Shrinking Pond

[heybud]

I noticed as my pond shrinks due to the drought, that shallow nesting grounds are now out of the water and the water has receded into steep banks. My question is "do BG stop spawning because of proper nesting areas"?

[GW]

I wondered the same thing about my Redears. Out of 24 adult fish stocked this spring there are 11 males on beds in the same area of my pond. They're in only 6" to maybe 18" of water. We've been getting regular rains this year but if it stops for a few weeks these fish may be high and dry.

[Bruce Condello]

Interesting that you should ask that question, because I was out at my ponds yesterday observing the same kind of thing.

Last year when my primary pond was being lowered I noticed that there was another "tier" of beds another two feet below the originals. Then as the pond was lowered further we found yet another tier of beds. Dr. Dave Willis, who comments frequently on Pond Boss forums has told me that bluegill bed at multiple levels, and can be found bedding sometimes as deep as ten feet. It is my opinion that this may be an evolutionary adaptation that allows bluegill to pull off a spawn even in years of extreme drought.

So in answer to your question, I think that bluegill won't entirely stop spawning if the outer rim of beds is left high and dry. It might make it a little tougher on them, but they'll probably find a way.