Small bass

squirrel73 · August 23, 2020, 07:25:37 PM

Ok guys, question for anyone who can help with the subject. My Uncle has a really nice pond yet the bass have not grown much over the past 10 years. The catfish have done ok and the bluegill have grown but the bass all seem to stay under 2 lbs. He has used chemicals in the past for algae but now has a fountain and grass carp. Seem to have a lot of turtles too. The 2 picks are 8 to 10 years apart. Same size catch all the time. Never have I seen a larger bass pulled from this pond.

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FlatsNBay · August 24, 2020, 04:54:36 AM

I'd look into having a fisheries biologist survey the lake and give you recommendations. Many states will do that for free. Contact your state's fish and game department or DNR.

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squirrel73 · August 24, 2020, 08:09:59 AM

Thank you my friend. Will do that today.

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Mike Cork · August 24, 2020, 10:27:49 AM

The photo makes it look to be a fairly large pond?

FlatsNBay had a great idea, I know they do it here in Louisiana. If you allow public fishing, they will also help with stockings.

My first thought is you need to remove some of the bass. Commonly the stunted growth is do to over population and competition for the food sources.

The grass carp, IMO, are a bad idea. If you want big bass, you need grass. Vegetation is the root of all ecosystems. And weed eaters are swimming cannon balls for building that ecosystem.

Your State's Agencies will give you some good directions though

Smallie_Stalker · August 24, 2020, 01:53:04 PM

Quote from: Mike Cork on August 24, 2020, 10:27:49 AM
My first thought is you need to remove some of the bass. Commonly the stunted growth is do to over population and competition for the food sources.

My thoughts exactly.

squirrel73 · August 24, 2020, 07:05:36 PM

Very good ideas my friends. I actually know another pond that could use some bass too. And on the grass carp, this pond for some reason had way way way too much Algie growing in it. Maybe the fountain helps that though??? We could certainly get them out.

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squirrel73 · August 24, 2020, 07:06:33 PM

Oh and yes it is a fairly large pond. This is an over view from google maps.

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Mike Cork · August 25, 2020, 07:49:47 AM

Algae can be a problem and aeration will help, I'm not sure grass carp will help with that? They like leaf stuff. I've seen them on the sides of ponds reaching out of the water to get to vegetation on the edges because they have eaten it all in the pond.

Bass need vegetation. Besides the obvious food chain issues. It provides for excellent ambushing of prey. What this means is a bass can lay in a pile of hydrilla and wait for a bluegill to swim by and pounce. In this scenario it wastes zero energy for high gain.

In a pond where the bass has to swim in circles chasing down prey until it wears the prey down, it's also wore it's self down and wasted a lot of energy.

Bass school and adapt of their situation very well. But to get giants you need vegetation. Look at the geography of the states. The southern state lakes produce the majority of 10 pound bass...

This is a very over simplified concept but gives a general idea as to why vegetation helps.