistful] #1096855
10/01/14 04:14 PM
10/01/14 04:14 PM
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 7,561
Hartselle, AL
trlrdrdave Offline
14 point
trlrdrdave  Offline
14 point
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 7,561
Hartselle, AL
Maybe you are expecting too much too quick if you just talked to a biologist last year. Yes bass can get stunted. I'm not sure I would have took bass out. I would have took all the larger bream out. You would be hard pressed to catch all the fish out of a pond. Rotenone and restocking might be in order. Or give Southern Pond Management a call. I have had better luck with bass and catfish myself. Are the bass you are catching look like they have huge heads and little bodies?

Last edited by trlrdrdave; 10/01/14 04:15 PM.

"In time of war, send me all the Alabamians you can get, but in time of peace, for Lord's sake, send them to somebody else." General Edward H. Plummer

"Blessed are those who, in the face of death, think only about the front sight." Jeff Cooper
Re: Pond question? [Re: doublefistful] #1096913
10/01/14 04:37 PM
10/01/14 04:37 PM
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 372
Albertville
D
doublefistful Offline OP
4 point
doublefistful  Offline OP
4 point
D
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 372
Albertville
No the bass don't seem to have a big head and little body. They are all just about the same size. I never really catch what I call a fingerling. All are about 1/2 to 1lb. The biologist seemed to think I had an overpopulation of them and said the average pond needed about that many pounds kept out each year to stay healthy. I have kept not quite as much as he recommended but pretty close for the past 2 summers and have took out several bluegill/shellcracker. Maybe I am expecting to much. Just wanting to get more serious about managing it instead of just guessing at what to do. The only thing I can't figure out is why it once had good bass in it and now it doesn't. My guess is that the good ones have died out and what is left is either stunted or there are too many bluegill to compete with for food. Thanks

Re: Pond question? [Re: doublefistful] #1096958
10/01/14 04:57 PM
10/01/14 04:57 PM
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 7,561
Hartselle, AL
trlrdrdave Offline
14 point
trlrdrdave  Offline
14 point
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 7,561
Hartselle, AL
If its just a 2 acre pond I'd seine it. 1. Put back the largest bass. 2. Take out the largest bream. 3. Stock it with catfish and feed the heck out of them. May not be the best or most recommended method but it has worked for me in several different ponds. Or if you aren't real particular about catching bass, clean it out and start over with catfish.


"In time of war, send me all the Alabamians you can get, but in time of peace, for Lord's sake, send them to somebody else." General Edward H. Plummer

"Blessed are those who, in the face of death, think only about the front sight." Jeff Cooper
Re: Pond question? [Re: doublefistful] #1097029
10/01/14 05:40 PM
10/01/14 05:40 PM
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 54
North Alabama
F
fishman731 Offline
spike
fishman731  Offline
spike
F
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 54
North Alabama
Stay the course and catch as many bass and bluegill as possible. You will see an improvement gradually. When a pond is overpopulated it takes time to get it back to what you want. Number 1 rule is to keep fish once you catch them.

Re: Pond question? [Re: doublefistful] #1097095
10/02/14 01:03 AM
10/02/14 01:03 AM
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 5,648
Lincoln, Alabama
B
blumsden Offline
12 point
blumsden  Offline
12 point
B
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 5,648
Lincoln, Alabama
That doesn't sound like enough bass to take out for a year. They told my cousin to take out 1,000 lbs a year for a lake that size. A 2 acre lake is a good size lake. Get the biologist to come out with their boat that shocks the fish, and they can do a survey.

Re: Pond question? [Re: doublefistful] #1097096
10/02/14 01:04 AM
10/02/14 01:04 AM
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 8,359
Chelsea, AL
lefthorn Offline
14 point
lefthorn  Offline
14 point
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 8,359
Chelsea, AL
I work for Southeastern Pond Management. PM me.

Also, do not, take out any bluegill. That iswhat is feeding the bass

Re: Pond question? [Re: doublefistful] #1097105
10/02/14 01:32 AM
10/02/14 01:32 AM
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 14,582
Clanton
Turkey_neck Offline
Booner
Turkey_neck  Offline
Booner
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 14,582
Clanton
Put a feeder up and feed the bream and keep all the bass under a pound. If you don't want to clean them throw them on the bank or put them in a creek.


Would walk over a naked woman to get to a gobblin turkey!
Re: Pond question? [Re: doublefistful] #1097108
10/02/14 01:41 AM
10/02/14 01:41 AM
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 8,456
Harpersville, AL
tfd1224 Offline
14 point
tfd1224  Offline
14 point
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 8,456
Harpersville, AL
The best pond I have ever fished in had a rule that any bass over 12 inches was to be released and it was strictly forbidden to release any bass under 12 inches. The sign said that if you weren't gong to eat the bass under 12 inches then throw them on the bank to feed wildlife. If you are wanting big bass then seine the pond and kill every bass in it and restock with threadfin shad and f1 tiger bass


Yeah c’mon. Daniel White

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