Pond With Larger Than Normal (For My Area) Bass And Pond Mgmt

[FishHard247]

So I have been fishing a pond since May that I have permission to take my boat in. I also have 2 other ponds that I can use the boat as well as about 5 other ponds that I bank fish. The pond that I have fished since may in the boat will yield giant bass for my area in NC. On a good day ill catch 6 fish averaging 2 pounds with the largest to date at 7 and 26" long. Since May alone I have caught a 1,2,3,4.5, 5.5 (twice) a 6 and a 7 and have hooked one (twice now) that hit my bait way harder than the largest 7 and has broken the line immediately so I know that there is an 8 plus in there.

 

Ok, so with all other ponds combined, none of them even come close to the quality of fish in pond #1. Most all of the others yield dinks to 1 or 1.5 pounds and that is the max weight. As for the pond with the big fish. Its 2 acres and is grown up around 90% of it and Is old. Id say 40 years old. The owner gave me exclusive rights and said that no one else has permission to be fishing but heres the thing. People are fishing it. We all know how it is, its going to get fished. The thing is, if these bass are trophy size and they are then I am not sure if I want to run off the people fishing or not. Not to get into race discussion but we have a lot of Latinos here and they are the ones doing the fishing and they throw NOTHING back.  I mean you can only catch so many bass from the bank. There are tons of bluegill, pumpkinseed and crappie in this pond and as far as Bass, well, Ive only caught one twice and its the one in my avatar that was 5.5. Ive caught multiple 1's 2's and 3's and have pics of each and none of them are the same fish.

 

Should these blugill be culled out? These bass got this big like it is now without me being there. I personally think that the population and genectics are perfect. I was told the blugill were hurting the growth and would eat the new hatched bass but with the size of these Bass, I don't think I would take any of the smaller fish out, rather just keep the pressure low as possible and let it go as is?

 

Any thoughts?

[flippinbassinKY]

Personally I think that a pond should have some fish taken out of it.  I have no facts behind that but there is a pond I go to maybe 3 or 4 times a year.  it is a public pond, and a lot of people know its there. I have personally watched people take

 

loads of nice bluegill out of this pond and I know that they are going to take what they can. however it hasn't seemed to hurt the bass population any.  its about a 2 or 3 acre pond that no one wants to take a boat out on. but being the fisherman

 

that I am I take a small john boat out there with my friend and we catch really nice bass. average bass there is probably 2.5 pounds if you fish for quality.  I caught one off a bed last year that is on my display picture.  I think that getting some of

 

the panfish out is okay because they multiply a lot faster than bass do.  if you think that the other people fishing the pond are keeping bass I would say run them off, but if they only catch the panfish then I would say let it be and if you start

 

noticing a difference, then maybe you should say something.

[dead end canal]

The owner gave you and you only permission.

 

You should do what you can to honor his wishes.

[d-camarena]

Not trying to get in a race argument either, but here in texas most bucket heads are white country folk. They will keep anything and everything they catch. I know a lot of latinos that only keep catfish. Bass get thrown back out

[Jaderose]

Not trying to get in a race argument either, but here in texas most bucket heads are white country folk. They will keep anything and everything they catch. I know a lot of latinos that only keep catfish. Bass get thrown back out

 

What does this have to do with anything?

 

Ok...I just noticed the mention in the OP...sorry.

Edited July 23, 2015 by Jaderose

[d-camarena]

But it goes for everybody no matter what race, one of my friends recently kept a 7 pounder. I dont think i can fish with him anymore, always tried to keep my fish too.

Back on topic, there might be a bluegill overpopulation that is not good for any pond. Like you said they might be eating the bass hatch

[FishHard247]

Yea no worries. I just didn't want anyone to think I was singling out a race. These particular Latinos keep everything. Not a race issue as we have white bucket heads also I'm just thankful I haven't seen them at this pond lol.

[the reel ess]

My best pond (has monsters in it) has people taking fish from it. Some of us won't keep the big'uns, but some will. Sometimes I keep dinks up to 3#. My buddy keeps a lot of them. What causes them to grow big is probably a combination of people taking fish and better than adequate water quality and abundant baitfish. Rest assured most of the fish taken by the aforementioned latinos are probably not trophies.

 

I have this discussion all the time with a friend. He says a fish hatchery employee told him you can't "fish out" a pond. He thinks if you want to have more big fish you have to make room for them by taking some. I say just the opposite. Take the dinks, and leave the big ones. When you take one, that's one less you have. And they don't grow over 5# as a rule. Ponds don't need more dinks, they need more monsters.

 

So I tell him a 5# bass has a lot better chance of being a 6, 7 or 8# bass than a 1# bass has. Most 1# bass won't be trophy size even if left alone.

[FishHard247]

Outstanding dink magnet. I agree. I think the 7 can be an easy 9 fairly quick with the quality of its surroundings.

[the reel ess]

So I have been fishing a pond since May that I have permission to take my boat in. I also have 2 other ponds that I can use the boat as well as about 5 other ponds that I bank fish. The pond that I have fished since may in the boat will yield giant bass for my area in NC. On a good day ill catch 6 fish averaging 2 pounds with the largest to date at 7 and 26" long. Since May alone I have caught a 1,2,3,4.5, 5.5 (twice) a 6 and a 7 and have hooked one (twice now) that hit my bait way harder than the largest 7 and has broken the line immediately so I know that there is an 8 plus in there.

