TECHNIQUES OF FISHPOND MANAGEMENT 7 
The number of fish in a pond affects the size to which the fish will 
srow but not the carrying capacity of the pond (fig. 2). Three fer- 
tilized ponds in Alabama were stocked with fingerling bluegill at the 
rate of 6,400, 3,200, and 1,600 individuals per acre (19,24). Atthe end 
of 1 year each pond contained approximately 300 pounds of fish per 
acre. In the first pond the bluegill averaged 0.8 ounce each; in the 
second, 1.5 ounces; and in the third, 3.8 ounces. In another experiment, 
two ponds were stocked with bluegill at the rate of 180,000 and 1,500 
per acre. At the end of a year the first pond contained 280 pounds and 
the second 320 pounds of fish per acre. In the first pond, the fish 
averaged 0.025 ounce and in the second they were slightly more than 
3 ounces. In each of these experiments and in others conducted with 
large-mouth bass, white crappie, and bullhead, large populations 
brought decreased size. 
Figure 2.—The large bluegill came from a pond stocked at the rate of 1,500 per 
surface acre and weighed 4 ounces at the end of 1 year. The small one came 
from a pond stocked with 180,000 bluegill per acre and weighed 0.02 ounce 
at the end of the same period (after Ala. Agr. Expt. Sta. Bul. 254). 
The fish population of artificial as well as natural ponds usually 
consists of a large number of species and individuals. In Illinois, 9 
artificial lakes with a total area of 50 acres had an average standing 
crop of 600 pounds of fish per acre and contained 46 species of fish 
(26) , of which 10 composed 96.5 percent of the crop. The three leading 
species were red-mouth buffalo, gizzard shad, and carp; these and other 
rough and forage fish made up 80.9 percent of the crop. ‘The more 
desirable species, such as bluegill, crappie, bullhead, and bass, totaled 
only 15.6 percent. Although the standing crop in these ponds was 
600 pounds per acre, only 93 pounds were of desirable kinds. 
781648°—48—— 2 
