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� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � second edition • Nebraska Pond Management • 27 many anglers. They can be easily recognized by their greenish color, the dark stripe along their sides, and white belly. They also have a large mouth with an upper jaw that extends beyond the eye when the mouth is closed. Largemouth bass are voracious eaters and consume a variety of foods. Small fish, aquatic insects, crayfish, salamanders, and frogs make up the bulk of their diet. They will also eat other animals, such as mice, snakes, and leeches. Bass will grow rapidly when food is plentiful, and any fish weighing more than five pounds is considered a trophy in Nebraska. The state record fish weighed 10 pounds, 11 ounces. Many near record-size bass are caught in farm ponds. In healthy ponds, bass may reach a length of 3 to 5 inches their first summer, and 10 to 13 inches after 3 years. Bass reproduce readily in ponds after reaching a size of about 12 inches at 2 to 3 years of age. Spawning occurs during the spring when water temperatures reach 60 to 70 degrees. The male uses his body and fins to fan a large saucer-shaped nest free of debris on the bottom in shallow water. A female is then enticed over the nest where she deposits eggs that the male fertilizes. The male guards the eggs until they hatch, then he protects the young for about two weeks, at which time they are able to swim and find food on their own. If harvest is carefully regulated, bass will maintain a population without restocking. Adequate prey must be available for bass to attain their growth potential. If stocked alone, they usually over-populate and do not grow large. Bluegill Bluegills are a small, but hard-fighting sport fish. They provide angling opportunities for people of all ages and are excellent table fare. They are prolific spawners and well adapted to pond life, which makes them suitable for stocking in combination with largemouth bass. Bluegills are a deep-bodied sunfish with a relatively short head and small mouth. They range in color from silver-lavender, when young, to greenish-brown with an orange or yellow breast, when older. They also have a blue lower gill cover, entirely black gill cover flap, and an irregular blackish spot at the base of the soft dorsal fin. Although they primarily eat insects, larger bluegills will also consume snails, small crayfish, and an occasional small fish. Six- to 8-inch or even trophy-size bluegill in excess of 10 inches (over 1 pound) can be produced if properly managed. The state record fish weighed 2 pounds, 13 ounces. Bluegills mature at a length of about 3 to 4 inches, which is at 2 to 3 years of age in established populations. Bluegills can spawn from late May through August. Fingerling bluegills initially stocked in the fall will spawn the next summer. Nesting begins in the spring when water temperatures reach 60 to 70 degrees. The male constructs a nest, a small saucer-shaped depression, on the bottom in shallow water. Eggs are deposited by the female and fertilized by the male, who then guards the LARGEMOUTH BASS BLUEGILL