Central Ohio first year .85ac pond questions - 09/10/19 01:14 AM
what thoughts do you all that read this forum suggest one do this fall?
my questions: how many more hybrid bass should I stock in October? what stocking size should these bass be?
[there are swarms of shiners and minnows all around the pond]
[to control predator fish numbers stocked hybrid bass; plus these bass fight harder and grow faster; put and take is the plan AND large BG; target size being 1 lb+ -- including redears]
background: pond filled over winter; pool depth 13ft; 50%+ 8 to 13ft deep; 17 stacks of pallets [4 to 5 high] along 200ft of perimeter; most stacks have X-mass trees attached [all weighted down]; total 36 X-mass some along edge of deepest pond area; crushed 3/8"or smaller stone 5" deep along the 200ft run [for spawning beds] 3 feet deep; pond is feed by watershed of 7ac. as of July pond settled to 12 feet deep [evaporation, very little ran]; water chemistry: PH 7.8--8.4 (varies by time); hardness 180+/-; alkalinity 220+/-; Secchi depth kept between 18" and 36", currently 27" [recently fertilized slightly]; pond water is nicely green; feeding about every other day.
stocked as follows:
spring (April)+ (May) stocking FHM & shiners:
20 lb. golden shiners + 20 lb. brooder shiners; added 2 gallon in May
20 lb. FHM standard (April)
20 lb. rose FHM (April); added 2 gallons FHM in May
spring May stocking:
mix of HBG and reg.BG 4" to 7" (about 75 @ 8") quantity 750
Redear BG 3-4" quantity 200
Hybrid striped bass 3-5" quantity 50 [stocked 25 April]
and 25 bullfrog tadpoles [stocked in adjacent wetland pool]
current conditions ~~ Sept. 2019:
feeding swarms of shiners and minnows along with BG; huge numbers of fry along shoreline; can not identify small BG yet -- need to learn and experience more.
the tadpoles [mix of green and bullfrogs] now show legs.
the Blue Heron visits but limited his access by double fishing line around most of the pond; emergent plants starting to show [volunteers];
many BG are now 8" a few 9"
there were dozens of spawning beds all around the pond June
many hybrid bass are now 9" to 11"
one can catch 5"+ golden shiners on small hooks
hoping the hybrid bass grow fast enough to control the numbers of huge shiners eating all the food in the pond
concern is what happens over winter?
over did the habitat?
hoping to have fat BG and bass come spring and have a fish fry
comments and advice greatly appreciated.
my questions: how many more hybrid bass should I stock in October? what stocking size should these bass be?
[there are swarms of shiners and minnows all around the pond]
[to control predator fish numbers stocked hybrid bass; plus these bass fight harder and grow faster; put and take is the plan AND large BG; target size being 1 lb+ -- including redears]
background: pond filled over winter; pool depth 13ft; 50%+ 8 to 13ft deep; 17 stacks of pallets [4 to 5 high] along 200ft of perimeter; most stacks have X-mass trees attached [all weighted down]; total 36 X-mass some along edge of deepest pond area; crushed 3/8"or smaller stone 5" deep along the 200ft run [for spawning beds] 3 feet deep; pond is feed by watershed of 7ac. as of July pond settled to 12 feet deep [evaporation, very little ran]; water chemistry: PH 7.8--8.4 (varies by time); hardness 180+/-; alkalinity 220+/-; Secchi depth kept between 18" and 36", currently 27" [recently fertilized slightly]; pond water is nicely green; feeding about every other day.
stocked as follows:
spring (April)+ (May) stocking FHM & shiners:
20 lb. golden shiners + 20 lb. brooder shiners; added 2 gallon in May
20 lb. FHM standard (April)
20 lb. rose FHM (April); added 2 gallons FHM in May
spring May stocking:
mix of HBG and reg.BG 4" to 7" (about 75 @ 8") quantity 750
Redear BG 3-4" quantity 200
Hybrid striped bass 3-5" quantity 50 [stocked 25 April]
and 25 bullfrog tadpoles [stocked in adjacent wetland pool]
current conditions ~~ Sept. 2019:
feeding swarms of shiners and minnows along with BG; huge numbers of fry along shoreline; can not identify small BG yet -- need to learn and experience more.
the tadpoles [mix of green and bullfrogs] now show legs.
the Blue Heron visits but limited his access by double fishing line around most of the pond; emergent plants starting to show [volunteers];
many BG are now 8" a few 9"
there were dozens of spawning beds all around the pond June
many hybrid bass are now 9" to 11"
one can catch 5"+ golden shiners on small hooks
hoping the hybrid bass grow fast enough to control the numbers of huge shiners eating all the food in the pond
concern is what happens over winter?
over did the habitat?
hoping to have fat BG and bass come spring and have a fish fry
comments and advice greatly appreciated.