Tuesday PM after supper. It has been 4 days and there is a noticeable absence of eggs. Hope they begin hatching soon or this spawn will be a failure. Eggs can hatch in two days with water temps over 70 but will take longer the cooler the temps. My current temp is 68 so I'm hoping in the next day or two. Billy does a great job fending off attackers but I'm guessing he is getting overwhelmed at night.

There has also been an explosive growth of filamentous algae in the past few days which may be masking the view of the surviving eggs.

Wednesday 3-11, went to pond after supper and observed. When the feed is dispensed, the BG start feeding. As long as this is not near Billy there is no issue. If the wind moves surface feed in his direction, here is what happens......if BG's get in a 4' to 5' distance of his nest he will make a quick rush and will pursue as far as 16' from nest only to quicky circle back to guard. As long as no BG venture to close, he is OK with the feeding disturbances.

On 3/12/2026 at 11:01 AM, Blue Raider Bob said:

There has also been an explosive growth of filamentous algae in the past few days which may be masking the view of the surviving eggs.

Wednesday 3-11, went to pond after supper and observed. When the feed is dispensed, the BG start feeding. As long as this is not near Billy there is no issue. If the wind moves surface feed in his direction, here is what happens......if BG's get in a 4' to 5' distance of his nest he will make a quick rush and will pursue as far as 16' from nest only to quicky circle back to guard. As long as no BG venture to close, he is OK with the feeding disturbances.

About matches what I've seen when I throw a gilly by nests.

Saturday afternoon, Billy is still on the nest after 8 days and no sign of eggs of fry.......sigh! Temp 64deg and falling after a strong cold front with heavy rains last night.

I feel bad for the dummy but it is looking more and more like this spawn was a failure. He may not have any young'ins to look after but he still has a high gear for the BG that come too close! Still hoping that some eggs are under the algae and get to hatch. This brings up another observation, if the fry do hatch, they will have trouble getting past the algae. I watched Billy try to swim through a thin veil of algae and he had a heck of a time getting rid of it. Took forever for him to rid himself of the algae from his body and his mouth. It was wrapped around his gill covers and tormenting him.

Bass are finished with the spawn but I saw something yesterday, I have never observed. The water is still clear enough for me to see the bottom in most places, and the area by my dock with all the water plants has attracted some Redear (Shellcracker). Yesterday, three of them were milling around in what appeared to be a war of wills over a spot and they were flaring their gill cover flaps out at a 90 deg. angle. The gill cover flaps are vibrant red this time of year and it seemed as though they were used in some sort of a threatening gesture. Unfortunately, there are only males in the pond because it was late May last year when they were caught from the Tennessee River, and only the male were guarding the beds. Really hoping to get out there in a couple weeks to catch some females. I never knew that they competed for nesting spots and how they did compete. The pond is a lifetime of learning. I'll try to get a picture but they are in over 3' of water.

Back to Bass, I have a wet weather creek that runs beside my pond and it flushes farm ponds upstream during periods of high water. I have dug out a trench a foot deep to allow refuge when the creek dries up. The past couple days I have been rescuing fish from the trench as the water level drops. I toss these survivors into my pond and I have learned some habits from our friends the LM. The Gambusia top minnows are only pursued by the young Bass but the small BG's are the target for the larger Bass. I have one that waits for me pondside and follows me wherever I go. I toss BG's in the pond and he instantly reacts. This may sound cruel but my choices are either toss in pond where they have a chance to escape, or leave them to be dead possum dinners in the dried up creek. I also get crawfish and Darters. The point of all this is to show how quickly the Bass can become conditioned to a food source...AND almost totally loose the human fear factor. Speaking of which, the BG's are even less fearful than the LM. When I am standing in the water, pulling worms off the Lotus leaves, the BG will actually take the worms from my hand

It's all fascinating, Bob. Thank you.

Bob I for one don’t find anything you’re doing cruel in any way shape or form, nature can be cruel and as you said you’re giving the bluegill a fighting chance vs suffering from lack of water. Besides your bass have to eat as well and it seems Mother Nature gave you a natural food source to feed them.

nature is often worse and what you are doing is just a part of the circle. It will be gone and food one way or the other.

My timeline might be off but didnt you just add the extra plants last year? I wonder if now that the pond has had time to settle with its liner fixed and new plants its finally balancing out how it should be. Less extra nutrients in the water would grow less algae .

6 hours ago, Functional said:

nature is often worse and what you are doing is just a part of the circle. It will be gone and food one way or the other.

My timeline might be off but didnt you just add the extra plants last year? I wonder if now that the pond has had time to settle with its liner fixed and new plants its finally balancing out how it should be. Less extra nutrients in the water would grow less algae .

Yes, the plants are going on third year this year and my algae is bad but so far not as bad as last year. The bottom of my entire pond is covered with Chara. It is a plantlike algae that thrives in hard, alkaline water and my pond is fed through a deep well in limestone. The Chara clear the water up to the point where I can see the bottom, but it also interferes with phytoplankton blooms, so I don't get the green water that is so healthy for ecosystems. I guess it is a tradeoff that doesn't require my permission. I have clear water but nothing to start the food chain.

OK, here is a new one on me. Witnessed more spawning activity in the plant barrels this weekend with more than one male with the female at the same time. The bass would come and go but would be mingled together at times. The female would lay on her side and gently shake while surrounded by males. This dispels any notion of competition between males. There was no aggressive behavior at all. Also this weekend, I saw my first free swimming fry. The male was constantly trying to keep his bunch together while fighting off anything, including bass, that ventured to close. Shellcrackers still acting broody, but BG nowhere near ready for beds.

Observations from yesterday. Bass behavior that I find interesting and would be unknown to me without frequent study is as follows. Bass of similar sizes travel together in small groups around the perimeter of pond in eternal search for food, this is well known. What may not be well known is a steady source of food at a consistent area will change bass behavior. The bass have a pecking order just like horses, goats, dogs, ect. the bass change from cordial companions to biggest dog gets the porch. When I toss creek minnows, crayfish, and wet weather creek bluegills that get stranded, into the pond from my dock, the bass attitude changes and stays that way, long after source of food ends. I have one of my largest (maybe 3 lbs) guard the dock and chase away any, and all bass from her spot. No longer is she a member of a roving pack, but has adapted a sedentary lifestyle and will not tolerate company. This make me wonder why bass are ever in close proximity with others of their kind knowing that primeval instincts override other considerations. Just food for thought.

One thing though, is a constant. Molly showed up Tuesday and without hesitation, approached the dock for supper. I do not know where she goes for months at a time but she has made my pond a stop for the past eight years. Sorry about the poor picture quality but the sun and shadows did not cooperate.