Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Types of fish to choose LMB: Northern Vs. Florida

I live in texas,and I have the option of Florida Vs. Northerns.

I love the thought of having trophy bass in my lake. My lake goals, however, are to have a fishery where my friends and kids can catch Fish. I worry that the elusiveness of the flordia will not be good for the kids trying to catch some fish.

I have been reading about Tiger strain, or mix stocking, but with some evidence on F1 outbreeding depression, i am hesitant to doing this.

Lake is going to be 3.5 acres. it is 1.5 acre currently.

I have placed 20 lbs of fatheads already, plan to place golden shiner fry and bluegill and read ear and another 20 lbs of minnows in 3 weeks.

Hope to follow with fingerling bass in the summer or fall, or maybe even next spring.


So Would you go with the florida or northerns...I love the thought of huge fish...but want to be able to catch them!

I'm out close to Abilene. I stocked 250 pure floridas 2 years ago and have yet to catch one. I haven't been fishing near as much as I'd like to but I should have caught one by now. I'm sure they're catchable but I just haven't figured out how yet.

Stock some of each - Northerns and Flas. To my knowledge there is no proof of outbreeding depression in F-1 or F-X Fla /Northern LMB. They are in fact naturally common in the integrated zone where Fla and Northerns overlap.