Largemouth Bass

[guzzi]

We have a few ponds in the middle of the woods in surry county that in some spots are as deep as 48 feet of water and about half the size of a football field. The largest bass we ever got out of it was about 4lbs or so and you can catch as many 15 inch fish as you can think of all day long. I've never got anything over 4lbs and was wondering if it might be over populated,we have crappie, bass, and pumkinseeds. What should i do, take the small ones out? Load it up with minnows? This is a place for my younger ones to enjoy the catch and release sport and wouldn't mind getting one about 8lbs or so knowing there is no preasure at all.

[cavman138]

Its likely that your pond has too many bass. If you have crappie and other smaller fish then there should be plenty for the bass to feed on. Loading it with minnows may work, but removing the bass that are in the 1-2lb range may prove to have better results. Sounds like it may be time for a fish fry. Need some help catching em? Haha

[FishFarm]

I dont think I would do anything. Nature takes care of itself. If there are too many bass now they will compete with each other, eat each others fry and food and eventually find a balance that works.

In the meantime, I would eat the small ones and throw the big ones back.

[billnorman]

If there are too many bass they will stunt. Once they are stunted, they will never grow again, as they only grow a lot during their youth. I've seen waters that all the bass were 9 to 12 inches long, and you could catch them all day. Remember the rate of growth is fast in the youngest days. To thin them out, pickerel will do it for you, but remember, they grow big too, and toothy. I'm not sure how to eradicate pickerel should you so desire. It's all about balance. Most times it's bluegill that overpopulate.

[Dwayne E]

You need a population of pan fish small enough to be forge. If there are large crappie and bluegills they will compete for the forge base with bass and be too big for bass to eat. I read one time that you should not put crappie in a pond less then 50 acres, they just eat too much. I had a fish tank one time with crappie and bass in it. The crappie would try to eat every bait fish as soonas it was released. The bass would eat so many and let the remaining one swim around time it was ready to eat again. The crappie would eat as much in a couple of hours as a bass would in several days.

[THATSNEAKYMURRET]

I would throw the smaller ones in your fryer and hopefully your pond wont get stunted. GET rid of your small ones.