[cisco]

My neighbor has a beautiful 1/2 to 3/4 acre pond that she lets me and my 8yr old fish. We go 2-3 times a week and each time we go we catch 10-25 largemouth. And I imagine we are re-catching a lot of the same fish each time.

The problem is we are only catching fish in the 8"-10" range. One time I hooked a fish that broke 12lb test line. Although I imagine the line had a bad spot. However, the fish jumped twice, attempting to throw the shad rap and it looked to be a 3-4 lb fish.

The pond history is that 3 years ago it started leaking so they half drained it to repair the bank. And then they "stocked". I'm not exactly sure what "stocked" means though.

I believe the pond is over stocked and that culling these little bass we are catching would be a good thing. But I also know ponds can be delicate and I definitely don't want to make it worse.

So any advice front the PBB OSR?

I can provide further details if necessary.

Edit: upon further research I'm gonna say the pond is an acre, maybe a little over. It's very close to the size of a football field....maybe longer but definitely as wide.

 

[I HATE PONIES]

Stocked simply means they bought fish to add to the pond.

Three years isn't very long to expect big bass. It may well balance itself in 3 more if the pan fish ratio is good.

Use barbless hooks if you are fishing that often in a pond that small.

I would suspect the mortality rate to be pretty high already given the fishing pressure.

 

[cisco]

Stocked simply means they bought fish to add to the pond.

Three years isn't very long to expect big bass. It may well balance itself in 3 more if the pan fish ratio is good.

Use barbless hooks if you are fishing that often in a pond that small.

I would suspect the mortality rate to be pretty high already given the fishing pressure.

We only started fishing it about a month or so ago. As far as I know no one else has fished it at all.

Pan fish? Perch, I assume. Haven't seen or caught any.

Edit- Haha. Just caught your first line. Yes I know stocked means they added fish. I just don't know what or how many. Bass? Perch? Catfish? A mix. That's why I said I didn't know exactly what stocked means.

 

[I HATE PONIES]

Pan fish I guess depends on where you live. Around here in a pond it would be blue gills and crappie. Typical bass food.

Perch would be more of a walleye food.

 

[cisco]

Pan fish I guess depends on where you live. Around here in a pond it would be blue gills and crappie. Typical bass food.

Perch would be more of a walleye food.

In Arkansas. Not many crappie in ponds this size here. Mostly bigger lakes. Perch is a catch all term.

 

[hogcat]

You need to feed them to grow! Put a bunch of minnows or frog eggs in there. Or even some shiners. Purina even makes some dry fish food that would help them grow up. Or save old bread and veggies. The bass will eat it.