Although most pond owners simply want a healthy pond, many want to produce big bass for recreational fishing. It doesn’t hurt that the largemouth bass is often the most popular fish to catch on both public and private waters, and ponds are no different. In order for a big bass plan to be successful, a sound pond management strategy must be in place. In fact, it is critical to follow the water quality, fertilization, and aquatic weed management programs that are addressed on this web site.
Believe it or not, fertile ponds will produce 2 to 3 times more fish per acre than infertile waters! So as you can see, proper pond management means additional pounds of fish production, and that production can be directly related to growing bigger bass.
A key to producing big bass is any pond is to provide them with an ample food supply. In the traditional bass/bluegill pond, the bluegill are the primary food source for the bass. In a big bass strategy, additional fish species are stocked to provide more food to support more pounds of bass per acre. This option is best suited for new or renovated ponds greater than 1 acre in size. Ponds with existing fish populations can be managed for big bass but the results will be less certain.
A big bass option starts out with a traditional bass/bluegill stocking, but then one or more of an additional fish species is stocked. The most common fish stocked for additional big bass forage are fathead minnows, golden shiners, threadfin shad, and gizzard shad.
Fathead minnows: These are small slow-swimming minnows and are excellent food for bass. Stock 2 to 3 pounds of fathead minnows per acre during the initial fall bluegill and redear stocking. These fish will be consumed by the spring-stocked largemouth bass during the first summer and are usually eliminated from the pond within a year. Fathead minnow reproduction will not be able to sustain the population and yearly stocking might be helpful.
Golden shiners: Stock 2 to 3 pounds per acre of golden shiners. Golden shiners reproduce in farm ponds and provide excellent bass forage. However, they are egg eaters and may reduce the reproduction of newly-stocked game fish.. For this reason they should not be stocked in new ponds during the first year.
Threadfin Shad: These are excellent forage fish, but like the tilapia they are cold sensitive. In many parts of Arkansas, it will be difficult to grow enough of these fish to have an impact on bass populations. It is also important not to accidentally stock the larger gizzard shad (below) in your pond.
Gizzard Shad: Avoid stocking gizzard shad in farm ponds. They tend to become too big for bass to eat, then overpopulate and compete with other fish for oxygen and nutrients.
In addition to proper forage fish stocking, the production of large bass is dependent on removing the correct number and size of bass and bluegills when anglers hit the pond. During the first three years after stocking, all bass should be released back to the pond so that they can continue to grow to larger sizes and reproduce. It is important to allow the initial stocking of bass to spawn and establish the bass population before harvesting takes place.
The third year follwing stocking, it is recommended that anglers catch and remove 10 to 15 pounds of bass per acre each year that are less than 12 inches in length for big bass pond management. Removal of these small bass helps reduce competition and allows for faster growth of the remaining fish.
Anglers should also remove 5 to 10 pounds of bass per acre that are between 12 and 15 inches in length each year. All fish over 15 inches should be released unless harvested as a trophy. Managing for big bass will result in larger, but fewer bass and increase smaller bream numbers. Producing big bass in a pond does take some effort, but proper bass and pond management will be bigger fish for you to enjoy!