Placed about six large CNBG in forage pond (1/8 acre) back in May. Now I see hundreds of YOY CNBG feeding on small food pellets.

Question: Should I wait another month or six weeks to fatten them up before transferring to main BOW for LMB forage? Or keep them in forage pond until next spring, when many will be in 4 to 5 inch range?

Thoughts on timing? Factors I should consider?

When they get to 4-5 inches they will be spawning. Actually, if you seine now, you will miss some that will spawn.

Editing here. I don’t think I would handle them with the current water temps. I would wait, maybe until Spring depending on your goals for them.

Dave, thanks for your response. My goal is to feed my LMB (and HSB).

As you say, not gonna handle them until water cools. Mid to late October if I do transfer this fall.

Thing is, if I keep feeding them they will be much bigger snacks for LMB in spring. Right now they could help LMB under 12 inches grow, but that's about it.

Thanks for posting what you are seeing in your grow out pond. I don't have one so it's good info for me. First off, I would have expected faster growth of the fry from a late May or June spawn. I would expect another spawn from your stockers before November. If that was to happen, I would think existing fry would feed on the next spawned fry. And that would not be what I might want if I building forage base for my hsb and lmb. Of course, I am no expert and I don't have a grow out pond, so no experience here lol. I am thinking if I was to add the ones you have now to the big pond, they might take the pressure off of the fry you already have in the big pond. I think if you were to add your forage pond fry to thick cover (veggies) you would get better survival. And your forage pond would have another spawn with no pressure on the new fry. I base this on my adding 2 to 3" cnbg to my pond this past spring where I added them to the thick veggie area. I see a lot of 4" cnbg on my pond today. And I usually see a lot of 3 to 4" cnbg fry in February, that I thought were born in Nov. But, I could be wrong as to when they were actually born. Frank, I hope you don't mind me jumping in for discussion

Feed them as much as they will eat from now until Nov. Then transfer as many as possible to the other pond. You will not catch all of them - my guess is 80-90%. Leave at least 50 in the existing forage pond to grow out as well as the adults.

Good thoughts, Tracy. Hadn't considered impact on YOY CNBG on main BOW! I do have TP, though, which seems to help somewhat in this regard.

Thanks, Eric. You know, given how hot it has been, maybe November would be better to make transfer. Probably need to up feeding as well, now only about 1/3 lb a day.

I'm blessed with a forage pond that drains directly into main BOW, so could even just empty it out. Then use trash pump to refill forage pond, followed by FHM with spawning structure. Let them spawn, put in a dozen or so decent size CNBG in March or April, and let 'er rip. Or maybe even pack with FHM, let em spawn, then place smaller rainbow trout in forage pond. Feed them pellets, let them chow down on FHM, and I'll bet they grow fast into something worthwhile for larger LMB to eat!

After releasing RBT in Jan or Feb, fill forage pond again (rains will help, but trash pump will likely be necessary as well). This time catch some decent size CNBG, stock, feed, and dump in main BOW in June, about time when RBT die off.

Well, a guy can dream, anyway. Also plan to replenish TP and add TFS next spring, if the money holds out!

Sounds like a plan !!!

One thing I've learned in pond management: Plans are useless, but planning is important.

Plan = what we want.

Reality = what we get.