We're going to add 300 CC and 250 LMB to our 5 acre pond. The average depth is 4-5'. Is it too hot this time of year to stock these fish now? Would they do better if we wait until the water cools down in a couple months?

We will probably go with the 4-6" fish due to the price.

I think you can do it if you temper the fish. However personally I would plant fatheads, let them reproduce, and wait until the fall if you haven't already done it.

Patience really pays off when it comes to stocking a pond.

Thank you for the response. Currently we have a ton of small bluegill, which is one reason for the choice in predators and also plan on feeding pellets. The pond is about 40 years old with quite a few bass in it already, but not many catfish other than the 200 CC we stocked about 2 months ago. I don't even have a guess as to the number of bass in there currently but it seems with the abundance of bluegill there should be plenty of food for everyone.

I may be way off on all this specualtion, which is why I'm asking all of you nice people!

ETA: Would it hurt anything to put a few thousand minnows in there at the same time? I'm hoping the new fish will help the existing fish target the small bluegill.

All I can add is -- ARE YOU SURE YOU WANT TO ADD THAT MANY CHANNEL CATFISH??

Five hundred catfish in a 5 acre pond can do a lot of damage if they are allowed to grow to maturity.

Maybe our old friend James Holt will see this, and give his opinion.

My ponds are quite a bit smaller, but from experience, I know what too many catfish can do. It ain't pretty. And, they sure are hard to fish out as they get hookshy, while they are digging big caves in the sides of your ponds and gobbling everything within sight, smell, and vibration.

As for temperature of stocking, and what to stock now, I agree fully with Cecil's suggestions.

I'm pretty new to all this so I'm all ears.

I like catfish, and I know we would get some people to come out and get some once they get bigger so the numbers would start going down once they get up to a pound or more. Maybe a catfish tournament with a fish fry if they get to be out of control? I certainly don't want to create more problems in the pond.

I'm also assuming not all of them will survive, but will most? I have no idea what to expect as far as survival rate.

I added fingerling bass to my pond several years ago this time of year. They were also overnighted to me in a bag and cooler, so they had plenty of chance to stress and die, but they took it all in stride. Plus I live in Oklahoma, I assume your water temp will be cooler in Ohio.

I agree with you catmandoo!!! CC's are serious predators. Hook-shy is exactly right after they've been caught a few times.

NRAInstructer,The minnows you add now will just be a real short time fix. I'd seriously doubt they would last a week with all the other predators in your pond.

What type of structure do you have in your pond? Just asking because structure will give a lot of smaller fish a chance to grow bigger.

For structure right now, aside from a couple stumps and dead trees under water, the pond is about 90% covered with coontail. I think that's the reason for the bluegill overpopulation. This is something we plan on dealing with early next year and will add cover/structures assuming the Fluridone treatment works.

I have a couple of CC in my pond that were caught at least once, and the last time caught, they were tagged. They haven't been caught since being tagged, and I'll bet they are pushing 20# now.

I agree with Catmandoo's comments.

Maybe cut that back to 150 more then? That would be 350 stocked this year.

350 may be reasonable for a while, but once they start hitting 14"-16", start harvesting them. Once the coontail is gone, the CC's are going to fatten up real quick...Then get skinny from no more food source.

Old Christmas trees make good and free structure after Christmas. Make sure there is no tinsel or other decorations on the trees before you put them in.

Since your pond is so old and shallow, have you thought about putting any muck reducer in it? It will help improve the depth.

I've heard of using Christmas trees and we probably will have to add some structure once the coontail is gone. I'll have to check into the much reducer. Thanks!

If you start with less, you can always add more. I stocked to many LMB last year in my pond and am in the process of removing the small ones. To many slowed their first years growth.
Amazingly I couldn't find any local takers for free 6-7" LMB?

Mike:

Give Mike Carson a call. If you want his phone number LMK and I'll PM it to you.