Small pond bluegill (live, eat, area)

[ScottieG123]

I live right across the street from a fairly small pond that is full of turtles and bluegill. It isn't stocked, so those fish must be hatched right there in the pond, which logic tells me must mean a few keepers. Darned if I can find any spots with fish bigger than two or three inches. Any ideas?

Scott

[South Jersey Styx]

Are you looking for a place to go fishing? What area are you interested in?

[Jon_In_NOVA]

Bluegill do not get very big - they are called "panfish" for a reason. However, I have been surprised before with catfish heavier than 20lbs in very small ponds where I thought it was only bluegills and other smaller aquatic forms of life.

Some of the biggest largemouth bass I have ever caught came from ponds with no pressure smaller than 15 acres.

[RamblingMan]

I think if you only have bluegill in the pond and no predators, they'll overpopulate and that one of the results of the overpopulation is stunted growth. Try putting a slightly larger lure/fly/bait deeper and see if that makes a difference.

[Fredesch]

If the pond is not deep, it might only have small fish because the water gets too low or herons eat anything bigger than a few inches.