pond/lake management ???s

[phil333]

We built an 8 acre lake and stocked the bass in June 2007, half Florida and half northern largemouth bass. Does anyone on here have any experience in managing a pond or lake? I would like to know the growth rates from someone who has done this before. My dad caught this fish the other day. (19 inches 4lb 7oz)

 

[Rowdy]

Can't help either, but nice fish :grin:

 

[SwampDuck]

nice fish

 

[birddog]

i was watching a show on the outdoor channel the other day and they said a bass can gain 2 lbs a year if the pond is well managed.

 

[BowGirl]

Growth rates will vary depending on too many factors to list. Check out this site to get you started.

http://www.pondboss.com/forums/ubbthreads.php

These guys really know their stuff and probably already have threads to answer most questions concerning pond/lake management.

Good luck and nice fish!

 

[phil333]

Thanks for the link, lot of good info and answers to some questions. Never knew managing a lake would take so much thought and effort, definitely a lot of factors. Unfortunately "well managed" usually equals a lot of dollars. Two lbs a year on average, would probably be in a warmer climate than Tennessee, because of a longer growing season. Thanks again.

 

[BowGirl]

Building an 8 acre lake equals a lot of dollars Managing it is the cheap part. You can get 8-10 lb bass in TN in a small pond by simply balancing your fish populations. Having the proper amount of forage v/s proper amount of large predators for the forage to support. Now you can hire consultants, biologists, use feeders and that cant get pricey. But we dont do anything other than monitor the population. Here is an 8 lber i caught a few weeks ago from my one acre pond. Cant beat having your own fishing hole.

 

[Rowdy]

nice fish :grin:

 

[CATCHDAWG]

Building an 8 acre lake equals a lot of dollars Managing it is the cheap part. You can get 8-10 lb bass in TN in a small pond by simply balancing your fish populations. Having the proper amount of forage v/s proper amount of large predators for the forage to support. Now you can hire consultants, biologists, use feeders and that cant get pricey. But we dont do anything other than monitor the population. Here is an 8 lber i caught a few weeks ago from my one acre pond. Cant beat having your own fishing hole.

Nice fish but you might want to consider a new set of scale's...

 

[BowGirl]

Didnt weigh it but it measured 23 5/8 inches. I thought 8 was a fair guess.

 

[ShaneHallum]

Great fish!

I've never actually managed a pond, but my old boss had about an acre pond. He screwd up and threw some crappie in the pond. His bass in the pond stopped growing once the crappie took it over. now everything is straving out.

 

[Chaneylake]

Great fish!

I've never actually managed a pond, but my old boss had about an acre pond. He screwd up and threw some crappie in the pond. His bass in the pond stopped growing once the crappie took it over. now everything is straving out.

going on some info from the past, I was told 25 acres of surface water is the minimum for crappie, I personally do not know if this is true or not

 

[ShaneHallum]

Great fish!

I've never actually managed a pond, but my old boss had about an acre pond. He screwd up and threw some crappie in the pond. His bass in the pond stopped growing once the crappie took it over. now everything is straving out.

going on some info from the past, I was told 25 acres of surface water is the minimum for crappie, I personally do not know if this is true or not

It very well could be, this one is spring fed.. not sure if that helps it or not. I just know everything in the pond looked terrible.

 

[BowGirl]

Great fish!

I've never actually managed a pond, but my old boss had about an acre pond. He screwd up and threw some crappie in the pond. His bass in the pond stopped growing once the crappie took it over. now everything is straving out.

going on some info from the past, I was told 25 acres of surface water is the minimum for crappie, I personally do not know if this is true or not

That's what is recommended. You can stock crappie in smaller bodies of water but you have to REALLY watch it. Crappie are boom and bust spawners and they are the first to spawn in a pond. By being first their fry prey on the fry of your largemouth, bluegill or whatever else you have in the pond starting the cycle of taking over. If they spawn and arent removed by either existing predators or the fisherman, they can take over a pond faster than you can say crappie. Black crappie spawn less than whites in ponds and they supposedly fair better in smaller bodies of water due to their more diverse diet. I stocked blacks this spring so we will see how it goes.

 

[nbforrest#3]

Great fish!

I've never actually managed a pond, but my old boss had about an acre pond. He screwd up and threw some crappie in the pond. His bass in the pond stopped growing once the crappie took it over. now everything is straving out.

going on some info from the past, I was told 25 acres of surface water is the minimum for crappie, I personally do not know if this is true or not

A guy I go to church with has a 2 acre pond and it it
stocked with crappie only, no bass or catfish and it
holds its own pretty good.

It sustains itself each year but I am sure it can be
fished out. They do put a lot of minnows in to feed.

I have a 2 acre pond that has bass, catfish and those
georgia giant bream.

 

[Rowdy]

going on some info from the past, I was told 25 acres of surface water is the minimum for crappie, I personally do not know if this is true or not

That can't be all true....A friend of mine has a pond that isn't more than 1/4 acre, and it has some dandy crappie in it, and plenty 5-10lb cats as well.

 

[phildidit]

Infertile ponds seldom produce more than 100 pounds of fish per acre; well managed fertilized ponds can mantain 300 to 400 pounds per acre. You can fertilize for around $4.00 an acre every two weeks until you reach the desired plankton bloom then back off to every three weeks. PM me if you need some info on the fertilizer