Pond bummer...or not?

[Kossetx]

My one of my ponds, about an acre when full, went dry in "the drought" for the first time. Since then I haven't restocked it, instead allowing flatheads to flourish by feeding them. Last week while feeding I noticed all the sudden there were sunfish feeding too. This evening I finally grabbed a flyrod and went to catch some. I was bummed to see they were green sunfish, so up on the bank they went.

I was always taught no greenies in a pond. I went to another pond and caught 4 bass and transferred them to the greenie pond. I just came in and looked iup green sunfish and to my surprise the first article was this in pond boss.

https://www.pondboss.com/news/moderators-corner/green-sunfish

Maybe not so bad after all. What do you all think?

Pete

[Razrbk89]

They’re in every pond, steam, river & lake around here. I’ve never noticed them taking any ponds over, and they’re not bad eating either.

I’ve always heard they’re the first fish to repopulate something that was drained. They will get in fields (out of ditches, I guess) and some people call them rice slicks in the flatlands. I’ve always called them goggle eyes.

[Moose]

You sure you’ve got flatheads and not mud cats? They’re usually the first fish birds bring into a pond.

[kruppa24]

This must not be in Texas, no ponds in tx, there are a few tanks though

[HeyMikey]

You sure you’ve got flatheads and not mud cats? They’re usually the first fish birds bring into a pond.

^^^^ this, unless you stocked the flatheads that are in it.

[miket]

Im no expert by any stretch of the imigination, but unless I saw an obvious overpopulation issue I cant imagine wasting them. Worst case scenario they are food for more desirable fish.

[Kossetx]

FLATHEADS, hence the feeding plan.

Thanks to those who actually read and try to give real input.

[Moose]

FLATHEADS, hence the feeding plan.

Thanks to those who actually read and try to give real input.

Lol, Oh I read what you wrote, just have never heard of flatheads magically appearing in a pond that has not been stocked with them, now mudcats are in dang near every pond in tx. As for the sunfish they’re not a preferred forage fish as they’ll compete with your target fish. If you just want a pond to catch fish out of and not trophies then you’re on he right track.....

[chunkinlead]

Those green ones will stay alive on a hook a lot longer than any other perch.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[CastAndBlast]

FLATHEADS, hence the feeding plan.

Thanks to those who actually read and try to give real input.

I read your post as saying...

Your pond went dry. You did not re-stock. Now you are feeding flatheads. If you did NOT re-stock and your pond actually went DRY, you are feeding mudcats.

Correct me if I’m reading your post wrong.

With that being said...we have had multiple tanks with green sunfish. We never saw any negative results.

[cfortner]

Are we talking about red ear pearch or a different kind of green pearch? I've always found the channel and flatheads love the red ear and bluegill on trotlines, jugs, or just line fishing.

I'm also confused about the flatheads in a pond that went dry but you didn't restock.
Did the pond not go totally dry? Or did you restock flatheads? Otherwise I imagine what you have is what we've always called mud cat, I've heard some call bull heads.

[gigem95]

Those green sunfish are fun to catch. Very aggressive. Like catching a bass. Got big ole mouths on ‘em . Can swallow a plug.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Black Ice]

This must not be in Texas, no ponds in tx, there are a few tanks though

Tanks have concrete ponds don’t.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[TxDispatcher]

Tanks have concrete ponds don’t.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Glad you told me, I always thought we had stock tanks at the farm

[Black Ice]

Glad you told me, I always thought we had stock tanks at the farm

We call them watering holes[emoji23]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk