Bugs, have you ever been able to get species like bluntnose to establish in even a pond with a mild over crowding of LMB? I never have, I can't get them to establish in ponds with LMB, except in rare situations. Those involve having he bluntnose well established before the LMB are ever stocked, not trying to establish them with a LMB crowding issue.
I'd hate for the original poster to put in so much work trying to get all these forage species established in his pond when his efforts would be futile. Bluntnose minnows and LMB don't work in my experience except in very large ponds with extensive rocky shallow areas which the original poster's pond doesn't have. Have you had a different experience with bluntnose minnows? Not many forum members on here have any experience with non traditional forage species, so any added insight you may have would be helpful.
Up until a few years ago I had no experience with lake chubsuckers and am still learning with them. Have you had them in any ponds you manage? Could you share your experiences with them? What is your source for them, since Todd Overton no longer sells them, I am not aware of any hatcheries that sell them for pond stocking purposes anymore.
