So this past April the pond had been full of water for about 9 months and was about the same age. We added about 1,500 HBG with no supplemental feeding. I'm hoping that the lack of supplemental feeding was not a mistake. Now, my wife would like Crappie and after reading a few threads here I'm up for the challenge. How many LMB, BCP and FHM should be added now? There is no structure in the pond at this time and we get a lot of wind coverage for oxygenation however I will be adding supplemental oxygen next fall.
Hi Jeff,
Assuming your HBG are 4 inches or bigger now, IMO any FHM you stock will be quickly eaten. The mouth gap on HBG would allow them to eat FHM and, as they have had no supplemental food, I would expect them to be very hungry.
Just my 1 cent...
Bill D.
The pond did have a fair amount local minnows swimming around before I stocked the HBG. I still see plenty of them when I walk along the banks. I guess birds brought them in. The available minnow population was the only reason I took a chance.
Interesting. Whether birds can stock ponds is a subject that has been debated many times here on the forum. As far as I know, there has never been a structured study ever done to provide a definitive answer to the question. Do you have any other explanations as to how the minnows got in there like from the water source for the pond or a high water event?
Can you catch a few of your minnows and post some pics? Depending on what they are and since they appear to be surviving/thriving in your pond, they may be already filling the forage role you were hoping to achieve by stocking FHM. I am also curious whether some of the minnows you are seeing now are small HBG.
Have you considered HSB instead of LMB? The HBG production will provide only limited forage for LMB and recent articles I've read seem to show that the open water feeding HSB have been successful in controlling BCP numbers in smaller BOWs.
It's remotely possible that the minnows could have come from a pond that's about 2500' away however I don't know if that pond ever overflows it's banks. I'll ask the neighbor next time I see him.
I'll see if I can get a sample. I didn't see as many yesterday as I saw in the summer however there are still a fair amount of minnows. I don't know if the cold weather has anything to do with it. We've been in a drought and the pond is probably a foot low. Maybe they saw me coming really early. I'll get a minnow trap and see what we can find.
I have not thought about HSB but am open to them.
I would reconsider the crappie in 8/10 acre.
With your HBG with low reproduction rates and Crappie with low and inconsistent reproduction, what are you doing for forage.
I am betting the minnows are Gambusia. I find them in shallow pools all around my property and big rain events will stock ponds in my area.
Pretty much looks like a green sunfish?
Can you get more pictures posted of the minnow? the mesh pattern on the minnow looks like a diamond shaped 'fish net' pattern of mesh coloring. This is often seen on certain shiners (not golden shiner) or even on a creek chub or sucker. The mouth configuration can help us too.
I don't see gambusia in the picture but it is a hard picture to give an accurate ID
I defer to esshup and Tracy. Minnow is probably Gambusia. The angle of the image confused me.
The bream looks full bore GSF to me.
My $$ is on a Gambusia ID. Yes to the Green Sunfish on the top pic.
