How do they get in there?

[donny916]

I was out fishing a local pond and this question came to mind...How do bass get into a pond that has no inlet from a large lake or river? I'm sure no one has planted them there. So does anyone know how this happends? If I dig a pond in my back yard, would it end up populated by bass (I'm not doing this, its just an example)? I've seen fish in all sorts of ponds, so maybe you guys can answer my question.

[green_monster]

I'd guess they got planted by someone at sometime. With that said, I've only known carp and bullhead to grow from nowhere. So, who knows they could have been carried in by waterfowl.

[Bill K]

99.9% it has been due to someone planting the fish there. There is always the chance of waterfowl/birds carry some in or flooding carrying something in. But it takes two, male and female, to reproduce, so in all probability they are planted. Bill K

[tunaman]

Largemouth are native to Central and Southeastern US only, so everywhere else you find them are the results of plantings at one point or another.

Roger

[g-man]

It could be feed from underground and you can't see it coming in. I know of multiple ponds that are like that.

[Tin Can]

It could be feed from underground and you can't see it coming in. I know of multiple ponds that are like that.

So the bass dig their way in through the underground tunnel?

[NaCl]

Carp have been here for eons but when they heard rumors about bass they decided to evolve into the ultimate freshwater fish. So, for more than 50 years, carp worked hard to evolve into largemouth bass! Some efforts went awry producing things like catfish, squafish and pike (at Lake Davis), but don't blame the carp for their mistakes, they tried hard to become bass.

[Hitman]

Build it and they will come....

[Greg_Cornish]

Bass have legs until they are 3 years old.

[g-man]

It could be feed from underground and you can't see it coming in. I know of multiple ponds that are like that.

So the bass dig their way in through the underground tunnel?

they use catfish for shovels.

[Skunkedagain]

I was told by a biologist that birds can cary fish eggs from one body of water to another....

[Dave A]

I bet the bass are asking the same question about us, "How the hell did they get here?".

To answer your question:

In the beginning there was nothing but darkness and god said let there be light....

The bass show up somewhere between Adam & Eve and Moses.

[Greg_Cornish]

I bet the bass are asking the same question about us, "How the hell did they get here?".

LOL haven't we all said that in our youth?

[BassManDan]

Every answer here is irrefutable science.

(Catfish as shovels...NICE!!)

But yes, you can almost guarantee that they have been stocked.

BassManDan

[Greg_Cornish]

I still say, "Undigested Heron Poop"

[Shad*Wizard]

Buchanan Park had some bass a few years back in Pittsburg...Up to about 3 and a half pounds...My assumption was they were planted...They loved hitting a "Slam Dunk" spinnerbait...



241...

[donny916]

I still say, "Undigested Heron Poop"

My friend swears by this method!!! I thought that he was crazy, but after all this...hell it might be true. So it comes down to birds, planters, and POOP!

[tunaman]

I still say, "Undigested Heron Poop"

My friend swears by this method!!! I thought that he was crazy, but after all this...hell it might be true. So it comes down to birds, planters, and POOP!

Uhmmm, I'm not sure that fish eggs would survive being processed through the digestive system of a bird, but makes for a great urban myth!

I could see the extremely remote possibility of some perhaps clinging to the down of a waterfowl, but I'm pretty skeptical even of that. I know that was one theory discussed for invasive distribution, and many seemed to discount it without merit.

Roger

[mac (Doyle McEwen)]

Most fish eggs wouldn't survive long without being in water..Now if a bird (heron) were to fly from one body of water to another, just several yards away, it might be possible, definitely not impossible..I would think stocking from flooding would be more likely if the fish were not intentionally stocked..

mac

[fish_food]

How do bass get into a pond that has no inlet from a large lake or river?

The technical term for such phenomena is "Bucket Biology"

[Lake]

I heard that most farm ponds have bass for carp population control. Farm ponds tend to get overgrown with weeds making it unhealthy and tough on the cattle. Its my understanding they plant carp to control weed growth. An over population of carp in a pond can cause disease for the cattle, therefore adding bass, bluegill and sometimes crappie to the supply chain creates a healthier pond.

I remember back in my youth if you weren't stepping on cow dung every 5 ft chances are the ponds didn't have much of a bass population.

[BIG DADDY BLUE RANGER]

Tiny bass in their larval state are often maliciously introduced by secreting themselves inside the shells of Quagga muscles and MTBE molecules...... and we all know Quagga's and MTBE is/are everywhere








could also be that fish are planted in standing bodies of water to help w mesquito control..... and bass, sunfish, and catfish type critters tend to due the best in ponds.....

then again it's possibly linked to an inenational conspiracy

[Greg_Cornish]

You would not believe how many bushels of Heron poop I've pawed through trying to find fish eggs. Seriously, in Minnesota there are hundreds of gravel pits on private property that farmers who couldn't care less about fishing don't let people near. In five years, these gravel pits will be teaming with bait, Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, Bluegill and Sunfish. Heron Poop.

If you get to know these old farmers well enough they'll let you fish em, but not without a good laugh and a "There's no fish in that pit."

[mark poulson]

How do bass get into a pond that has no inlet from a large lake or river?

The technical term for such phenomena is "Bucket Biology"

I know for a fact that's how bass got into Echo Park Lake in Los Angeles.

[Skunkedagain]

[quote="Greg_Cornish"]You would not believe how many bushels of Heron poop I've pawed through quote]




You sure have a lot of hobbies!

[Steve]

Birds are the poster child for efficiency, everthing about their physiology is designed for being light weight such that they spend less energy during flight. This includes their ability to digest and excrete food. Food moves through birds very quickly, their digestive system is a serious acid bath. I seriously doubt a bass egg or small fish would survive the brief trip through a birds digestive system.

Buy hey, if you really have the time to dig through a bunch of bird crap conducting armchair biology, I say go for it. Im always looking for a good laugh while fishing. It never surprises me what I see people doing while Im fishing at Clear Lake.

[Greg_Cornish]

You would not believe how many bushels of Heron poop I've pawed through quote]




You sure have a lot of hobbies!

People only take me serious when I tell a lie?