How do I get fatter bass?

[Grayson Everett]

I have a pond I recently inherited. It is the size of a football field. Has a rocky bottom, lots of twists and turns, a few old trees hanging in the middle. As well as bushes with no leaves all around the pond interior. Water is fairly clear. I fished the pond. Caught a lot of bass. I noticed two things... one, the smaller bass <1# look healthy, maybe a little skinny. 2, the larger bass >2# have a skinny belly and big head. I caught a 4lber that had the head of a 8# fish. My question is, how do I make my larger LMB fatter? The pond can not be reached by auto or 4wheeler.

 

[hmsw2012]

Have regular plants of shiners.

 

[mrkrabs]

 

[watersdeep]

You may need to cull some bass, and add a shit load of gold fish.
post some pix of the pound and some fish.

 

[plj46]

Does this pond have any Bluegill in it ?

 

[aguilarserrato]

I think you have tadpoles.

 

[Grayson Everett]

Thanks for reply guys.

 

[NoLDR]

Yep cull some fish and add bait! I would also introduce bluegill. I grew up in the Midwest and had a blast stocking my own pond as a kid.

 

[Derby]

Bluegill or crappie.

Crappie get big and are good eating if you know the water quality of your pond.

Crayfish, frogs....all kinds of good bait. Not sure where you live, but I'd try to use indigenous species.

 

[No Cal Lou]

nurturing one's own pond sound like a fun project

 

[mike mitchell]

Eat more candy.


Sorry, re-read OP.

 

[kzaam1]

Take a cue from the SoCal lakes that have produced some of the biggest bass in the world.

Regular trout stockings!!! 50-100 pounds of trout each month should do it.

And cull the small and thin fish.

Or stock some bluegill if you’re not going to do the trout.

 

[sealskinner]

Take them off the Jenny Craig program

 

[Blackfish]

It's more complicated than just adding bass and baitfish. You need to establish a true ecosystem, starting with phytoplankton, which will feed baitfish, insects, and crawdads.

To get the bass to grow larger, you will need to cull out the bass at times. There are lots of great articles on how to stock and grow a bass pond. Things like water chemistry, fertilizers, and what fish to add, and what fish not to add. It's quite a process.

A green pond is going to have more fish than a clear pond.

 

[Grayson Everett]

Thanks @Derby @kzaam1 and @Blackfish . I really very happy guys for your help. Thanks a lot Guys.