You know what we (dummies) need?

One of those "answer 20 questions" about your pond and fishing goals and it spits out a stocking plan. The more I read and the more people I talk to the less confident a I am about any potential plans for this years new pond stocking.

I'm sure I am over thinking as I can sometimes do, but it seems so much hangs on that initial step. Heck with it, I'm putting in Koi.

Part of the problem may be that I don't have the pressure to make the decision just yet and have too much time to flip flop. Once my pond fills up, the decision has to be made and I'll not have to think about it anymore. If anyone has any extra rain...send it to Missouri.

Thanks for listening...I feel better. Any pond stocking pros out there with programing skills? How cool would it be to have a place on PB to go and get stocking recommendations in an automatic way. Too Cool!

Add some FHM and relax:)

I almost always now tell people with a new pond that they do not need to add fish as soon as the pond is full. I liken it to you do not need to marry a girl as soon as you have had a few dates. Get to know how each behaves before committing to something long term. In the case of a new pond, look to see what develops and how the water quality behaves the first year. This is baseline information. Then once you start doing things and making changes to the pond you better realize how the changes affected the pond compared to the first baseline year. However most are very, very eager and can't wait to get to jaw jerking some fish. Many want to stock something in the new wet spot even before it is full. Either way can work depending on one's GOALS.

Many in my area build a pond as a household water source since most of the wells contain stinky, corrosive, sulfur water. Tilapia have become a new very effective method of FA & delicate plant management where harsh chemicals are not as commonly needed nor used. It is the thousands of baby tilapia that are actually the best algae eating ARMY. Bass and some of the other fish eat lots of tilapia babies thus this requires more cost for more adult tilapia to be stocked. Without any predators in a new pond we can stock a lot fewer tilapia for a domestic water use and swimming pond and keep it close to swimming pool clean without chemicals compared to a pond having numerous bass.

I agree with RAH.

put in some baseline forage minnows FHM or other species , let them breed and give your self some time to consider the top end fish.

Bill is absolutely right about me wanting to get fish in right away. I don't know how long I can hold out considering my pond only has about a foot or two of water in it and last weekend, out of anxiousness, I measured my home well system's output and calculated that it would take 3 months of continuous garden hose filling to get close to full pool. Now, that is not on option for me, I don't want to put my little 1/2 horse well pump through the paces and a few good toad stranglers and the pond will fill quickly. I have had about two inches of rain since the pond was renovated and that actually yielded over a foot of sustained water level.

FHM will surely go in when the time comes, but the one and half hour trip to the fishery to get them will surely result in the rest of the fingerlings being purchased as well. The current question is to hybrid or to not hybrid or a combination of some sort. And, of course, in what numbers. BG, HBG, HSB, LMB, Res, & FHM (and maybe a CC or two) or my basic considerations. I plan on hand feeding until I tire of that and then a small floating pier and feeder will be installed.

Don't get my rant wrong, I so appreciate PB and it's members and all the information and options available...I just gets a little overwhelming all the while praying for rain. One thing at a time, right?

To travel 1.5 hrs to get your fish is not long unless you don't want fish very badly. It is not uncommon to travel 3-4 hrs one way to get high quality stocker fish. Be creative and take your roommate along buy lunch, get fish, and go home. Quality time together. Go again to get the sport fish after the forage has reproduced for several months or 1 yr and pond is full.

QuarterAcre, I hope the Koi was sarcastic...I was just paid fairly well to mitigate, drain, clear and refill a pond that had Koi. If you want some fish, go to PetSmart or Petco and get Rosy Red Minnows which are a color variant of Fathead Minnows...They are a little pricey at around $.15ea but a couple dozen will be several thousand in a few months...

Thanks for the tip Rainman, and yes the Koi comment was out of haste and would never be an option. I wonder if GSF would have gotten more peoples attention. Glad to here the Koi problem your customer had worked well for you however. I did experiment with GSF before the pond was renovated and can say that about a dozen GSF from the creek turned into about 1000 or so in just one and a half summers in 2 foot of muddy water They eliminated the abundant amounts of crawdads in short order too. Then, once the pond was drained, the dead fish stink lasted for weeks. I didn't tell my wife what I had done! She was not too happy with my newest hobby.

I agree with Bill. Make it an adventure. Overton's was about a 1.5 hour one way for us. On the way up we stopped in Fairfield at a place called Sam's. They have a real good breakfast/lunch/dinner buffet.


I will say this. They are about 5 miles outside Buffalo on the feeder road. They are on the right hand side if your headed toward Houston. There is no exit! You must exit in Buffalo or you will have to travel an additional 6 miles before you can exit.

Yeah...19 hours round trip is my current record.