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Joined: Jul 2005
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Well, this is one of my first posts and just thought I would say hi. I have been reading this forum for the past 8 months and love every bit of it. I am going to be putting a subscription in for the magazine and if funds prevail (they are in short supply due to an upcoming wedding that I need to pay for), I will be ordering some back issues as well.
I do not have a pond yet (except the 175 gal. pond I am putting in for landscaping purposes). But I am just as excited as ever. A couple more years, I will be selling my house and moving to an acreage and plan on building my 2 acre pond. But since I am a planner and too damn excited about the future prospect. I can't sit on the sidelines, I already have put together lots of documentation on this stuff. To try to do it right the first time.
Anyways, here is what I would like to do. Just a heads up though, I am a expiremental type person, hate the "norm." So here is my plan, let me know your comments/suggestions:
Native Bluegill 1800 1st Year Redear Sunfish 400 1st Year Fathead Minnows 15 lbs. 1st Year Golden Shiners 15 lbs. 1st Year Crayfish 300 1st Year Threadfin Shad 15 lbs. 1st Year Blue Catfish 10 1st Year Channel Catfish 25 1st Year Tadpoles 200 2nd Year Yellow Perch 325 2nd Year LM Bass 35 2nd Year SM Bass 200 2nd Year
Later on: Gizzard Shad 20 lbs. 4th yr. maybe HS Bass 100 P&T 4th yr. Walleye 40 P&T 4th yr. maybe Moz. Tilapia 15 lbs. start 3rd/4th yr. Rainbow Trout 75 P&T 4th yr+ Brook Trout 25 P&T 4th yr+ Brown Trout 25 P&T 4th yr+ Tri. Grass Carp 4 start ???
As you can see I am aiming for a diverse fish environment. My goal is to have decent size catching fish and the chance for a trophy size game fish (chance is only a couple times a year). Not a big LMB/BG/Cat guy, but wanted just a few in there for diversity. My big fish that I want to see in the pond are yellow perch (I'm orig. from WI, love those YP fish frys too damn much), walleye (just another great tasty fish) and SMB (love the fight and the taste). So let me know what you would do in my shoes. Thanks in advance. Oh, plan on aerating with a windmill aerator (love Renewable Energy). And swimming/diving(air tank) in the pond occasionally.
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Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 18
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ceadmin, I was in exactly the same position as you about 10 yrs. ago with pretty much the same philosophy. Spent a lot of time planning. Wanted diversity and spent a lot money trying to get it. Much of it wasted. I'll share my experience and hope it helps. I'm in NW Ohio so climate is similar. p.s.- My pond is about half the size of what you're planning. I'll just comment on the species i have experience with.
BG-1800 seems like a lot- i never stocked them because of the nibble factor- we swim a lot- have never really regreted not stocking Red ear- good choice-are harder to catch though Minnows- yes- i stocked as many species as i could find- a season before everything else so they could spawn Crayfish- yes-beware the rusty crayfish Shad- no exp. Blue cats- no exp. CC- yes Tadpoles- IMHO not necessary- my fish don't eat them and unless you live in a desert, bullfrogs at least will find your pond-also bullfrogs can wipe out lesser native frogs- tree frogs, cricket frogs, etc. YP- yes BASS- yes to both- i think its a coin toss as to which will dominate-in my pond-its the SM- might want to try equal numbers of each and see who wins- maybe they'll balance out -you never know HSB- never had much luck with stockings and not sure why? still a mystery Saugeye did better than my Walleye-neither showed a lot of growth RB Trout- stocked several- no returns- i don't have spring or aeration though Grass carp- use as needed- i like some plants- so i use them sparingly
hope this helps a little
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Joined: May 2004
Posts: 14,037 Likes: 300
Moderator Lunker
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Moderator Lunker
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fishbird:
Where did you find Saugeye for stocking? Or did you catch them somewhere and then transplant?
"Live like you'll die tomorrow, but manage your grass like you'll live forever." -S. M. Stirling
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Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 18
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theo, I got some yrs. ago(8?) from Fenders- he called me and told he had some- i then drove across the state to get them- pricey though,$5.00 each for 10-12"- they did well but didn' t grow much- were easy to catch
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Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 13,800 Likes: 314
Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame 2014 Lunker
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame 2014 Lunker
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 13,800 Likes: 314 |
Fishbird, what is the "nibble factor" with Bluegill? Are you saying that they nibble on you when you swim?
Excerpt from Robert Crais' "The Monkey's Raincoat:" "She took another microscopic bite of her sandwich, then pushed it away. Maybe she absorbed nutrients from her surroundings."
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Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 1,892
Lunker
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Lunker
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 1,892 |
Sunil, BG are known to nibble on people while swimming. Mostly on exposed nipples and moles. Never happened to me.
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Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 202
Lunker
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Thank you fishbird for your comments, I appreciate it. Never even thought of saugeye (kind of like the mut of the bunch, though I always liked purebreds ... heheh)
Anybody else have anything, feel free to keep the discussion going.
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Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 13,800 Likes: 314
Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame 2014 Lunker
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame 2014 Lunker
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 13,800 Likes: 314 |
So Dave, do you mean to say that:
A) You have no nipples? B) You have no moles? C) You have no bluegill? or D) You don't swim in your pond?
Excerpt from Robert Crais' "The Monkey's Raincoat:" "She took another microscopic bite of her sandwich, then pushed it away. Maybe she absorbed nutrients from her surroundings."
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Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 1,892
Lunker
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Lunker
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 1,892 |
Sunil, A couple of bouts with skin cancer has kept me from revealing my magnificent physique.
Actually, the BG have never bothered me. But then, mosquitos don't mess with me, bees don't sting me, etc. It drives my wife nuts. Everything bites and stings her. One of my daughters once said that I'm too full of crap and wildlife notices toxicity. About the only thing that really scares me is a woman with a lawyer.
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Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 13,800 Likes: 314
Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame 2014 Lunker
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame 2014 Lunker
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 13,800 Likes: 314 |
Excerpt from Robert Crais' "The Monkey's Raincoat:" "She took another microscopic bite of her sandwich, then pushed it away. Maybe she absorbed nutrients from her surroundings."
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Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 1,011
Lunker
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Lunker
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ceadmin, Without knowing the sizes of fish you plan to stock and from what little I know (its all come from this forum) here is my opinion. The addition of blue cats, with the exception of big_pond , would raise the eyebrows of some here on the board. The addition of LMB in year two puts a predator into the mix. This predator will have the benefit of two years growth before you add your trout, walleye and HSB. Depending on the stocking size, you may just be adding bass bait. The recent issue of PB magazine offers an article on walleye. When you order your subscription, ask PB if they could include this one with your subscription, if not, list your address and I will send you a photocopy of the article. DoubleD, is that a woman with a woman lawyer?? Russ
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Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 1,892
Lunker
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Lunker
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Russ, I once found that any woman with any lawyer is dangerous. Trying to fight two of them would be like bringing a knife to a gunfight.
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Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 202
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Thank you for your comments Russ.
The walleye and HSB were to be added at a larger size later on. The trout were also going to be added at a larger size but they were just going to be stocked in Oct for a put & take fishery for the winter time only. I think it would be too warm here for them to survive our summers.
The blues were added for diversity and would be fished out later on.
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