3-Year Anniversary: Tiger Bass Growth and Pond Management Success

Celebrating 3 Years of Tiger Bass Growth

Three years ago, we embarked on an exciting journey by stocking 2-inch tiger bass fingerlings in our newly built 5-acre pond. Today, we're celebrating the remarkable growth and success of these fish, with several bass now weighing over 5 pounds and a couple exceeding 7 pounds. Let's take a look back at the strategies, successes, and challenges we've faced in raising these trophy bass.

The Importance of Forage

One of our top priorities from the beginning was ensuring an abundance of forage for our growing bass population. We focused on several key species:

1. Threadfin shad
2. Jumbo freshwater prawns
3. Adult golden shiners
4. Tilapia

Keeping in mind that bass need to consume about 10 pounds of forage to gain 1 pound of body weight, we've had to maintain a staggering amount of bait to feed our hungry bass population.

Threadfin Shad

Threadfin shad have been a crucial part of our forage strategy due to their impressive reproductive capabilities. Starting with 10,000 threadfin shad, we've seen populations explode to over 100,000 after spawning. These small, easily digestible fish have been particularly important during the first year of bass growth.

Jumbo Freshwater Prawns

Freshwater prawns have become a fan favorite among our forage options. Each year, we stock between 7,000 and 10,000 post-larvae prawns in the spring and feed them a high-protein diet. Within 5-6 months, they reach adult size and become an excellent protein source for the bass.

The advantages of prawns include:

• High protein content (bass may not need to eat 10 pounds to gain 1 pound)
• Thin, easily digestible shells compared to crawfish

The main drawback is their limited availability, as they can only survive in the pond for about a quarter of the year, typically in the fall.

Adult Golden Shiners

A recent addition to our forage mix, adult golden shiners have shown immediate and impressive results. These larger baitfish have a bigger profile that drives the tiger bass crazy. We've noticed significant weight gains across the board after stocking adult golden shiners.

Tilapia

Tilapia have proven to be an underrated but crucial part of our forage strategy. We restock tilapia each spring when water temperatures rise above 60°F. The benefits of tilapia include:

• Ability to breed every 21 days, providing a self-sustaining food source
• Appetite for algae, helping to maintain water quality
• Availability as a food source for more than half the year (April to December/January)

Lessons Learned: The Rainbow Trout Experiment

One mistake we made was introducing rainbow trout in the second year of the pond. While trout can be an excellent food source for bass, we should have waited until year four or five before adding them. Instead of becoming prey, the trout became competitors for the same food sources as the bass.

Dock Feeding and Trophy Bass

We've established a group of about a dozen bass that frequent the dock area for regular feedings of adult golden shiners. This targeted feeding has contributed to significant weight gain in these fish, including our second-largest bass, nicknamed "Ghost," which weighed 6 pounds 12 ounces in March.

Top 5 Bass in the Pond

Based on our most recent electrofishing survey in March, here are our top 5 bass:

1. June Bug - 6.72 pounds
2. Ghost - 6.12 pounds (estimated)
3. Yoshi - 5.79 pounds
4. The Goat - 5.45 pounds
5. Kiwi - 5.00+ pounds

We believe June Bug and Ghost have likely surpassed 7 pounds and are well on their way to becoming 10-pounders.

Cedar Falls: A Diverse Aquatic Ecosystem

In addition to our main 5-acre pond, we've been developing a smaller pond called Cedar Falls. This pond showcases a variety of aquatic vegetation and serves as a home for diverse fish species.

Aquatic Vegetation

Cedar Falls boasts a beautiful array of aquatic plants, including:

• Water lilies (day and night blooming varieties)
• Amazon lilies (with pads up to 6 feet in diameter)
• Tropical lilies with contrasting colors

The combination of vegetation and a waterfall feature creates a stunning, natural-looking pond environment.

Fish Population in Cedar Falls

We've observed successful spawning activity for several species in Cedar Falls:

• Golden shiner fry
• Tiger bass fry (second successful spawn)
• Tilapia spawning

We've also introduced new fish to the pond, including:

• Six tilapia (up from three last year)
• Moby, a large bass transferred from another pond

Ongoing Management and Future Challenges

As we enter years 4-6 of our pond management journey, we anticipate new challenges:

• Managing the increasing bass population
• Maintaining a good balance of forage fish
• Addressing potential water quality, vegetation, and oxygen issues in an aging pond

We're excited to tackle these challenges and continue our quest to raise trophy bass.

Sharing Knowledge: Visiting Other Ponds

We've started a new segment where we visit other pond owners to share ideas and learn from their experiences. Recently, we visited Trent, a new pond builder in the final stages of constructing a 2-acre pond. We discussed various aspects of his build, including:

• Clay lining (similar to our pond)
• Dam layout and emergency spillway design
• Erosion control methods

This exchange of knowledge benefits both new and experienced pond owners alike.

Conclusion: A Thriving Aquatic Ecosystem

As we celebrate the 3-year anniversary of our tiger bass stocking, we're thrilled with the progress we've made in creating a thriving aquatic ecosystem. By focusing on providing abundant and diverse forage options, maintaining water quality, and continuously learning and adapting our management strategies, we've successfully raised several trophy-class bass.

Looking ahead, we're excited to face new challenges and continue refining our approach to pond management. We'll keep experimenting with different forage options, monitoring fish growth, and sharing our experiences with the pond community.

Whether you're a seasoned pond owner or just starting your journey, remember that patience, observation, and adaptability are key to success. Here's to many more years of growth and discovery in our ponds!

Article created from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZUTff0PyWU