I have a year-old pond, smaller than a half-acre (it gets smaller every time I look at it), that filled this spring. In March, I put in 15 pounds of fatheads, 5 pounds of golden shiners, 150 redear, lots of crayfish and 25 channel cats. There are bluegill, also, that may have come in with the redear.

The pond has lots of cover (flooded trees and brush, plus gravel and larger rocks that I added to strategic places). The fatheads got off several good spawns.

How about this combo for adding predators next week?

Smallmouth bass: 25
Hybrid striped bass: 6
Yellow Perch: 50
Walleye: 6

I assumbe that the SMB, HSB and WE will immediately start hammering the FH. Will the YP hammer them, as well?

Should I forget about the WE? If they'd grow to 20 inches or so, I'd be very happy with the experiment.

If I include the WE, should I forget about the HSB for awhile?

I throw feed by hand every evening. If I get HSB, I hope to keep them primarily interested in feed.

Any suggestions?

Unfortunately you have BG... Without LMB, they are going to be a management issue.

TJ has a pond for several years with BG and no LMB just SMB and maybe HSB as main predators. The BG in this pond always tend to be too abundant. I'm not sure of the BG growth rates. If you go the SMB-HSB combination I suggest that you stock the predators on the "heavy" side. TJ may have good imput for you.

Its been a popular conversation lately so I will bring it up. In a pond that size aBlue catfish may do very well and be fun to watch if you do not want to go the LMB route.

I typed out a response to this, but then deleted it because it was borderline inappropriate.

I'm sorry that the people that stocked your pond ruined it.

I read stories like this all the time.

When is someone going to stand up and make these people pay for the trouble that they cause?

I have been screwed over enough in my life. When someone does you wrong, and they did you wrong by putting bluegill in your pond, they should be held liable.

Missouri Bill, I'd put largemouth in instead of smallmouth. I have yellow perch and walleye in my pond (4 yrs ago) and they are doing great. WE were 4-6" when put in and now 17-22". YP were approx 4" and now average 11". Original BG are 10"+ also. Also my black crappies are averaging 12".

The YP lay the egg strands in the spring but I've never caught a small perch or (BC). I'm not saying they're not in there but I have enough predators to keep them in check.

One more thing though... I put 10lbs of minnows in in maybe early April and another 10lbs in Oct. I like to keep my fish fat.

I put 10 CC's in my pond but started taking them out because they never stop eating and get huge quick. I'm down to 7 and will take 3 more out.

I stocked (50) RES and (150) BG but have only caught one of the red ears. I can see them on their spawn beds so I know they're still there.

Your pond is not ruined. Just add some LMB to your predator list. I think Salmonid has HSB in his pond and they are doing fine.

Good luck.

Hang Loose, did you try SMB first? And how big is your pond?

Put 4-5 female largemouth bass in and you should be ok. Be sure to verify the sex so they do not reproduce and take over.

I've thought about that. It would be easy for me to bucket-stock female LMB next spring, prior to the spawn. I could also the hatchery people about sexing their stocker LMB.

If you really want SMB, then do the single sex LMB. Maybe you'll end up with some meanmouths by doing that...

Feel free to contact me with your questions. I have been managing a fishery similar to this for some time now and it does present unique challenges. I don't know how successful that diverse fishery would be in a micro setting of .5 acre pond. If possible I would instead create other micro ponds and specialize the fishery for 1-2 species. That's what I'm doing on my four micro ponds now...will be far easier to manage and goals will be much easier to attain I am now witnessing.

My pond is 1/2 acre. Never used SMB. A friend has approx 100 in a 2 acre pond. But rarely catch them after June. My LMB patroll the banks (even when I'm feeding) looking for small gills or anything edible. I've seen them chase frogs out of the water and FHM onto the bank.

But like I said... I put a lot of minnows in every year.

greatwhiteape....Great name from Edgar Rice Burroughs(sp) series. Just curious as to your thoughts on BG. I love eating them. They're in my top two fish to eat.

I like to eat bluegill. It wouldn't break my heart if this became a trophy bluegill pond.

MB you will need an active predator in addition to your CC in order to create a trophy BG lake. Considering the size of your bow and the presence of CC and BG already, I'd probably focus on LMB as your apex predator to manange the BG population. You could stock single sex [female] to grow large LMB and high population of smaller BG, or both sex for higher population of LMB if you want a trophy BG fishery.

I'm now thinking of stocking 50 SMB now and maybe a few female LMB next spring. I'd really like to give the SMB a chance to make it.

In addition, I'd like to stock YP this fall, and a few WE and HSB, but not many.

Don't pick up fish until Oct. 5. There's still lots of time for waffling.

@hangloose
How deep is your pond for your walleye and what is your average temp if you know it? I have an eight acre spring-fed pond in Nebraska it has sandy and muddy banks and it's max depth is around 15 feet. Would walleye do will in this pond. Our fish population consists of channel catfish, Bluegill, green sunfish, common carp, freshwater drum, largemouth bass,white crappie, and gizzard shad

Cottonwoodbeach, (1/2 acre) Approx 1/4 of my pond is 16'. Then goes up to 10' and up the banks then. But my pond is approx 2 1/2' low now due to the no rain and hot summer. Sorry about the temps (no info). I usually only check it in the spring for tilapia stocking.

Depending on how big your predators are, I think the WE would great. The bigger the predators are the bigger WE you'll have to stock. A 8 acre pond gives the WE a lot more free room than I can give mine.

But it looks like you have an abundance of smaller fish so try it. They will definatly not take over your pond. Thats why I put mine in. They will surprise you a couple years down the road.

One more thing, I put golden trout and rainbows in the last two years. They all lived till the end of July this year. Killer heat summer.

Good Luck!

What are the stocking rates for walleye. (fish per acre)

I don't have a clue... The ones I have were the last ones my fish guy had.(and they're doing fine) I figured they would be a nice dinner later on. I'm taking a couple out next spring for a fish fry.
+ some gills and YP. Some of those BC might end up in the frying pan also.

Just don't over stock them.(I have 8 in my 1/2 acre pond) You can always add more later.
I'd love to have a pond your size to load up on fish I love to eat.