Uploaded June 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
What does it take to grow trophy-sized bass in a private pond? Ranger Nick Fuhrman heads to Oconee County, Georgia to find out — joined by Dr. Robert Bringolf, Professor of Fish Biology at UGA's Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, for a hands-on lesson in pond management, water clarity, and the science of the food chain.
Whether your pond is used for irrigation, recreation, or both, Dr. Bringolf breaks down the fundamentals that determine whether your bass grow big or stay stuck — starting at the very bottom of the food pyramid. It all begins with algae. The right balance of nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus fuels algal growth, which feeds zooplankton, which feeds small fish like Threadfin Shad and Bluegill, which ultimately feeds the bass. Get that balance wrong — too clear or too murky — and the whole system suffers.
Using a homemade Secchi disk to test water clarity on site, Nick and Dr. Bringolf discover the pond's water is too clear — a sign that algae levels are too low to adequately support the food chain needed to grow larger fish. They do find small Bluegill in the mix, which Bringolf says is actually an encouraging sign that food is still available for bass to grow.
Dr. Bringolf also explains what happens when pond owners do nothing — a bass-crowded pond where fish stall out at 12 to 13 inches, never getting the nutrition needed to reach trophy size. It's a common outcome, and one that's entirely avoidable with the right management approach.
For more on pond and fisheries management, check out the Warnell School Outreach page and the Ranger Nick Facebook page.
🌾 Subscribe for monthly outdoor, agriculture, and natural resource stories — only on The Farm Monitor.
What does it take to grow trophy-sized bass in a private pond? Ranger Nick Fuhrman heads to Oconee County, Georgia to find out — joined by Dr. Robert Bringolf, Professor of Fish Biology at UGA's Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, for a hands-on lesson in pond management, water clarity, and the science of the food chain.
Whether your pond is used for irrigation, recreation, or both, Dr. Bringolf breaks down the fundamentals that determine whether your bass grow big or stay stuck — starting at the very bottom of the food pyramid. It all begins with algae. The right balance of nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus fuels algal growth, which feeds zooplankton, which feeds small fish like Threadfin Shad and Bluegill, which ultimately feeds the bass. Get that balance wrong — too clear or too murky — and the whole system suffers.
Using a homemade Secchi disk to test water clarity on site, Nick and Dr. Bringolf discover the pond's water is too clear — a sign that algae levels are too low to adequately support the food chain needed to grow larger fish. They do find small Bluegill in the mix, which Bringolf says is actually an encouraging sign that food is still available for bass to grow.
Dr. Bringolf also explains what happens when pond owners do nothing — a bass-crowded pond where fish stall out at 12 to 13 inches, never getting the nutrition needed to reach trophy size. It's a common outcome, and one that's entirely avoidable with the right management approach.
For more on pond and fisheries management, check out the Warnell School Outreach page and the Ranger Nick Facebook page.
🌾 Subscribe for monthly outdoor, agriculture, and natural resource stories — only on The Farm Monitor.
