Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Types of fish to choose High Maintenance

Your homework and conclusions seem to be appropriate so far. You basically have a cool- water pond. The predominate, popular cool-water species are yellow perch, smallmouth bass and walleye. You mentioned perch and walleye earlier. In your region you may be able to see exceptional growth from the cool-water species due to your extended growing season due to a short winter, real early springs and extended falls) combined with a full growing season all summer due to the artificially reduced summer water temps in the 70's. You have a very unique situation for a cool-water fishery! Keep us posted on your progress.

Putting warm water fish such as LMB and catfish into your pond will result in reduced growth rates; but growing slower may lead to their extended longevity and ultimately the warm water species could reach larger sizes. You will need to be more patient for the warm water types to attain larger sizes. Stripers will also do okay in the cool water situation, however growth will lag somewhat that seen in warmer waters.

Stripers and walleye will need to be restocked when harvested, but SMB should be able to repopulate okay if LMB are not present in very many numbers.

If you use walleye, consider not putting in the stripers right away. See how the golden shiners can maintain their numbers in the presence of perch and walleye predation. Perch and any predator will quickly (within 1 -2 yrs) eliminate most if not all the fatheads. If after several years the shiners and small perch are prospering you can then add a few Hy striped bass. HS bass are open water feeders and will prey heavily on the breeder shiners and then minnow forage base may suffer. It is important to keep the forage base abundant if you expect good growth of your sport fish.

Your only difficulty with the cool water species will be in locating nearby hatcheries that have them in your region.

Footnote. The 10 grass carp that you added last summer should by the end of 2004 make pretty big dent in the Chara amounts. If Chara is abundant in 2005 you may need to add a few more because the fish are not eating up to standard amounts due to the cooler water temps. Restock grass carp at the end of 2004 or early 2005. Number added will be based on amount of Chara growth remaining. Keeping the grass carp stocked at lower densities will allow you to maintain or leave a few Chara beds to provide cover for small fish and invetebrates. Some Chara growth will also help compete against and suppress one or several types of filamentous algae which always seems be a problem in almost all ponds.