Pond Management in Illinois

Abstract

The combination of fishes used most often for stocking Illinois ponds is largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) and bluegills (Lepomis machrochirus). Bass are stocked to give immediate dominance[long dash]otherwise bluegills soon overpopulate. Other combinations are largemouth and warmouth (Chaenobryttus cornarius); largemouth and redear sunfish (L. microlophus); largemouth-bluegill-warmouth-black bullhead (Ameiurus melas); etc. Use of inorganic fertilizers is not recommended. Ponds support fish populations ranging from 75 to 600 lbs. per acre. Fishing pressure on privately-owned ponds averages less than 100 man-hours per acre per season[long dash]on fishing club ponds 200 to 250 man-hrs. per acre per season. The use of the draining technique is preferable to all other types of management because it allows an appraisal of an entire fish population and permits the operator to adjust the numbers and size range of any species within that population.