So a friend of mine has a 1/2 acre pond. Population is BG and LMB. Recently, maybe two years ago he had something happen. From what he tells me it was almost a total fish kill. Now the pond is heavy with underfed bass and extremely light on forage.
I wanna help the guy out, hes retired and doesnt get around so good anymore, so harvested about 20 lmb between 10-18 inches in early summer. Here we are a couple months later and still no bg to be found.
First thing that comes to mind is stocking bg and adding cover. Hes a nice guy and frankly I enjoy fishing his pond wih my kiddoes so I called a few places to see if I could get 100 adult CNBG for a decent price. The only ones who answered the phone was pondking out of gainesville and they tell me they can get me the fish in late sept at a good price.........but im not much on waiting. Im very tempted to take the kiddoes perch jerking at the local lake and hual a few buckets of bg to the pond and maybe sink some trees to get things goin.
Is this a completely bad idea? If not, what would be the best way to go about it? Should we just wait and pick them up from the fishery and maybe get a couple pairs of floridas?
Thank you for your insite
James, I would be patient and wait until I get the desired fish available - no telling what you will get out of a local pond. I am picky about fish I stock in our ponds and would be the same for anyone's pond.
Have you checked with Bob Waldrop of Tyler Fish Farm or Overton Fisheries?
They are the only growers in the area that I am aware of that hatch their own CNBG - Overton grows them out to adult size - don't know if ready or not.
I made the mistake of "bucket stocking" BG from neighbors pond and Arkansas fish truck intergrades many years ago and regretted it.
IMO, you will do your friend and those who follow, a favor by selecting the best brood stock available.
George Glazener
