cohabitation ..bass and pickerel

Question
will the pickerel population eventually "take over" a ponds population compared to the bass?  in other words will the pickerel "reduce" the population of the bass in a pond thru feeding of small bass or bass eggs? it seems years ago I caught a bass a day on my little pond..now all I catch is pickerel...by about 8 to 1 ratio easy?


Answer
First let me apologize for taking so long to get to your question.  I haven't had access to a computer in about a week and it's been pretty hectic.  
Now, let me answer your question.  Yes, pickerel can over power a population.  In general, anytime two similar species exist in the same habitat, they can push on each other's population.   Pickerel are especially one of these species and can prove to be quite invasive.  I don't know exactly what it is about them, whether it be appetite and shearly being able to out eat bass, or reproduction and ability to out reproduce them, but they have a terrible knack for pushing on bass populations that aren't strong enough to hold their own.  Now, don't misunderstand me, competiton amongst species is a great healthy thing that ensures that the better genetics are passed along through the weaker animals dieing out.  The problem occurs when one species begins overtaking another and, again, pickerel have been known to do that, especially in small ponds that lack the stability of larger bodies of water.  It seems as though your pond has been taken over by rapidly growing pickerel population.  

I don't know much about fixing such problems.  Your best bet would be to contact the local fish commission.  They would at least be able to make some suggestions and/or point you toward some one locally with sufficient knowledge in freshwater biology to provide a solution.  Ponds tend to be incredibly fickle and are dependant upon countless variables.  If you want to get your pond back in shape, you need to take care of the pickerel problem and the best way to do that soundly is to consult an expert on that locally who can experience your pond first hand.

I really hope that I've been of some help, and I again apologize for having taken so long.  If you have any more questions, or if you think I might be able to help you with anything else, please feel free to ask anytime.  

Thank you for asking and good luck!
Chris