Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Types of fish to choose Trout Questions

Hi all. We have a 3 acre BG/LMB/CC established pond in central Virginia and are thinking about adding trout in the next couple of weeks for some good cold water fishing action and some tasty eats. The current plan is to get larger Rainbows – 10''- 14” - but we have the option of going smaller than that or stocking Brooks and Goldens also. I have two questions.

-- First, are there any downsides to stocking trout in an established pond? I think they will be a lot of fun, but I don’t want to risk upsetting the balance of the pond as we love fishing in the warm weather more than anything.

-- Second, assuming we move forward: what stocking plan do folks advise in terms of types, sizes and amounts?

Many thanks in advance for your advice!

MarcN I am asking myself the same question right now.

The first thing you have to decide if this is only stocking for your pleasure/fun/eating. Or if you want smaller ones so the bass/catfish can take advantage of them too.

Also in a 3 acre pond I would stock as many as the budget will allow if you want to fish for them. More fish = better chance of catching one. I have multiple ponds and am thinking about putting large trout in small pond to fish for, and small trout in big pond for the bass to eat.

Also if you feed them over the winter they will grow rapidly. Many people here have extensive experience with trout. Ill let them help you more. I dont think there is much downside as they will die when it warms up (I assume the water warms up enough for them to die in your state). But keep in mind I have never had them before so lets hear from the others!

MarcN, like jakeb said, what's the goals? Do you want to feed the trout to the LMB and CC, or grow them larger for you to eat?

How many people will be having trout for dinner, how many times per week?

Is the pond aerated?

Will you be feeding them during the winter?

Thanks, jakeb and esshup. Great questions, and here are some answers.

Our goals for the pond are a balanced fishery with some nice (3lb+) LMB for my dad and I to catch and enough BG's to keep the kids interested and excited. The CC are for catch variety. I should also add the pond has a nice population of CP that mother nature provided which also add fishing variety -- especially in early spring when I tend to catch them more often.

The goals for the trout are primarily to provide fishing excitement when the LMB bite slows. By that I mean that I want to make sure we have a good chance of catching decent sized fish (which I'll define as 1 lb+) whenever we go out there. There will not be much fishing pressure -- I'd be shocked if the pond got more than 1-2 people fishing it each week Eating is a secondary consideration.

The pond is not aerated but is spring fed with a really strong flow through if that makes any difference. We don't intend to supplemental feed the trout, although my dad may enjoy throwing out some pellets the several days a week that he makes it out to the property. I don't have any illusions that the trout will survive the Virginia summers. I fully expect any remaining trout to be gone by mid June or so.

My plan is to see if we get enough fun fishing in the fall through early spring that it is worth the investment to do it all again next year. So, I am trying to find the balance that allows us to catch fish regularly without risking upsetting the balance of our "year rond" fishery.

At first I was thinking that stocking about 10 RBT per acre in the 10" to 14" range seemed about right, but after more learning and studying that number seems low to ensure a decent catch. So my main question is around thoughts on what the right number per acre is. 20? 70? Somewhere in between?

Thanks again for your advice -- this forum is awesome!

Given your goals, I would stock both larger and smaller trout. The smaller ones will feed the LMB, and the larger ones will provide food for the table, and more angling opportunities. I'd stock at a 60/40 mix, smaller to larger. As for the numbers, I prefer to stock heavier rather than lighter to ensure angling opportunities. I've never stocked less than 50/acre of the larger fish, so I don't know what the angling opportunities would be when stocked at a lighter rate. I know that at a minimum of 50/ac, you WILL catch at least one every 20 minutes or less.

I've stocked both Goldens and Rainbows, and the Goldens are more agressive towards lures.

What size are the LMB in the pond, and how many are in there? What condition are they in?

Thanks, esshup. We stocked the pond 5 years ago with 200 LMB. My only estimation on their current numbers is from angling. I would say that they the pond is definitely not bass-crowded (although that may speak more to my fishing skills than the actual number of LMB in there!). But, I don't catch a lot of skinny bass. I tend to catch a decent mix of size classes with the larger ones topping out at around around 15"- 20" and 3 lbs or so. I have never done rigorous RW tracking, but they always look to be not too skinny, but neither are they built like some of the amazing "pigs" I see posted here. My relatively unecucated opinion is the LM population appears healthy and around average (100) on RW.

My 2 cents are if you want the most aggressive trout for fishing fun, add tiger trout, very hardy and more aggressive than rbt, brkt, or brnt in my experience.
Many hatcheries in PA. have them.

Sounds like you have/will have a great pond for everyone to enjoy! Personally I would try to get to that 50/acre that essup is talking about then if there is money left in the budget add smaller ones.