 

Ok, so with all other ponds combined, none of them even come close to the quality of fish in pond #1. Most all of the others yield dinks to 1 or 1.5 pounds and that is the max weight. As for the pond with the big fish. Its 2 acres and is grown up around 90% of it and Is old. Id say 40 years old. The owner gave me exclusive rights and said that no one else has permission to be fishing but heres the thing. People are fishing it. We all know how it is, its going to get fished. The thing is, if these bass are trophy size and they are then I am not sure if I want to run off the people fishing or not. Not to get into race discussion but we have a lot of Latinos here and they are the ones doing the fishing and they throw NOTHING back.  I mean you can only catch so many bass from the bank. There are tons of bluegill, pumpkinseed and crappie in this pond and as far as Bass, well, Ive only caught one twice and its the one in my avatar that was 5.5. Ive caught multiple 1's 2's and 3's and have pics of each and none of them are the same fish.

 

Should these blugill be culled out? These bass got this big like it is now without me being there. I personally think that the population and genectics are perfect. I was told the blugill were hurting the growth and would eat the new hatched bass but with the size of these Bass, I don't think I would take any of the smaller fish out, rather just keep the pressure low as possible and let it go as is?

 

Any thoughts?

If the bluegill are eating bass eggs during the spawn, they're taking the whole slot limit to the extreme. They're lowering the number of bass before they are even hatched. Fewer bass means bigger bass.

[einscodek]

So I have been fishing a pond since May that I have permission to take my boat in. I also have 2 other ponds that I can use the boat as well as about 5 other ponds that I bank fish. The pond that I have fished since may in the boat will yield giant bass for my area in NC. On a good day ill catch 6 fish averaging 2 pounds with the largest to date at 7 and 26" long. Since May alone I have caught a 1,2,3,4.5, 5.5 (twice) a 6 and a 7 and have hooked one (twice now) that hit my bait way harder than the largest 7 and has broken the line immediately so I know that there is an 8 plus in there.

 

Ok, so with all other ponds combined, none of them even come close to the quality of fish in pond #1. Most all of the others yield dinks to 1 or 1.5 pounds and that is the max weight. As for the pond with the big fish. Its 2 acres and is grown up around 90% of it and Is old. Id say 40 years old. The owner gave me exclusive rights and said that no one else has permission to be fishing but heres the thing. People are fishing it. We all know how it is, its going to get fished. The thing is, if these bass are trophy size and they are then I am not sure if I want to run off the people fishing or not. Not to get into race discussion but we have a lot of Latinos here and they are the ones doing the fishing and they throw NOTHING back.  I mean you can only catch so many bass from the bank. There are tons of bluegill, pumpkinseed and crappie in this pond and as far as Bass, well, Ive only caught one twice and its the one in my avatar that was 5.5. Ive caught multiple 1's 2's and 3's and have pics of each and none of them are the same fish.

 

Should these blugill be culled out? These bass got this big like it is now without me being there. I personally think that the population and genectics are perfect. I was told the blugill were hurting the growth and would eat the new hatched bass but with the size of these Bass, I don't think I would take any of the smaller fish out, rather just keep the pressure low as possible and let it go as is?

 

Any thoughts?

Umm .. usually latinos are like the bucket brigade and are after bluegills so even if they dont have a licesne I usually leav them alone.. they got a tougher life than me on average

but I assume its private property.. so if they dont behave cant you just call the cops for the owner?

 

As far as the removal of bluegill.. esp for pond #1.. I'd leave it the way it is if you catching 7+ lbs in there.. wouldnt touch a thing

[SirSnookalot]

Sounds like you have a nice little fishery, I'd fish it without making an issue.  If the owner wants the other people gone, it's up to him to ask them to leave.  You do run the risk of the owner saying I don't anyone there from now on.  Just fish it and and enjoy, you're liable to kill it for yourself.

[wytstang]

As the saying goes "Let sleeping dogs lye" I'd ask the owner if he wants any fish to eat for himself/family. Get in real good with him so he knows you are there doing right. See thrash pick up and ask him if you can toss it in his trash can that way he knows your keeping the place clean too. So if he does shut it down you might be able to stay.

[the reel ess]

As the saying goes "Let sleeping dogs lye" I'd ask the owner if he wants any fish to eat for himself/family. Get in real good with him so he knows you are there doing right. See thrash pick up and ask him if you can toss it in his trash can that way he knows your keeping the place clean too. So if he does shut it down you might be able to stay.

I have a place a friend lets me use that's overpopulated. I keep everything per his wishes and put half in his basket he keeps at the pier. What I consider too small I leave for him. If he wants to release them, they're his.

 

I caught my (at the time) PB, 6.5#, there years ago. But since then it's been all less than or right at 2 lbs except for a couple. I try my best to cull with the lures I use but I still get dink bites all day.

[hatrix]

I am not really sure if it's possible for a place to have to many bluegill. That is what the bass are eating so the more food the better. I know it is possible to have to many bass though and the will need to be thinned out t make room.

[Paul Roberts]

Culling fish can be a good way to distribute available food to fewer but ever larger mouths. But beyond that the pond also has some fish that have survived long enough to grow large. If the other anglers using the pond are bait fishing it may be that they are taking mostly smaller fish which can be a good management strategy for bass ponds. A possible deathknell for the large bass might be anglers lure fishing that can't bring themselves to turn back the larger fish.

 

Relatively few waters can crank out fish like you are describing. Enjoy it. Keep quiet about it.