Pond Boss Forums INTRO New Forum Member Introduction First time poster

Hey guys this is my first time posting here but I have been trying to obtain some of the great information that is posted here about ponds. The reason I am here is because hopefully in the next month I will begin digging a pond. To start off I'd like to say what I have planned now and hopefully y'all would agree or point me in the right direction. I live in south central Louisiana and I want to dig a 100x200 pond. As of now Im thinking of digging it so that the front of the pond is an area 100x30 and 5' deep then dropping down to 10' deep then on the back section of the pond coming back up to 5' deep for the same 100x30 area. On the 5 foot deep sections I would like to put pea gravel for spawning purposes. I contacted Dunns fish farm to see what I should stock it with and this is what they told me:50 Bass,50 Black Crappie,150 Coppernose Bluegill,100 Hybrid Bluegill,
100 Redear Bream, and 5 Pounds of fathead Minnows. I have also been research fish structures to put into the pond. Tell me what y'all think and any help is greatly appreciated.

I would skip the black crappies, they can quickly overpopulate in a pond setting.

2nd that on the crappie, kinda surprised they recommended those..

At 4 tenths of an acre, you do not have a lot of water. I believe the experts will tell you to skip the crappie, and some will tell you to skip the hybird bluegill and add more CNBG(I would agree!). I wold also hold off on any LMB until the fishery has been established and you have several class size CNBG. The RES is a very good idea (a must add fish), they will help control snails which will limit parasites. The FHM's are great, you can never have too many, I would add more than 5 pounds, I added 20 pounds to a pond that was smaller than the one you are planning and they are doing great.

The LMB should be added only when you can find several class size CNBG thriving in your pond. And then only add a small amount, like 15, not 50.

My 2 cents.

Then experts should be along soon!!

If y'all wouldn't put black crappie and lmb at the first stocking can y'all give me y'alls suggestions on what I should stock with.I guess my goal of the pond would be to catch big bream in the pond and in the future have a healthy bass population. Also, do y'all think it is a good idea to do the two areas of 5. Ft deep water for spawning fish?

First -- welcome to Pond Boss. You will get a lot of good solid and pretty-much unbiased advice here. You are also in a part of the country where we have a lot of active members.

I agree with all the others above. Definitely skip the crappie. They just cause way too many issues in small waters by spawning early, unevenly each season, and having big mouths that will compete with your bass.

Don't put the largemouth bass in this season. Let the fathead minnows and bluegill get a good start. It will be good for them, and the offspring will provide great bass forage next season. All will thrive.

You can go with hybrid bluegill or the coppernose bluegill and red ear sunfish -- but, as a new pond manager, I wouldn't suggest mixing the hybrids with the coppernose and redears. From what you've posted, I'd go with the coppernose and redears.

The hybrids are mainly for put-and-take ponds, where you stock them, feed and grow them, and take them out. For me, it is a twice a year project of adding fingerlings, and I also have to worry about any offspring they create. They have minimal reproduction, but the offspring they create are not a desirable fish to have in your pond.

In your part of the country, the coppernose will grow fast and big -- probably as fast as the hybrids, but with very few issues. The red ears can also grow massive, however they are mainly stocked as snail eaters. The snails can cause parasites in you bluegill and bass.

I'm a little surprised that your stocker didn't suggest channel catfish. Adding 15-25 can provide a lot of fun and good eating. They basically won't reproduce in small ponds. They are inexpensive. They grow very fast. They just have to be replenished every few years.

Please don't be shy about asked ng questions. This is a very friendly, helpful, and non threatening group, with some very experienced pond managers.

Ken

Ken. I was under the impression by some of the stuff that I've heard. Catfish is one fish you don't want in your pond because they grow big, muddy water and compete with lmb for food. If indeed you are telling me this is the wrong outlook I will look into putting a couple in my pond.

Collette, your county agent has seen many ponds in your area and is familiar with the best approach for both pond construction and stocking. His services are without cost to you and you would be wise to consult him.

Dudley, I live in Lafourche parish . Can you tell me how I can go about contacting my county agent. I was unaware that this even existed.

