Trophy Bass Management

1. Trophy Bass Management

2. Fish List for Quality/Trophy Bass Stocking Bluegill Sunfish Redear Sunfish Fathead minnows Threadfin Shad Golden Shiners Crayfish Largemouth Bass(F1, Florida, Northern) Gizzard Shad Rainbow Trout Tilapia (if legal)

3. Forage stocking-Foxworthy 52,000 bluegill, 52,000 fathead minnows and 5200 redear

4.  Known as bream to many, they are the backbone of forage production for largemouth bass ponds. Bluegill are very prolific, reproducing multiple times a season (3-5 times/year). This provides largemouth bass with a large quantity of food while still allowing themselves to sustain a healthy thriving population. They spawn in large colonies of nest in 3 to 6 feet in depth over sandy and gravel substrates close to the shore. Spawning occurs when water temperatures reach 67-70�F. Bluegill readily eat floating fish food and have great growth rates from supplemental feeding. They also provide excellent fishing opportunities for kids and novice fishermen and are good to eat. There are two subspecies of bluegill native (also called Mississippi) and coppernose. The coppernose are better suited for warm climates and are aggressive with supplemental feeding program. Key backboneKey backbone

5. Also known as bream, the Shellcracker occupy a different ecological niche than bluegill, improving the utilization of the pond�s natural productivity. Shellcracker eat snails along with other invertebrates present in the pond and can help to reduce the incidence of some fish parasites (i.e., grubs, flatworms) that use a snail as a intermediate host. Similar to other bream species, Shellcracker are a favorite prey fish for bass. They can grow larger than bluegill, but they are not as prolific, since they reproduce only once per year. Usually distinguished from bluegill by presence of red or orange ear tab. 20% parasite problem is they are small20% parasite problem is they are small

6. Fathead Minnows(Pimephales promelas) Fathead minnows are typical stocked only in new lakes at the same time the bluegill and redear sunfish are stocked. Fathead minnows provide a excellent forage species for young, newly stocked bass and help reduce feeding pressure on the bluegill from the bass. Fathead minnows will reproduce at a high rate but will become almost non existent after a year or so due to predation from the bass. However, during the time that the fathead minnows population numbers are high, the bluegill are flourishing and getting a head start on the bass due to less Pressure from the bass. This is why fathead minnows play such a critical role in a newly stocked lake. Only new pondsOnly new ponds

7. Wes tock 3500-5000 in aprilWes tock 3500-5000 in april

8. Golden shiners feed on small aquatic organisms and provide an additional forage species for largemouth bass. They are known to eat the eggs of other species. This provides a management concern. However, this can help to keep the bass population from becoming over abundant. They routinely reach sizes up to 10 inches in length providing a larger prey item than threadfin shad. Now a good thing limit bassNow a good thing limit bass

9. Crayfish(Procambarus clarkii) Cost less than fathead minnowsCost less than fathead minnows

10.  Largemouth bass are the preferred game fish in the U.S. providing exciting fishing for anglers. They will eat just about anything that they can fit into their mouths making it the top end predator in most ponds. Largemouth bass begin to spawn when the water temperature reaches 63-68�F, normally once a year the in early spring before bluegill begin to spawn. There are two known subspecies, Florida and Northern. Florida bass are known to grow quite large but research has shown them to be less aggressive when adults thus harder to catch. Northern bass are more aggressive but do not have the top end potential of Florida bass. The F1 is a cross between the two having the characteristics of both. You can also have Fx bass that are a mix of genetics of both subspecies. Lower stocking densities provide increased initial growth during critical early year growth periods.  Explain northern/ florida f1, fxExplain northern/ florida f1, fx

11. Gizzard Shad(Dorosoma cepedianum) Gizzard shad are filter feeders and also feed on benthic organisms. Gizzard shad provide an excellent forage species for largemouth bass. However they do grow large in size and can become too big for a bass to eat. Due to this it is critical to monitor their size to prevent what is called a �gizzard shad lockup�. This is where large gizzard shad too big for bass use up a large amount of food in the lake and they themselves do not spawn. To grow really large bass this risk is worth taking. Though threadfin shad are excellent forage when a lake owner wants to grow true trophy size bass, they are the next choice. Do not stock these fish until the lake is established with a high percentage of bass over 4 lbs. Big bass needs big mealBig bass needs big meal

12. Rainbow Trout(Oncorhynchus mykiss)Rainbow trout provide a good game fish for children and novice fisherman and they diversify the fishing options of the pond. Rainbow trout are aggressive fish that bite well during the cooler months of the year when other fish are not as active and survive temperatures up to 70o F. When stocked in November/December they will provide six months or more of fun fishing before dying in the summer heat. They take awhile to float and rarely do you ever see any dead fish. They prove excellent high protein forage when stocked at smaller sizes utilized by the bass. 

13. Tilapia Tilapia are a tropical fish belonging to the cichlid family. Tilapia are very prolific and under the right conditions a female tilapia can produce 500 plus fry every 3-5 weeks. Stocking tilapia provides a tremendous amount of additional forage for the bass, but also helps reduce feeding pressure on the bluegill. Tilapia feed on small aquatic organisms, fish food, and they also feed on some aquatic vegetation such as filamentous algae and water meal that are known to be hard to eliminate with herbicides. Tilapia can survive in poor water quality conditions, however they die when water temperature drops below 52�F for several days. They become lethargic providing easy meals in the fall when temperatures drop to mid 50�s.

14. The Old Tried and True Method (south)Good for �balanced� pond Designed in the 1950�s this followed a plan to put food on the table. Standard Stocking plan is 10:1 bream to bass. It calls for bream stocking at 500 or 1000 if fertilized and 50/100 bass per acre. This results in a bass-heavy environment within two years if bass harvest is not taking place.

15. Rates per Acre

17. Results

18. Results

19. Bass Genetics

20. Bass Stocking- watch closely

21. Management Practices To maintain growth the pond must be managed; Periodic Evaluation Harvest Lime/Fertilization Fish Feeding Fish Habitat Enhancements-Mapping Vegetation Control Aeration

24. 8-14 � 92%8-14 � 92%

26. Standard Wr Table for Largemouth Bass

32. Top 15� 2.5 lbs 140% bottom 16� 2 lbs 88%Top 15� 2.5 lbs 140% bottom 16� 2 lbs 88%

33. Water Quality Water Quality parameters measured: Dissolved Oxygen pH Hardness Alkalinity Temperature Fecal Coliform Conductivity Visibility What you need to know What you need to know

34. Lime Applications

35. Fertilization Shades out vegetation Increases pond�s fishery production Provides nice color when performed properly 4 times lbs of fish4 times lbs of fish

36. Fish Feeding

37. New lake not full but teaming with fish!

40. Fish Habitat Enhancement

43. Aeration Methods- Lake Life Pump

44. Bottom Diffused Aeration Systems

45. Follow the stocking and management plan to grow Monster Bass!