What pond management techniques are recommended for growing big bluegills in a pond?
Periodic water level drawdowns and a largemouth bass size limit are two fish management tools that will produce big bluegills. To be effective, drawdowns should reduce the pond’s surface acreage by at least half for a period of six months (September-March). Periodic water level drawdowns strand many small bluegill and crowd many others into a smaller area where they are more vulnerable to predation. Reducing the pond’s volume every second or third year keeps the fish population below its carrying capacity and the surviving fish have an abundance of natural food. Bluegills frequently grow 6-8 inches in two growing seasons in new ponds where there is little competition for food. Ponds constructed with a drain valve are a fish manager’s dream as the water level can easily be lowered. Flexible, six-inch field tile works well for lowering the water level by siphoning in ponds that do not have a drain. A 14-inch size limit on largemouth bass is another method of producing big bluegills. If a
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