The Lafourche Parish County Agent is in Thibodaux. According to my Google search, the address of his office is 402 W. 5th St., Thibodaux, LA, 70301-3125, and the telephone number is 985-446-1316.

A lot of information is available to you through his office which is a part of the L.S.U. Extension Service. Among many, another great example of your tax dollars at work.

Slough??? In Lafourche Parish??? Mais, how come your name ain't Boudreaux or Comeaux or Theriot or Thibodeaux, or Concienne or...

Or maybe even Amos Moses? I wonder where that Looziana sheriff went to?

I agree with what the others are saying. But if you want catfish, get em! that's the beauty of ponds you can add whatever you want, just try to keep it in balance. With as small of pond as you are planning, you may only be able to add few of some species. Look up some old posts on carrying capacity to get a better idea of that.

I would buy my fish from a different supplier closer to home.

One issue no one has addressed, is water. Will you rely on rainwater or do you have capability to add water if needed?

As for talking to your county agent, it wont hurt, however I find most agents in my areas know little about fish. and will just print out generic stocking guides available on the internet. I feel they are too generic and outdated. Personally I feel there is much better info on this website from some of the members, especially the ones who do it for a living! Your state may be different when it comes to county agent info!


Finally if it was me, based on the size of the pond I would for sure make it a trophy bream pond! Add a few bass to control numbers, start a feeding program, then start culling females. Before you know it you will have SEVERAL 1 lb. bream and some even larger! If that interests you we have plenty of old threads on how to do just that!

Welcome!

I would skip the bass. In 4/10 acre there is a really good chance that they will over spawn, fill the pond with runt bass and all but eliminate bluegills. Go with the cats if you like them. They are a put and take fish. Catch and eat at about 2 pounds. Then restock. There will be a couple that get hook shy and will be tough to catch. But, that's not all bad if you like messing with bigger fish.. I doubt that they will muddy the pond.

At 4/10 acre, my recommendation is HBG, channel catfish or hybrid striper. Feed them either by hand or with a feeder.

We've probably really have your head spinning now.

I have a 1/3 acre pond that is a hybrid bluegill and catfish pond. It is a little over a year old. I've stocked HBG three times, starting 14 months ago, and catfish 14 months ago and two months ago. They are all eating like crazy, and growing like crazy. I also added two 4-5 inch koi last summer. They are now about 12-14 inches.

I also put in a few pounds of fatheads 14 months ago. They hit a maximum number this spring, but have been disappearing slowly.

I was a little concerned about HBG offspring not being controlled by the catfish, since I've seen HBG fry in the pond. I'm not sure if I did the right thing, but I added five small mouth bass last month.

This pond does remain muddy, but I'm not sure it is because of the catfish. The pond is in a wet area that weeps water from muddy areas. I've had problems getting vegetation established in these areas because the sides are very steep and shaded.

My other pond has had catfish for many years and I've not had muddy water problems from them.

I've found that even the big hook shy catfish have a hard time passing up a large live minnow tossed in at dark, and left overnight.

Dudley. Thanks for the information and the name isn't Boudreaux or Thibodaux because I grew up in your neck of the woods(Franklin) as far as the name goes I recently purchased almost 9 acres of land and planned on making a little pond in my woods,so my buddy's decided to call it Collette Slough.

I was thinking I was going to just rely on rain water to keep my pond filled. I was going to try this for atleast a year to see that I don't lose to much water if there isn't much rain an possibly dig a well or pull water from a near by drainage ditch.yes I do like your idea about a trophy bream pond.

Welcome to PB. Glad you joined. Try the link below for the LA pond mgt book by the LSU Ag Center as per Dudley.

http://www.lsuagcenter.com/NR/rdonlyres/...3FarmPonds2.pdf

Here is the link from the archives on many State Agency Pond books.

http://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=113216#Post113216

Yes my head is spinning pretty good. Lots of information to take in but it is all great advice and will help me the correct decisions with my pond.

The best thing is to be patient! Buy as many fathead minnows as you can and get small bluegill and redears. Wait one year and stock your bass. The longer you wait the better food base you will establish.

Thanks, Eric. Somehow you seem to manage to always come through. That link should help Collette a lot.

We try Dudley. The LSU manual is a very good basic publication.