# Bass/bluegill question



## lkerieangler22 (Jul 19, 2010)

So im sure this question has been answered on here a thousand some times anyway i didnt want to scroll through alllll the pages to try to find it and was hoping for a fresh set of answers. Now, to my question. have a small about .75 acre pond gets about 9 feet deep out in the middle rocks along the edges with a small sandy beach approx. 10-15 ft long. stocked the pond practiced pond management as described on the State of Ohio fishing/poind management page. everything went well then drained pond to clean out one year and only bass were restocked. its been a few years we have 2 bass over 19inches and everything else is about 9. no bluegill. i think there is about 60 bass in there total maybe more depending on what lived over this mild winter. so what im wondering is how many bluegill do you guys suggest stocking into it at first to help the bass grow and get a healthy pop. of bluegill back into the pond? thanks sorry for the long rant


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## hang_loose (Apr 2, 2008)

I'd take 15% of the small bass out at least. Put some structure in your pond close to shore then add fathead minnows and maybe 75 or more 3-6" gills. If you can get feed trained gills, get them and some Aquamax fish food. You won't believe how fast fish grow on fish food.


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## lkerieangler22 (Jul 19, 2010)

Awesome. Thank you!


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## [email protected] (Dec 22, 2006)

I'd skip the fatheads as I think that many 9" bass will make short work of them and if you stock some bluegills now, you'll likely get a spawn pretty soon. 300-500 5"+ Standard (not hybrid) bluegill, splitting the stocking between now and fall and maybe remove some of the bass as Hang loose described but I would wait until fall or next Spring to cull bass, removing the underperformers Wr wise.


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## hang_loose (Apr 2, 2008)

OK, maybe I underestimated the amount of blue gills but I am a big believer of fathead minnows in the spring and fall. Minnows should take a lot of (bass) pressure off of the gills while they are spawning. Plus 9 to12 inch bass are perfect eating size. (Those bass fishermen are going to kill me for that one)


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## [email protected] (Dec 22, 2006)

Yeah, I'm not against the fatheads but it takes a lot to make a difference. If you want to have some fun, put a hundred fatheads in a 30gal aquarium at 75 degrees with two 9" bass and see how long they last. It's pretty ridiculous what happens and worth the price of admission.

I bet most people would have a tough time telling the difference between a 9" bass and 9" perch breaded and deep fried. I eat quite a few myself and definitely filletable at that size.


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## kingfisher42 (May 7, 2009)

hang_loose said:


> OK, maybe I underestimated the amount of blue gills but I am a big believer of fathead minnows in the spring and fall. Minnows should take a lot of (bass) pressure off of the gills while they are spawning. Plus 9 to12 inch bass are perfect eating size. (Those bass fishermen are going to kill me for that one)


This bass fisherman will not kill you for that. It is way better to keep those size then keep big ones to eat. The growing rate in Ohio for bass is long. And with ponds you have to take some bass out..even they can get stunted.


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