Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations would you add Yellow pearch to a LMB REBG pond?

I have a 1/2 acre, second year pond. I put the FHM and GS in in November 06, they did great. Added 100LMB 200REBG 100BG 75HSB & 25CC and 9 GC, "I think"? I have 2 fountains and a areaitor. I'd like to add YP to the mix in November but Im afraid they will just be eaten up. We swim in the pond and want to use it as a fresh fish food source. I also found crayfish in there but I did not add them.
also has anyone ever netted off a section of the pond to give the forage fish a fighting chance?
I think my FHM and GS will be gone by November.
Thanks
Ron

Ron, you could add YP, just make sure that they are large enough to avoid predation by your LMB, I "assume" your LMB are in the 12-14" range now. The problem is going to be finding a source for YP large enough to stock, if you can find 8-10" YP that would likely work this November. Blocking nets do work and can be utilized but that may take too much time to get the YP to a larger size. YP start having problems when the water temps start getting above 82-85 degrees, they don't tolerate the heat very well which would make me nervous trying to keep them penned up in 4ft of water or less during the summer months.

Ron:

Do a search for "blocking nets" or, better yet, see ewest's article on them in the (March-April, IIRC) 2007 issue of PBMag.

http://www.pondboss.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=20;t=001433#000014

This is where it started but needs to be updated.

Thank you for the information. I'm outside 99% of the time and don't get to this forum as often as I'd like.
I was not going to pen the YP for very long. Actually now I might bag the whole idea. Is it possible that from 4" fingetlings I could have 14" LMB and from 5" CC to 12" - 14" fish? Nancy and I could not believe it when we saw them. With LMB at this size the YP would be cannon fodder.
We did have a huge FHM and GS base built up before the Game fishe were added. Could this be the reason for the rapid growth?
We started feeding in mid June but I think I got the wrong food because it seems only the CC & FHM are eating it.
Thanks again for everything.
This forum is priceless to me.
Keep up the good work.
Ron

When and at what size were the LMB and CC added. They could be that size in a year from fingerlings. A good forage base makes a huge difference.How are the other fish doing?

I made an error, They were the Grass Carp not CC.
all other fish are doing well. The LMB are about 10" to 12" I think their with in normal range. The FHM and GS are really starting to dwindle. I have several places with cover For them but that is where the LMB hang out waiting for a stray. They also attack when the feeling strikes them. I guess that's what they do. I don't know if the BG or Red ears have spawned yet but it seems as if the LMB have.
Oh well I may try 2 or 3 dozen 8" YP in the fall.
Thanks.
Ron

Hi I have two perch ponds and if I was you I would Load your pond up with yellow perch during the winter when the large mouth bass feeding habits slows to a trickle when water temps fall into the forties. And get your spawning females in there so you can get some perch reproduction in the spring and then have hundreds of thousands of those little babies for ya. Ps Large mouths like to fatten up before winter. Good luck Chad

RL - You stocked 200 predators (bass, HSB, catfish) and 300 forage fish. 200 of your forage fish (REBG; prob RES) are poor producers of forage fish. Adding another predator of yellow perch will result in even slower growth of all your predators. Y perch, after they get 4"-5" long, eat lots of small fish. Rethink the balance of your fishery, if you expect your sportfish to grow normally.

If you're planning the perch mainly as a food source, check out the May-June issue of pond boss on cage culture. I believe it was written by Mr. Cody and definety take his advice on reevaluating you management plan. It's going to take a lot of forage to feed all those predators. My pond is very similar to yours, used for the same purposes. 1/2 acre with aeration and supplemental feeding. I stocked less than 1/3 the predators as you and more than twice as many forage fish. Now into year five I'm getting a little concerned if I can continue producing enough forage.

I have the actual numbers now. My memory is leaving me so I should quit guessing.
The pond pre drought was .70 Acre, 11' deep, average depth 7 to 8 ', Now about 1/2 Acre and 8' ave depth,
FHM 10 lbs, 5 lbs GS stocked Late October
The following were stocked the first of May,
6 GC, 1 to 9" long,
75 LMB 3-4"
24 HSB 3-4"
24 CC 3-5"
200 RES 2-4"
50 BG 2-4"
13 lbs FHM,
8 LBS GS
4lbs Rosey REd Minnows
200 Bull Frog Tad poles.
Now with this new information, would every one steer away from 50 YP in November? Could YP be considered forage? I did not consider CC as predators, another Rookie mistake.
What about crappie after two years of LBM growth?
I started feeding 23 June. The CC and GC are now eating. The BG are starting to eat. I have never seen the RES take food yet. I treated 1/3 of the podn with cutrine + after FA took over. The pond cleared up to a little over 3' visability at which time I could watch the teams of 8 to 10" LMB sitting in the shallows just out side the weeds and old christmas trees and striking the FHM at will.I have a bubbler and 3 small fountains.
What's should I do next.
PS the kids swim in the pond every other day.
Thanks,
Ron

I have two perch in my pond. I caught a 9" YP and a 30" CC on 3" BG used as bait on Saturday. They are definitely predators.

Crappie are predators too. There is some conficting info out there but basically white crappies are never recommended for a pond your size. Black crappie maybe but probably not. Do a search on crappie and you'll probably get a ton of info, mostly saying not to stock them. If your looking for good growth of the predators in your pond then the experts will probably recommend removing about half of them and stocking more BG of adequate size to escape predation, which would be easier sooner than later. It seems that once the predators are reduced and forage increased you may be OK for YP, again sooner than later because your predators are going to keep getting bigger. Hopefully one of the experts will chime in.

Thanks Ryan,
What I was really trying to do was increase the table fare. I know yellow pearch taste great, but I thought of them too late. LMB is okay, BG is good RES is good and CC is good oh well.

I'm feeding regularly now and will fish out several predators as soon as they are large enough to eat.

I was also going to experiment with netting off and area during the spring to allow the FHM and GS to reproduce in greater numbers without being devoured. It's just fun to me to keep trying new things.
Have a great day, By the way what county are you in? I'm in Brown.
Ron

I'm North of you in Clark. I would like some YP as well. They're much easier to fillet than a BG and taste better than CC or LMB. Keep us updated with your progress, I'm sure many would be interested if you netted off an area for forage. My FHM have just about disappeared and I didn't stock any shiners because I don't plan any grassy structure for them to spawn on. I'm relying on the BG for forage and the unwelcomed gizzard shad as well. I'm debating on building a cage to grow out some perch for the table or release. First I'm going to work on getting my CC out. Good luck.

Thanks Ryan.
I'm going to let it ride as is for now and work on the netted off area to rebuild my forage area in SEPT. I have a friend who has white crappie and stays up on them by fishing them out. I have the CC but now would have chose YP instead.
You don't like your CC? Are they a problem?
Sorry i have not written. I hate it when work gets in the way of my pond boss time.
Ron

I've been fishing in Ontario and just got back today.

Although it may not be a highly respected sportfish, I love catching big cats. The problem I have now, as with many others, is the CC are around 30", eating a lot of feed and bass forage, and are very hook shy. On the now rare occasion that I hook one I'm not using appropriate tackle and they break off before I can land them.