Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Types of fish to choose What to stock?

Newly built 1/4 - 1/2 acre pond 8-9' deep.I plan on aeration off 110v source (bottom diffuser) once I figure out the most inexpensive, yet fully operational system. I am in NE Tx. I want to enjoy the fish, catch some and eat some. I really don't want to go broke feeding them constantly. What suggestions do you have for fish stocking options and how many of each?

What kind of fish do you like to catch and eat?

My opinion: Feeding the fish is not anywhere as expensive as building the pond. It is the most effective way of adding pounds of flesh that convert into groceries. It is also one of the more interesting ways to enjoy the fish. In a 1/4 to 1/2 acre pond you should be able to feed for less than $100 per year. That's about the price of a round bale of hay these days.

I like most any fish. Cats, bass, crappie. Bream and perch are great kid-friendly quarry. I want a healthy, thriving little fun spot.

I am not opposed to feeding. I don't want to get too many and the wrong ones. I really like crappie, but I realize that probably won't be an option due to the size of my pond and growth needs of the species. I want a good forage fish and some more fun to catch and eat. A good top to bottom food chain.

FYI, before the pond filled up, I installed artificial habitats in varying areas. I put in three do-it-yoursekf porcupine fish attractors, two pvc tree buckets, and one large stake bed. Now that the Christmas season is complete, I will be sinking at least three natural trees. (minus the lights, of course)

Lots of people go the Bass-LMB and Bluegill-BG route.

I like ponds with good baitfish populations too, and a big supporter of the Golden Shiner, GS.

In your neck of the woods shad might work, I dont know what they would say about them in regards to the size of your pond?

I like crappie my self, but they can over populate. If you do want them wait until the other fish are fairly well established, so they can keep crappie recruitment numbers down.

What hatchery are you going to get your fish from, or are you going to bucket stock??

BlueGill and Perch are two forage fish that will feed once trained, and cats and LMB will to.

With the isze of your pond, they will only suggest channel cats as the others get too big and agressive. A 20 pound blue can really put a hurt on your mature bass population.

I'd first stock with forage fish, both FHM and GSH. Since the pond is new, maybe you could get a bag of fry in the Spring from Andersons. IIRC 250,000 GSH fry for around $250. Let the forage fish stew for the first summer and stock LMB, CNBG (you should be far enough South that they'd survive) and YP if you wish. I'd also add RES to the mix (25% of the sunfish population). I'd start with 3#-5# of FHM. The more forage fish that are in the pond, the faster that your stocked fish will grow. The FHM probably won't last a year, but that's normal. They did their job, and the GSH/CMBG can be the forage fish.

Forget about Crappie unless you want to have a very active management interaction with the pond, the pond isn't large enough for them.

If you want CC, I'd stock them after the other fish have grown up a bit, and stock the sized fish that you could eat right away. I've found that if I C&R a CC, I won't catch it again. (caught and tagged the fish)

I think I am going to use a fish farm out of Oklahoma but Right now I can't remember the name. I was thinking CNBG now along with FHM and LMB this summer.

Ok, 3-5# FHM. How many GSH? Do I put them in this Spring, wait, and next year put in the LMB, CNBG, YP. How many RES and when? I am new to this and don't want to put fish in at inappropriate times.I guess a schedule is what I need as well.

+ 100

If you can get the GSH fry from Andersons, they'll tell you what parameters they need for survival. If not, then I'd stock the same amount as FHM. You could put in the LMB, CNBG, RES and YP at the same time in the Fall of 2012, or the following Spring. Or, put in 15# of FHM, 10# of GSH and the LMB, CNBG, RES and YP all in at the same time this Spring. Make sure that the YP, CNBG, and RES are at least 1/2 as big as the LMB. If your pocketbook affords it, and the pond is more than 1/4 ac, then bump up the FHM/GSH accordingly.

If you're stocking a 1/4 ac pond, put in 200 CNBG and 50 RES. 1/2 ac 400 CNBG, 100 RES.

Typically you don't want to harvest your stockers, you'll wait until their offspring are big enough to eat. If you want to harvest fish quicker, stock bigger fish, feed 'em and go about 30% heavier on the stocking numbers to make up for the ones that you're going to yank out and let swim in hot oil.

Nothing is etched in stone, and fish numbers are flexible. It all depends on your goals, timeline and pocketbook. Generic stocking for a "by the book" LMB/BG pond is a stocking rate of 1:10. RES are usually added as 25% of the BG stocking numbers to eat snails to combat parasites.

You going to aerate?

If you are going to feed and aerate, and want to catch/keep fish the first year, stock the same # of LMB/CNBG/RES/YP but also add HBG and HSB to the mix. HSB grow pretty quickly, and HBG grow faster than BG/CNBG for the first couple of years. Neither spawn in the pond, so it's strictly a put and take for those species.

If you are going to feed, I'd try and stock all the fish as feed trained fish, even the LMB. You'll get faster growth that way.

I went back and re-read the first post. You won't go broke feeding. in that size pond, I don't think you'll spend $30/month on feed the first year feeding Purina AquaMax. I'd do my research for a good feeder.

Take a hard look at HSB as esshup said. They grow FAST, fight hard, eat pellets like pirahna and are great table fair.

What you say? Got any recent pictures of any?

O.K. I got a text from Mike. He's getting old and feeble minded - forgetting passwords to Photobucket accounts and the like. So, he asked me to post a picture of the fish. Here it is. He's sliding downhill so fast that I don't even think he remembers how big the fish was, even tho he caught it yesterday evening.

OK Scott!

Don't make me take the gloves off!

17" or so. Hooked at 05:31:17. Fight lasted 2 minutes and 32 seconds. Water depth where hooked 5.176543 feet. Speed of lure retrieval was 2.4586874054098 mph.

See what I mean? "17 or so". Nothing said about weight. Hmmmmmmm.........

Heavy

I plan on aerating, but it will be this summer before I have power to the area.

Then follow the start up procedure carefully.