Introducing New fish species to a private lake.

[-HAWK-]

I live on a large private lake that was stocked 10 years ago with LMB and sunfish. Now the lake is packed with a ton of small to average size bass and a ton of small sunfish. The largest bass caught in the lake being 6.5lbs. Now im wondering if the introduction of larger prey species would help increase the size of the Bass. Maybe add in some Bluegill, Tilapia, golden shiners. Im going to talk to the community manger about contacting a local fish mangament company to stock the lake. I wouldnt try stocking the lake on my own. Do you think the introduction of these fish will make a difference or should some of the smaller bass just be removed?

[PondBoss]

I"m no fisheries boilogist but I'm not sure that itroducing another type of forage will make the fish get any larger.  Instead what I think would be a better idea would be to thin out this over populated lake.  The fish can't get any bigger if they are fighting for food with all of the other fish.  One thing I've done on my own private waters is to make a slot limit of sorts.  This has definately helped, and have seen significant size increase in the last couple of years.  I use this fish below as an example.  Caught her just the other day, before that the biggest fish I'd seen out of that pond was only about 5lb.  This one weighted in at 7lb 12oz.  Again I'm no scientist but just my 2 cents.

[Tin]

Introducing a new species to a lake can be a great thing or a devestating thing.

Recently in CT they started having "Trophy Bass Lakes" where you have slot limits.  This has resulted in hardly any small bass and the average fish is about two and a half pounds. It is noticable in just a few years.

[Avalonjohn44]

Just go to your closest asian market and pick up a half dozen live snakeheads.  

A google search will turn up some zebra mussels for sale somewhere, I'm sure.

And Tilapia can live anywhere.

Good luck!

Just kidding, I agree with Pondboss, cull the sunfish and smaller bass.  Fry em up and have a fish dinner once a week.  If you do not like eating fish, offer some to your neighbors... Worst comes to worst, use them as fertilizer in your garden.  My dad used sunfish for years when planing his garden.

[NBR]

Neither am I a fisheries biologist but I have had friends with private lakes and their state biologists had them removing a lot of fish annually. I had permission to fish so long as I harvested what I caught,

I would talk to your state DNR and ask for suggestions. I believe introducing more forage would be counter productive. Your body of water will support a finite poundage of fish. Absent suggestions from the DNR I'd start keeping the smaller fish.

[-HAWK-]

Ill just start killing some of the smaller fish. Thanks for the tips.

[rondef]

I agree with PondBoss, thin the lake out and the bass will get bigger.

Hey PondBoss did you put that hawg back in your private pond/lake?  Just curious since I see you next to a house and not next to the water.

[PondBoss]

As long as you are taking those fish you kill out of the water there shouldn't be a problem.  But if you put those dead fish back in the water it can cause problems.  (over a period of time of course)  To answer rondef:  I didn't release that fish back to her native waters.  At least not yet.  Currently she resides in a self made pond/pool in my back yard.  Am waiting for her to spawn out with a few other males before she goes back home.

[-HAWK-]

As long as you are taking those fish you kill out of the water there shouldn't be a problem. But if you put those dead fish back in the water it can cause problems. (over a period of time of course) To answer rondef: I didn't release that fish back to her native waters. At least not yet. Currently she resides in a self made pond/pool in my back yard. Am waiting for her to spawn out with a few other males before she goes back home.

Well i would not throw dead fish back into the water, that would be an easy meal for the gators. I would probably just toss them into an ant pile.

[SV1000]

Maybe this article will help...

http://www.sdafs.org/tcafs/manuals/tcafs_pond_manual_2005.pdf

I am working on a survey by recording the information about the fish I catch and have kept the small fish for the pan.

[-HAWK-]

Maybe this article will help...

http://www.sdafs.org/tcafs/manuals/tcafs_pond_manual_2005.pdf

I am working on a survey by recording the information about the fish I catch and have kept the small fish for the pan.

Good info

[Glenn]

Yes - thin the herd...with a slot limit.  NO - do not just start "killing off the smaller fish".  That could be equally as devastating.

However, I suggest getting your pond evaluated by a qualified biologist before doing anything.

[Sam]

I read that river bass are more agressive than lake bass and if you introduce river bass into a pond they will take over and destroy the lake bass population.

I have no idea if this is true or not but I agree with Glenn, have a professional tell you what to do and how to do it.

[markc]

Well i would not throw dead fish back into the water, that would be an easy meal for the gators. I would probably just toss them into an ant pile.

Why not fillet and eat them, or give them to someone who would?