I also assume that if you did set up a feeder, not only would they grow much faster and be more fun to catch, but it would concentrate them around the feeder. So you already will know where many of them will be hanging out. Should make fishing easier and more fun!

jakeb, I've found that with the 50/ac, even on the other side of the pond, away from the feeder, trout will hit a lure. Yes, they do like the pellets, but I think they get used to the feeding times, and disperse after all the pellets are gone.

I'd love to try Tiger Trout, but I can't find them near here.

great info esshup, that actually help me in my trout stocking too! thanks!

When you say lure what do you reccomend? small crank bait? plastic minnow? im not much fly fisherman haha!

I have stocked RBT for the first time this fall. My reason was for a fish that would be more active in feeding during the winter months than other fish. I have an abundance of small sunfish that I want to knock back on numbers.

I will sit at the pond and about every ten minutes, one will take something at the surface. If I sit there for a while, there is a good chance that one will complete break out from the water chasing something. I have not fished for any yet, but have really enjoyed the new experience they have offered. I stocked 50 in aprox 1 acre.

jakeb, let them tell you what they want. Try a bunch of stuff. I've caught them on small crank baits, small in-line spinners, 3" paddle tail minnows, 1" gold or silver wobbling spoons (like a Little Cleo)rubber worms when fishing for LMB, and my neighbor has caught them on a #4 red/white bladed Mepps Spinner.

Thanks to everybody for their thoughts and insight. Based on the collective advice, here is my current stocking plan. I tried to balance my desire for good fishing (going with the 50 “large” trout per acre recommendation) with the hope of protecting the existing forage base and supplying a new source of forage for bass of different size classes. The plan below totals 150 “large” trout and 250 smaller trout of various lengths, essentially hitting the 60/40 small to large ratio that esshup suggested.

Size ------->Amount
10”+ --------->150
3” – 4” ------>100
4” – 5” ------>75
5” – 6” ------>50
6” – 7” ------>25

I will probably do a mix of Rainbows and Goldens. What are your thoughts on this stocking plan given my goals? Any changes you recommend? Thanks in advance, everybody!

I think you'll be happy with the trout! Sounds like a plan to me.

jakeb,

Are you adding trout to your pond, if so would you mind telling me where you are getting them, I would like to find a source close to me as well.

Thanks

Only person close (to me) I have found so far is Chad Fikes at texhoma hatchery. He is active on the forum and has given me some quotes. Not sure about delivery charge yet. He also mentioned they often go as far as into Oklahoma as Norman. So he may make it up to more NE OK. Also check you PM

MarcN,

Where are you planning to get the trout from? I am in Forest, just west of Lynchburg, and would like to get a few to try

Chris

Tree Farmer,

I am sourcing from Castaline Trout farm in Goshen. Shouldn't be more than an hour and a half from Lynchburg. They also will deliver for a minimum order + delivery fee. This is my first time doing this, so I can't tell you much other than the person I have been corresponding with has been very responsive and helpful.

So, will you pick up or have delevered? Sounds like alot of large size fish to pick up. I picked up 50 large ones and was glad I had a van. More than 100, I would have run into room issues.

The Plemmons, who own and operate Castaline, are great people. You will enjoy working with them. They have been fellow members of the WV Aquaculture Association for quite some time.

We just stocked 35 RBT in our little backyard pond 6 weeks ago. Our water is so much smaller than yours our experience is hardly comparible. Still, I can tell you that you quickly find yourself watching the clock each evening waiting for feeding time. Given our scale we hand feed but to be honest knowing what I do know I think I would elect to hand feed regardless as the show is just plan fun.

Feeding time is growing into a neighborhood event with my local farmer friends stopping by just before 6:30 to join me pond side. What a blast !

fish -n-chips: we decided to get them delivered. The hatchery guarantees live delivery if they deliver, and I am sure whatever contraption I would have created would have had a high degree of morts by the time we made it the 2+ hours back to the pond.

catmandoo: Thanks for the positive review of Castaline -- it's always nice to know you are working with good people!

Waterbug: That sounds really cool! We don't have a feeder and aren't out there every day, but I look forward to seeing if we can get them to take pellets on those days we are there.

X2! I have purchased brook trout from them years ago and was happy. Brian was professional and courteous. His product was excellent too. Did anyone know he provides fresh trout to the Whitehouse and has for years?

How much was the bill to the WH? I am thinking 4500.00 per fish with two portioned servings per fish and a total of 30K per plate at table!

Bet the motor on the garbage disposal in that place is accountable for the most wattage consumed