Big bluegills without bass?

[Robert Boland]

Hello everyone - new member here! Anyway, I found a pond near my house (about 1 acre size) with big bluegill. As far as I know, it has no bass. Without bass, wouldn't a small pond only contain stunted bluegills? Nobody fishes it that I know of (except for me) and nobody "feeds" the fish.

My point is....in the absence of bass (to eat the young bluegills) can the larger bluegills themselves eat enough of their own young to keep their population down to the point where they won't get stunted?

Can anyone explain this, or have any experience in this arena?

[Jeremy R. Mayo]

Have you caught any large fish from the pond? 10" or bigger?

[Robert Boland]

I caught one large one so far (released it, didn't measure it) and several good "eating sized" 6 inches or so.

[Bruce Condello]

That's one of the best questions I've seen in a while. I'd like to pose that question on the Pond Boss "Ask the Boss" forum first. Do you know how to get to that site? I'll put the question up before the pond management experts in the next five minutes.

[Robert Boland]

No, I don't know how to navigate this site very well yet so I will need help getting to the "Ask The Boss" forum.

[Bruce Condello]

Can you click on this link?

http://www.pondboss.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Numb...

So far the discussion is very interesting. I will be posting a summary in a day or two.

[richard adkins]

maybe the pond has large catfish in it,such as flathead cats. Just a few of these can really work on a bluegill population. I,ve seen ponds like this where the cats almost never bite. I guess they stay full of bluegill.

[John Cachel]

Catfish is possible! My son and I use good size bluegill or green sunfish to catch big catfish! We caught and release some catfish over 30 inch. Use large nightcrawler on the bottom and find out!
I don't know where you live...north.... maybe some perch. They like to eat tiny baby bluegills or a few pike!

If no bass in pond then something in the pond to eat bluegills! Or someone control the pond like catch and keep as many small bluegills as possible and let good size 'gills back to water!
One acre is small and easy to control fish population! Public easily wrap out a whole fish popluation.
Lets us hear what Bruce find out from Pond Boss!

[10.5" RES Sharon]

What did you find out from Pond Boss, Bruce?