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48 • Nebraska Game and Parks Commission V ery few perfect ponds exist. But with proper management, most ponds can provide good fishing. If you're catching 5-pound bass and 1-pound bluegills from your pond on a regular basis, put this handbook down and go back to fishing. Your pond is in great shape! If catching 5-pound bass and 1-pound bluegills from your pond sounds like a pipe dream, read on. While you'll find no magic or overnight solutions here, you will probably learn a few things you could do differently that will improve your fishing or give you more overall enjoyment from your pond. 1) Assessing Fish Populations The most common complaints received from pond owners regarding the fish populations in their ponds are: 1) there are either too few or too many of a particular fish species present; 2) the fish are not of a desired size; or 3) undesirable fish species are present. Successful pond management requires more than just stocking fish and hoping the pond will produce the quality of fishing desired. We have already discussed how important it is to maintain proper aquatic and terrestrial habitats. It is also very important to monitor fish harvest, growth, and reproduction, and to keep out unwanted fish. By doing these things, you will be able to attain and/or maintain balanced fish populations in your pond. What is a Balanced Pond? Biologists commonly talk about pond balance or balanced fish populations. They are simply talking about the relationship between the abundance of predators and prey, such as largemouth bass and bluegills. MANAGING A BASS - BLUEGILL - CATFISH POND BLUEGILLS CHANNEL CATFISH Fish Size Distribution in a Four-Year-Old Pond Fish Size Distribution in a Four-Year-Old Pond Initially Stocked As Fingerlings In 1st Year (Now 4 Years Old) No Largemouth Bass Stocked The 1st Year 2nd Year Offspring 3rd Year Offspring 4th Year Offspring 4th Year Offspring Initially Stocked As Fingerlings In 2nd Year LARGEMOUTH BASS Initially Stocked As Fingerlings In 2nd Year No Channel Catfish Stocked The 1st Year No Channel Catfish Stocked No Offspring Produced The 3rd Year 4th Year: Supplemental Stocking Of 10-Inch Channel Catfish: Number Stocked Depends On Harvest — See Pages 49-50 Not Necessary To Stock Largemouth Bass The 3rd Year No Offspring Produced