Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Evaluating and adjusting fish populations Adding catfish, how many?

I am going to be adding some catfish to a bass and bluegill subdivision lake. The lake is 8 acres with an average depth of 3-4 feet, with a couple of 8-9 foot holes. Any advice on how many 1-2 pound channel cats I should add?

EStark:

Welcome! I'm by no means an expert, but I think I can ask a few questions to help. What's the purpose of adding the Channel Cats (CC)? fishing, etc.? Do you have any idea how many bass (LMB) and bluegills (BG) per acre are in the pond, and what size they are? Are there any feeders on the pond? Any aeration? How's the water quality?

If you can answer those, it might help direct the experts to a more taylor made answer.

Adding the cats would be for fishing, not sure of the total bass numbers, but all different sizes, some in the 5-7 pound range, along with plenty of big healthy bluegill. No feeders, one aerator, run during the winter only by a single homeowner. Water quality seems good, good visability, gets a little dingy with high winds.

It really depends on how many CC the subdivision is planning on keeping per year to eat. CC are usually a put and take fishery. So if you think 100 CC will be kept a year for the whole subdivision, stock 100. CC can disappear in a larger pond such as yours... Sunil knows that all too well!

Since no one is feeding, I would not stock more than about 25 per acre as a maximum though. If you start feeding, then you may be able to get away with up to 50, but that is 400 CC... An awful lot of fish fries! Remember, as CC grow they will compete with your bass and can affect their growth rates.

It depends on how many people would be fishing for them. They can get pretty hook shy and become somewhat of a problem. However, recruitment is pretty limited due to predation.

The GENERAL recommendation is to buy them at about 10 inches for stocking where bass are present. Then, try to catch and eat them at about 2 to 2.5 pounds.

As a generalized stab, I would probably go about 50 to 75 per acre.

Also take into consideration that if they get up towards the three pounds and bigger they become pretty aggressive predators and could affect the population of the rest of your fish.

agree with others. We stock many more than rec. here and sometimes stock less and one thing can happen if left to reach several pounds they will compete with bass. SO really about goals and if feeding to dicitate how many to stock. As said stock what you plan to pullout unless you want trophy catfish fishing and poor bass fishing. Also if aviable get some around 11" that is the most cost effective size unless you want eating size the day you stock them.

Thanks fo everyone's input, i run a fishing club at my middle school and would like a nice safe place to catch some cats, we won't be taking any out so they may get big, probably just stock about 75-100.