wo years following initial stocking a pond will contain its limit of fish measured in pounds. No more weight can be grown in the pond unless you remove fish from the pond. Production will equal your harvest – remove 50 pounds and 50 pounds will grow back. However, depending on that harvest, the new population may contain a healthy number of large fish (balanced pond) or be dominated by a large number of small, stunted fish.
little fish eat littler fish, ad infinitumPonds can be checked for a balanced fish population with a 30 foot seine or by fishing. Seine hauls should be made in mid-summer.
Hauls that contain numerous small bluegill and some bass indicate an acceptable fish population.
Seine hauls containing young bass, but no small bluegill indicate an undesirable population with no bluegill present. Stock 20-30 adult bluegill per acre (make sure to stock males and females).
A population with no small bass, no small bluegill and with many green sunfish, bullheads, or tadpoles is also undesirable. The pond should be drained or chemically renovated and restocked with proper species.
Rotenone for chemical renovation can be obtained from Department of Natural Resources field fisheries personnel.
Another method of checking the balance of a fish population is through fishing. Fishing effort must be sufficient to sample the available species present in the pond or it will be inaccurate.
In a pond with too many small 3-5 inch bluegill, remove as many as possible. They can be seined or trapped out.
A pond containing numerous bass less than 12 inches may not contain bluegill and they should be stocked. Overcrowded bass can be easily removed by angling.
A pond that has a very large proportion of large bass (greater than 75%) is also out of balance. Large numbers of small bluegills have reduced the reproductive success of bass and no small bass are entering the population. Remove 3-5 inch bluegills by trapping or seining and stock 50 ten-inch bass per acre.