Pond Boss

Or his flyrod, would probably be more appropriate.

Todd, dont take me too serious. I am learning fast about some other popular terminology such as "Supply and Demand" and "You get what you pay for" I am also learning that it is money well spent to get the absolute best fish available!

Your plan sounds like a good one for George.

George, Hope you had a great labor day weekend!!

Restocking “Fish Kill” N.E. Texas Pond
Phase I:
As per recommendations from Todd Overton, plans for restocking “fish kill Pond is as follows:

Stock 150 adult size pure Florida CNBG instead of 250 due to higher survival rate than previously realized.

Stock 100 6+ inch 2008 class HSB and no 12+ inchers as previously recommended due to high numbers of HSB in 1/4 acre pond,

Phase II will begin next spring with stocking of 50 DNA Certified Florida LMB as recommended, in addition to recommended numbers of tilapia and grass carp.
Transfer addional 15-20, 2006 and 2007 class HSB to main pond.

Overton recommends a “bacterial” program to attempt to control excess nutrients that are beyond our control due to up-stream livestock.
He reports success in a similar situation.

Yesterday ~150 ½# average pure Florida CNBG and 100 6+ inch HSB were picked up at Overton Fish Farms and stocked in our 2 acre pond.
Air temp was 81 degrees and near surface water temp was 71.5.
Water viability measured on a “slant” was 20 inches.
Excellent survival rate – no floaters last evening or this morning.

I realize now that our fish kill may have been a blessing, for a second chance to correct previous stocking mistakes.

A trip to Overton Fish Farm will change a perceived feeling of failure to a feeling of assured success!! What a resource – 30 ponds on 50 acres.

I an now the proud new owner of ~150 pure Florida CNBG that is likely the best crop of adult CNBG this side Florida. They are primarily males with a few large high characteristic Florida females.

The feed trained pure CNBG were grown out in a “ non-commercial” pond that had not been seined in 1½ years – I was told that these fish are not offered to the general public.
Actually I was getting some of my own fish back, after having donated several years ago some of my original pure Florida stock.

Life is good ...

Very nice fish. Congrats on the beginning of another beautiful thing

Gorgeous george.

George I think I am getting the rest of those CNBG next week plus some big RES and 100 6 inch Fla LMB and 50 12 inch HSB.

Pics after the event.

Ewest is getting a stock of 3"-6" coppernose offspring that resulted from crossing George's males with some florida females. The florida females come from a lake that was one of the first in Texas stocked with pure florida coppernose genetics, which has remained at least "phylogenetically pure" since then. The wild bluegill from the private lake have red tails, which you can view on our website. These fish crossed with George's males have produced some fine stock, which we continue to improve.

These fish that George posted were 7"-9" in length and averaged 1/2#. This size bluegill is not for sale on our farm because they are in limited supply. George let us have some in the past, and so we are letting him have them back.

The pics of these fish send chills down my spine. They are beautiful.

I woke up early this morning like a little kid on Christmas morning, realizing that Santa had brought a present that every little kid had ever dreamed.

Last week I got a call from Overton after first seining a CNBG pond in 1 ½ years …
“George - GOOD NEWS….!!! You can’t imagine the quality of fish that came out of that pond!!!!”

When I first arrived at Todd’s fish farm Saturday afternoon he had a couple of customers picking up fish, and he told me he had been busy and had not finished grading my fish. I had the pleasure of watching and photographing him hand selecting each and every CNBG I received, plus the previously graded fish.

Prior to our fish kill in July, I had been culling Arkansas fish farm CNBG for 2 years, keeping the best Florida characteristics possible, and it appears that most 5-6 inch CNBG fish kill survivors are descendants of that population.

I should get a spawn from my new stock before winter sets in, as previous years we have had BG spawns as late as mid November.

Many of you folks know Todd as a customer or friend, but for those that don’t know is that Todd personally selects superior brood stock for all species he produces on his farm.
I don’t know why anyone in this part of the country would buy fish off an out-of-state fish truck.
Thanks Todd

Great stuff George. And make sure you post photos Ewest.

What a great resource to have Overton's near you. The only fish supplier DIED and I have been able to deal with is a good guy (albeit a little strange acting and remember that is coming from JHAP). Most of the fish suppliers around us won't even answer the phone and if the phone recorder is on they never call you back. Frustrating at times.

I have only read good stuff about Overtons.

I'm glad it looks like everything is going to work out with your pond's restocking George.

Good News Man!
I love a good stocking plan!!
Fish Stocking is in full season here for me. We have stocked more than 2 million fish this season, bringing trucks from 7 different states. I just wish there was a good source of fish like Overtons in my area!!!

Fall re-stocking complete ...

~150 Overton's Texas Strain CNBG 7-9 inches, mostly male.
~400 RES +&- 3 inch
~250 HSB:
16, ~3-4# 2006 class
34, ~2-3# 2007 class
200, ~6 inch 2008 class

FISH KILL BLESSING IN DISGUISE....!
Caught examples of each last night...

Spring 2009 plan:
25 ~1# certified Florida LMB for son Jeff
15# Tilapia

Update:
Moved up son Jeff's LMB stocking plan due to one of our esteemed Mississippi Pondmeister cornering the market on Overton's certified Florida LMB, and having to settle for 100 advanced fingerling feed trained northern LMB ...

Spring plan will be to stock certified Florida LMB fingerlings in soon to be phased out "grow-out" pond, and transfer to main pond late spring/early winter.

George I bet long term you will like the mix of Fla and Northerns better. Sorry I depleted the pantry. I did place my order about a year ago.

July 2008 fishkill, re-stocking 2 acre pond complete with all ADULT fish.

those are some sweet looking fish.

Did you stock those today George? Those HSB look real nice, I wanna some some 5 pounders in a couple years!

Nice looking fish George, hope the bacteria helps solve some of problem.

CJ, 50 (“annual stocking ladder”) 2008 class HSB were stocked Friday.
The 2 larger “bonus” fish were 2007 class.

Total replacement HSB in main pond after fish kill:
16, 2006 Class
34, 2007 Class
250, 2008 Class

2006 class fish were ~4lb when transferred from “grow-out” pond this spring...
Gonna be some fun on the fly...