Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Types of fish to choose Hybrid Striped Bass in 1.25 Acre Pond

I'm sure this topic has been brought up but I am wondering if adding hybrid striped bass to a 1.25 acre pond is a bad idea. Everyplace I have talked with has their own opinion. I was thinking along the lines of 20-25 8-10" fish. I currently have LMB (they do not seem to be over running the pond) I have a healthy population of BG. I have about 12 2-7lb CC that we feed every-night on catfish food and in a different spot I feed smaller aquamax grower 50% protein to the BG.

My goal is to make catching BG easy and a chance to catch a 3-5lb fish a possibility. Is adding HSB a bad idea? Is 20-25 too many? Should I add less or just try to grow the LMB?

There can only be one top predator in a pond IMO so one will take food from the other in some way. Would you rather have big LMB or be able to catch both but, one will be competing for the other for food. I have the same size of pond but my goal is large LMB I may add about a dozen CC to act as a clean up crew but I choose the LMB as my top predator to grow out.

This is a 2nd opinion added to all the others you have received. Dinsmore is on the right track. Both fish species will in some way compete with each other. However if you want some angling diversity of larger fish then you can add some HSB. HSB and LMB are compatible; scientific studies and practical experience proves it.

Remember as the HSB grow they contribute predator biomass. The practical pond is able to support a definite amount of fish biomass based mostly on pond fertility, total fish poundage, food amount, and water quality. Aeration improves water quality. All predators have to directly or indirectly share the allowed natural predator biomass. FYI large CC are also predators; although primarily night predators similar to owls.

Experience shows that to get the best production and results of the new HSB then two things are important. 1. Provide an better quality large size food pellet than catfish food; something close to 40% protein. 2. Prior to the initial stocking of HSB, remove at least one similar sized LMB(10"-13") for every HSB stocked. This does two things to improve the initial survival success of the HSB. 1.it reduces the predator biomass, 2. it reduces the total amount of collective predator behavior, interaction, crowding, & competition especially from existing predators. 3. it allows ample food availability to get the new HSB growing well. Newly stocked & stressed HSB from the hatchery are at a disadvantage and to survive well in an established pond they do not need the added or compound stressors of the previous three items: biomass, competition, and food.

Thanks Bill! see I am learning from you fellas! lol