When trying to grow quality fish, you may face some obstacles, but in the end, having your own family getaway is worth the effort. There are many different variables that go into managing a pond that some owners may not realize.
Here at Pond King, we want you to love your pond, and our blog is here to help you nurture your piece of paradise.
Overpopulation is something that our biologists at Pond King see time and time again when out on a survey. Most pond owners know that catch and release is an important part of pond management in order to let their fish get some age and size to them. But- what happens when you keep throwing all those 12-inch bass back in the water? Nothing! They have most likely eaten most of the forage fish in the water, and have nothing to help them grow to a larger size.
If you are catching fish after fish that are all the same, stunted size, you may need to start keeping those smaller bass and have a fish fry. This will decrease the predator density in your pond and help your forage populations recover. In some instances, you may need to stock forage to reestablish sustainable populations.
This is the opposite of my last point. If you can’t seem to catch anything when you go out to the pond and don’t know why, yet you remember all the awesome fish fries you had years past- well, that is probably your problem. You may have literally eaten your fish out of house and home!
Give your fish a break and let them repopulate, or consider restocking and getting a management plan together to prevent this problem in the future.
Everyone wants to have an awesome bass pond, but is your pond big enough to support the fish necessary to grow quality fish? If you have a small, quarter acre tank, you may want to consider stocking catfish rather than bass. Catfish do well in a small pond, where bass will not have the room to have sustainable forage.
Also, consider your audience before you stock it. Who is going to be fishing your pond? If you want the grandkids to come over, you may want to stock channel cats, as opposed to blue catfish. If your 5-year-old granddaughter is learning how to fish and she hooks up with a 25 lb. blue cat she could have the rod yanked right out of her hands. Pond King is always willing to help you pick out a pond management plan that is suitable to your needs.
Pest plants can quickly eliminate the ability to fish in your pond. If you do not treat these plants they can quickly grow and overtake your pond. There are several methods to controlling pests, from chemical treatments with pesticides to biological control with fish such as grass carp or tilapia.
These methods can be a quick fix or a long-term control method. Again, ask for advice before taking on this challenge alone.
Have you ever considered an “alternative” stocking methods? Options such as, casting a line in the nearest reservoir, and pulling out crappie to stock in your own pond. This is a good idea in theory - it’s free, it’s easy, but unfortunately there are consequences. Most crappie that people catch in large reservoirs are white crappie. These little fish are so prolific that they will destroy your ecosystem if your lake is less than 100 acres. They are going to overpopulate so quickly that you will not be able to support any kind of baitfish population.
Also, catching a big largemouth bass out of Lake Texoma and adding it to your newly stocked pond is writing a death sentence for your small fish. This bass does not care what it eats- it’s just hungry. Importing fish may seem like a cost efficient solution, but much like most easy fixes, hidden expenses outweigh initial savings.
The main reason for undersized bass is lack of forage. It is a commonly overlooked aspect of managing a lake, and forage fish are the main factor in growing fat, quality bass. Bass need roughly 10 lbs. of forage to put on 1 lb. of weight-that is a lot of bluegill!
You can mix things up by adding tilapia in the spring, or trout in the fall. Crawfish and golden shiners are excellent supplemental forage as well. Feed your fish to grow fat bass!
If your goal is to grow true trophy bass, submerged structure is pivotal. Shallow water habitat produces cover for small forage fish to grow and prosper. Having deep-water structure gives bass an ambush point, which helps them retain weight that would normally be lost if they were to hunt and chase their prey. It’s as simple as that, add structure to your lake, and reap the rewards of big fish.
These are some of the main points that you want to note if you are having trouble growing good fish in your lake or pond. Schedule an electroshock survey to get an idea of where you are starting. Pond King can give you the knowledge to implement a productive management plan, and our customers see the desired results in the first year of management. With some time, a little work, and Pond King expertise with you, your pond will be happy, healthy, and pitfall free.
Happy Fishing!
Brad Metzler, President