ins and outs of adding YP to a pond

I want to add some YP to my pond this spring, but have questions of how they will do with BG LMB and CC. Plus, how to get the pond ready for next winter, I hear YP eat well under the ice. I have a half acre pond, three years old and the BG LMB abd CC seem to be doing well.

Hi Funky. You'll need some good grassy cover for YP to last very long in a pond with Bass in it. I would add about 250 gravid adult YP per surface acre now and see how they do...

I have a half acre pond and was thinking of adding about 100 5-7 inch YP. My biggest concern is if I will have enough in the pond before next winter for the YP to eat, I understand they are more active than most in the winter and need a bigger food supply.

Originally Posted By: Funky

I have a half acre pond and was thinking of adding about 100 5-7 inch YP. My biggest concern is if I will have enough in the pond before next winter for the YP to eat, I understand they are more active than most in the winter and need a bigger food supply.

The bigger concern with having YP with largemouth bass is that a 4 pound bass can snack on the largest of YP. Even a 10-12 inch bass, (which there are usually a lot of in a pond), can munch down an 8 inch YP, Your best bet on having harvestable YP will be to stock heavy with adult YP over 8" long

As rainman says LMB like to eat YP. If your 12" bass don't eat the 5"-7" YP the bass 14"-15" will eat them. Young YP have to live a long time in a pond with hungry bass until YP are 8" long and relatively safe from average size bass predation. This is why YP offspring rarely grow to harvestable size with LMB present. Larger CC also eat numerous YP as they both hang out near the bottom. YP are inactive at night on the bottom when CC start hunting forage fish. Stock your larger perch every few years and they can maintain good numbers in your pond. If you harvest your LMB heavily this could allow BG to become numerous.

Thanks for the info, I am rethinking my YP for this year just to check up on what I have in LMB.

Cody Note: Wise decision. Sample the bass lengths this summer and those data will give a good indication of what size of YP will best survive in your pond. IMO it will take dense cover to the extent of a good sized weed bed to protect smaller perch from hungry aggressive LMB. LMbass can eat a YP about 1/2 the bass' length because YP body form is slender (fusiform) until the YP get to around 10".