Production of Age-0 Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, and Bluegills in Ponds Stocked with Grass Carp

Abstract

Abstract In three consecutive growing seasons grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) were stocked in 0.4-hectare ponds containing bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus) and either northern largemouth (Micropterus salmoides salmoides) or smallmouth (Micropterus dolomieui) bass. Grass carp were stocked at the rate of 44 or 30 per hectare in four ponds and four ponds were used as controls. Grass carp had no adverse effect on survival of age-0 bass and bluegills in largemouth bass ponds unless vegetation was severely depleted. Fall standing crops of smallmouth bass in ponds containing grass carp were, numerically 1.4 to 25 times greater than in control ponds. Fall standing crops of bluegills were almost nine times greater in ponds containing smallmouth bass and grass carp than in the ponds with largemouth bass and grass carp.