Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Types of fish to choose Stocking time is coming up!

I will be ordering fish soon and just wanted to share my plans in case you all have any suggestions that might help tweek the results. The idea is to manage a small pond that produces good size HBG and BG while using HSB and LMB as population control. Supplemental feeding will take place.

Background:

1/4 acre renovated pond (late 2016, filled early 2017), 10 foot deep, massive amounts of FHM spawns from last year and, YES, massive amounts of bullfrog tadpoles left over from last year, 300 crawdads bucket stocked last year, Central Missouri location, and 25 acres of watershed. (I realize the risk of this watershed, but must ignore it as the pond was originally put in to help control the amount of water "coming down the mountain". It has 3 foot of freeboard in conjunction with a 15" diameter drain pipe that really does a good job during heavy rains.)

The Plan: To be stocked about the time the FHM pull their first spawn...late April or May?

275, 3-4" HBG
40, 3-4" RES
30, 4-6" HSB
100, BG

LMB will be bucket stocked from a known overpopulated/stunted pond in the 3-5" range late in the summer to a quantity of about 25. (Or purchased from a fishery if the bucket stocking attempt does not produce the right size of LMB.

I might even throw in a couple of CC, preferably albino, for kicks.

How does that sound? And, thanks in advance for the discussion!

The one thing that bothers me is taking stunted LMB from another pond and stocking them in yours. They are unlikely to ever fully recover the missed growth.

It's my understanding that a stunted bass population is what is desired to control BG populations. Why not start with the stunted LMB conditions? I really don't want the bass to get big otherwise they will have to be taken out so they don't eat the larger pan fish.

quarter...it is not stunted bass that control BG, it is a heavy overpopulation of bass, that will eventually stunt.

Have you considered using all HBG and adding 25 HSB, and just waiting on the LMB if needed? And if LMB are needed for additional HBG control, start with one known sex fish, and add one at a time of the same sex till control is good. (also toss in 25 RES for grub control).

Man, only a 15" pipe for 25 acres of watershed? A 3" fast falling rain on saturated ground would overwhelm the pond within minutes.....Any E-spillway?

That sounds like a viable plan Rainman, I will certainly consider it. My thought on the LMB would be to add 3 to 5" fish later this year where the stunted bass in the donor pond are 1 pounders, but the all hybrid path might reduce the need for them, and sexing the LMB in next year could be very cool

I have had some 6" overnight rains since the pond was renovated and it covers the pipe by a foot, but has yet to over run the emergency over flow (3 foot Freeboard) . Maybe the 25 acres has some hidden underground pathways. Hopefully the excess water does not pose too severe water turnovers, maybe it will aid in population control. We'll see. It is what it is. If it all goes to pot, I can fall back on gsf and flatheads.

Gotta agree with Rex. I would rather go with the HSB than have to fight bass spawning.

Leaning towards...

300, 3-4" HBG
40, 3-4" RES
25, 4-6" HSB

Supplemental feeding (maybe 25 pounds a month), NO aeration at this time, maybe next year.

How do the quantities look?

How about the feed poundage?

Will 6" HSB be a problem with 3-4" panfish? The 4-6" HSB are all that are available within three hour drive (maybe stock the HSB later in the year or even next year?

EDIT: Pond is 10 foot deep, averages about 6 foot. Steep banks and 10% submerged structure/cover. Minimal bank vegetation - less than 5%, but last years plantings will be multiplying I hope.

6" hsb with 3-4" panfish....here's some info Bill Cody posted here http://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=372409

Here is my contribution for this project:
HSB Gape Information
Total length then Gape Width.
5.5" gape 0.59" (15mm)
9.75" gape 0.94" (24mm)
13.5" gape 1.1" (28mm)
19.0" gape 1.73" (44mm)
22.0" gape 2.1" (55mm)

Here are some data that I have for SMBass.
Total Lgn Gape Width
5.5" gape 0.71" (18mm)
9.5" gape 1.1" (28mm)
13.5" gape 1.57" (40mm)
17.0" gape 2.3" (58mm)

Here are some of my data for LMBass
Lgn Gape Width

5.5" Gape 0.83" (21mm)
9.5" gape 1.5" (39mm)
12.75" gape 2.0" (51mm)
17.0" gape 3.9" (100mm)

Stocking 6 inch HSB with 3-4 inch RES and HBG will not be a problem from a predation stand point. There will need to be food for them all in addition to supp feeding. I would suggest you first put in FH (20 lbs) and some spawning structure for them.

Thanks ewest for the feedback!

I put about 1000 FHMs in last year and they made more, ALOT MORE, using pallets as spawning structure! I also stocked about 300 virile crawdads. If they decided to stay, they should be getting ready to make more too.

I thought I'd wait to add the fish until after the FHM's first spawn just to add that puny size of forage.

20 lb of FHM in a 1/4 acre pond? gulp - maybe I need to recalculate my plans...

I like the idea of starting with the HSB, then bucket stock larger male bass next spring as you can.

DId you have a chance to watch the Pondboss live feed last night?

Red - I think the 20 pounds of FHM was just for feeding the initial stocking, not necessarily to start the pond off with spawning forage. Like I said, 1000 FHM's (about a pound or so) created many, many pounds without predation.

Brian, I am leaning heavily that direction. I missed the live feed as I was busy building a dock last night and will have to catch the feed as a re-run.

HSB will eat all sizes of FH and RES and HBG will eat the fry. In my opinion 20 lbs of FH will last about 2-3 years by which time the pond will be established. In addition you could add a few bonus SMB as well. The RES and HBG will add little in the way of forage with the HSB and HBG being put and take. If you are going to feed extensively then this all changes. Without the FH you have no reproducing forage except for small amounts of FX HBG and some RES.

You could put in fewer FH and wait for them to reproduce or add more later but the second becomes expensive.

Could think of adding some YP to help with forage down the line as well.

I don't think YP are available around mid Missouri.

My pond is loaded with FHM, so I'm not putting any in this year. They had all last year to multiply, I could walk across the pond on their backs. Thanks to PB member's advise...I stocked the FHM last year and put off the stocking of the game fish until this year. The pond is loaded with forage...FHM, tadpoles (wintered well, could even see them through the ice), and water bugs. It's a blasted buffet for the soon to come stockings.

Sounds like you are loaded up and ready ! Probably well over 20lbs now ...Fun times

I watched the PB live feed as a rerun and found it to be a very good hour of info, right up my alley. Thanks for the reminder Brian!

Harrisons has YP if you ever want to go that route - I got 150 YP 4-6" from them last fall, great looking fish

Thanks for that Matzill. I will put Harrisons in my back pocket in case the closer fishery (Raccoon Valley) falters for some reason and I will keep the YP in mind. I know nothing about them.

Rainman delivered advanced size yp to me a couple of years ago too here in wc mo.