Where can you pick up FHM in IL near St. Louis or near Springfield, IL ? Also when is the earliest to stock them in a new pond in this area? Thanks

Pick up might be tricky. I know at least one guy near St. Louis, but he delivers. There might be a minimum order charge.

Rainman here on the forum is near St. Louis.

Stock them when you can. Typically after ice is off of the ponds.

Here's a list of dealers that the IL DNR puts out that might be helpful.

http://www.dnr.illinois.gov/fishing/Documents/PrivateFishDealerList.pdf

Bill D thanks for the help but i was trying to see if there was a spot that was closer. Hopefully rainman can help. Thanks

Esshup what was that place near St. Louis? Thanks

http://www.tilapiastockers.com/

Thanks just sent Rainman a PM. Will wait and see if he can help. What all does he stock?

Yo Darin, I know a lot of folks will disagree with me but I'm very accustomed to that. I think FHM are a waste of time and money. They are the Forrest Gumps of ponds. I would much rather invest in forage that has a better survival possibility such as BNM and or SFS. Bill D may have a lead on SFS in Il.

Bob-O I no I need to start getting some cover but I also need to be sure thenew lake has some food source. I will try and get ahold of Bill-D and see if we can work something out. Thanks

Until ya get some predators in there you should be good ta go. Eel grass worked well for me.You can and probably should sink some X-mass trees, Cedars or artificial structure. I marked where mine were with gal jugs. You'll need ta tie a concrete block onto them ta make em sink.

Bill D just posted some pics and I explained about them on his SFS habitat, spawnin structure, nada, nada, nada thread. Might help ya get them established quicker.

Bob...we need to slap you more often...lol FHM are the best bang for your forage buck when starting a new pond with smaller predators. BNM and SFS are better once your new predators have spawned...until they need larger prey again.

FHM are really slow, easy to forage on fish...BNM and SFS are a bit faster. For young LMB for example, you would get slower growth due to more expended energy with only BNS and/or SFS in the pond than you will with FHM.

What I stock are called "Tuffies"...a combination of FHM and BNM about a 70/30 mix on average...

Rainman thanks for the input. Sent you a PM reply. I would like to stock my first fish ASAP A pond with water and no fish does not make much since to me!

Wish I could have gotten your version of Tuffies Rainman. I asked the fish farm near me what their Tuffies are. Theirs are FHM that are farm raised and guaranteed no hitchhikers. Their FHM are pond raised and contain stickleback and maybe....

If I could have a do over I would want to stock your Tuffies...something to get the ball rolling (FHM) as easy prey and something for down the road (BNM)....

Rex, is this the mix you stocked for me? I thought they were 100% FHM. I sure hope there were some BNM in there. I should have requested them.

I've stocked FHM a few times over the years and, like others have said, have found that they disappear in fairly short order when predators have any significant pressure in the BOW. The only place I have managed to keep them year after year is in a forage pond with no predation.

Yes...You'll have some BNM in there. In your pond, with SMB and YP, plus that lone WE (if still alive), your minnows will stick around quite a while to feed YOY!