ANNISTON ARMY DEPOT, Ala. -- Many people at Anniston Army Depot find fishing to be an exciting pastime.
For the depot's Directorate of Public Works, managing the installation's ponds stocked with bass and bream can be quite a challenge.
Too often, people under-fish the pond, returning too many fish to the water, and this affects the fish population.
Some anglers believe returning all fish to the pond is a good conservation practice. Fisheries biologists know this is often not a good idea.
Returning all bass to a pond can create a problem.
In a pond where bass are under-harvested, the bass population builds as each year passes. As the bass population increases, less food is available for each fish. This situation causes poor growth and the average size of the bass will decrease.
In short, the bass are starved.
Eventually, bass predation on bream, the preferred food of bass in ponds, reduces the number of bream. The result is very few bream growing to adult size and poor bream fishing.
Overcrowded bass populations can be prevented by adequate harvesting. An adequate bass harvest reduces the population of bass, promotes good bass growth and allows for adequate production of bream.
Remember, harvesting excess bass from the ponds today may improve the bass and bream angling tomorrow.
If you fish on depot, you can help keep the fish populations in check. If you catch several small, skinny bass and/or only a few large and healthy bream, this is a sign the pond needs more bass taken out of it.
If you catch several small, skinny, pop-eyed bream and/or only a few large (over 3 pounds), healthy sized bass, this is a sign the pond needs more bream taken out of it.
Fishing on Anniston Army Depot is conducted in accordance with ANAD regulations as well as state and federal laws. Individuals between the ages of 16 to 64 years old must possess a state fishing license (unless exempt) and an ANAD fishing pass issued by the Outdoor Recreation Office, which is located in Bldg. 74. The Directorate of Emergency Services has the authority to inspect creels, coolers, permits, etc. at all times.
NOTE: There will soon be new signs posted around Cone Reservoir designating where anglers can and can't be located. Should DES find violators outside these areas, a trespassing citation will be issued. If a citation is issued by DES, a loss of fishing privileges will also occur.
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