Grow out Pond - 09/14/10 04:34 PM
While sitting at home waiting for the well to be finished so I can finally start filling the ponds, I decided to re-read through some old Pond Boss magazines. I re-read Mark's article on canabilism and walleyes in his ponds in NY. I have a small forage pond built, about .1 of an acre which will be used to raise fathead minnows. Because I have nothing but time right now I was thinking....
My main pond will host YP, SMB, WE. I realize that the WE will not reproduce and will need to be re-stocked every two or three years depending upon harvest. Furthermore, smaller walleye are cheaper and easier to obtain at times in the spring than in the fall than larger walleyes and once the pond is established, I would not be able to stock smaller walleye. So, my thought is in spring when I re-stock the forage pond with fatheads, could I over stock the fatheads just a bit and put in 10-15 small walleye? The walleyes could fatten up on the fatheads through the summer (I will remove fathead periodically as their numbers expand) and come fall as I pull out the last of the fatheads, hopefully I would have 10-15 larger walleyes.
1. How does this sound?
2. Would 10-15 small walleye decimate the fatheads and thus make fathead numbers to small to reproduce sufficiently?
My thought is that I would do this every other year. Of course my thoughts do not stop there. I was thinking that I could do the same thing with SMB. Stock 10-15 with the fatheads and grow them out during the summer for a fall stocking. So every year I would alternate between SMB and WE.
This is more for fun and experimentation. Someday I hope to add a RAS to the house for winter grow outs but that is way down on the list.
Now I turn it back to the experts for your opinions.
Just celebrated 1 year as a subscriber to Pond Boss. I took it as an honor to receive my renewal notice. Signed up for 2 years.
My main pond will host YP, SMB, WE. I realize that the WE will not reproduce and will need to be re-stocked every two or three years depending upon harvest. Furthermore, smaller walleye are cheaper and easier to obtain at times in the spring than in the fall than larger walleyes and once the pond is established, I would not be able to stock smaller walleye. So, my thought is in spring when I re-stock the forage pond with fatheads, could I over stock the fatheads just a bit and put in 10-15 small walleye? The walleyes could fatten up on the fatheads through the summer (I will remove fathead periodically as their numbers expand) and come fall as I pull out the last of the fatheads, hopefully I would have 10-15 larger walleyes.
1. How does this sound?
2. Would 10-15 small walleye decimate the fatheads and thus make fathead numbers to small to reproduce sufficiently?
My thought is that I would do this every other year. Of course my thoughts do not stop there. I was thinking that I could do the same thing with SMB. Stock 10-15 with the fatheads and grow them out during the summer for a fall stocking. So every year I would alternate between SMB and WE.
This is more for fun and experimentation. Someday I hope to add a RAS to the house for winter grow outs but that is way down on the list.
Now I turn it back to the experts for your opinions.
Just celebrated 1 year as a subscriber to Pond Boss. I took it as an honor to receive my renewal notice. Signed up for 2 years.