Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Types of fish to choose Help me adopt my fish family

Those are not the original RES that were stocked if I had to lay money down.

Brettsker put 1,300 of them in a 5 acre plus pond. They've had plenty to eat.

It's time to get the rod out.

The YP might be 8" to 10" by now.

Man, time does fly.

I agree with Bruce. In a new pond you get big growth rates. An early spawn BG (2in. in May) stocked into a new pond may well spawn in Sept at 4 in. They are trying to fill the carrying capacity with there kind (a species survival method). RES have a growth rate like a BG so the same is likely. IMO those pics are of early spawn RES this year or late spawn last year , but are not the original stocked RES.

...a bit of an update
We made another weekend day trip yesterday to (what else?)...work. This day, though, was a bit different than all the others. We got a fish show.
As I always do, the first thing after pulling up is to go out on the dock, open the gate, and take a look. Our water visibility is pretty high. Definitely 4 feet, probably more. My eye was drawn down to the concrete boat launch by fairly large objects just below the surface. Hokey smokes; RES!
Since stocking 15 months ago, the only water activity we have really seen has been minnows, tadpoles, and a few turtles. Not today.
The sun was shining and the RES were just hanging, suspended in 2 - 3' of water over the concrete launch. The water temp over the launch is like a tepid bath; the concrete is a heat sink. There was probably 15 or so.
This is the part that REALLY surprised me. They were pretty danged big....at least they were in my little fish-world. Most all were easily 5" - 6". A couple could have been pushing 7". When I would move on the dock, a few might spook a little and move about, but they wouldn't leave. A few hours later, we broke for lunch and they were still there. I threw out a number of "pinches" of feed, right on top of their angry little heads. Nothing. They might quickly dart about 5 feet to another area, but no interest. Later in the day, same thing. In fact, when I waded in to take my bath at the end of the day, I could see a couple of them watching me as I stood there. If I didn't move, they wouldn't move; maybe 5 feet away....watching. 2 questions: why aren't they spooked....and....what are they thinking?
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Oh yeah, when we first saw them, and as I marveled at the growth (2" fingerling to 6" in 15 months), a school of 2 - 300 (or so...or more) fingerlings swam past and over the launch in a pretty tight pack. In the sun, the multiple vertical bars were easily identified. YP, me thinks. Cool.

To me fish appear to have different personalities. Usually fish of "like minds" seem to hang together. Some get used to seeing me around my pond because I'm there so often & don't spook. But I'm only seeing prob. 1% of the fish in my pond.

I found if I soak the FF & then squeeze the air out so it will sink someone will come & eat it. Others will see him chowing down & over time join in. Still others will just spook when the food hits the water. Eventually some will hit floating food.
There appears to be definite individualism going on with RE.

This story is so exciting it gave me a chill.

My experience says...from talking to countless people about such things, is that those RES were definitely bigger than 5 inches. I'll bet they were seven.

You're correct; they are angry--like Russian nesting dolls. They're watching all right...watching, judging...

This explains the YOY's you were seeing earlier, right? You had a spawn this year.

I knew what you were going to say about the pellets. There's too much to eat right now, but keeping the pellets handy is a good thing.

I'm glad your fish stocking buddies didn't bring BG in on that first haul.

I'm currious, how a Russian nesting doll reacts when it gets angry. Wait ... I've observed my RE .. Ok I got it.

B'ski those RES can be mean. Better be careful wading in around them - they may decided to attack.

I knew you would like watching the fish but I had no idea you were contemplating being a sacrificial offering for RES.

...fools rush in where angels fear to tread
(especially when they need a bath)

"Here comes the big one now. He clearly has the most meat on him. If we get just 5 minutes when the small one isn't looking, we can get him submerged and stashed under some of that plastic structure he built. We'll have plenty of sustenance all Winter long!"

I bet the RES are bigger than you thought, too, Brettski. Redears always strive to appear 2"-3" shorter than they really are, so as to seem small and weak. Then, when you're not paying attention, WHAM!

grrrr!!!
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Watching...waiting......judging.

That's awesome!!!!!

I actually think that I can tell those fish are in nice body condition. They look to be really thick.

The water clarity must be a testimony to your good planning. I'm jealous.

Don't give up on the feed yet!

That video is awesome.

Where are the smallies?

It's time to start fishing.

Brettsker is going to need someone to help him get started on the right foot with hook & line.

Nice fish. They looked great. See any small ones. Those RES should have spawned. See any big YP ?

The only small RES would be the (apparent) YOY pics/text that I posted earlier in this thread.
Nope, no big YP yet. They wouldn't be crazy enough to dis' the RES Bloods and cross onto their turf. If you turn up the volume on the vid clip, you can faintly here "Yellow Perch....come out to Play-ay"

I knew The Warriors had to be required viewing for the read ear sunfish.

If you had a Corona Reef like Dwight, you woulda heard beer bottles clinking together as well.

Don't underestimate those YP. When the water gets cold those YP will run circles around those morbid RES.

TORPEDOES OFF THE STARBOARD SIDE!!!
The concrete launch and dock/deck continue to draw very good fish activity. Today was another first. Fat, long fish. I gotta assume that they were YP...? About a dozen or so were hanging out with the RES. They were 9" long, easily...maybe 10". They stayed in the shade of the deck roof most of the time, but would occassionally venture out into the sunlight. I could not discern any vertical bars, but I can't honestly say that I got a REAL good look. It's gotta be the YP...right? It can't be the SMB...no way. I put in the YP 15 months ago at about 5" long. I put in the SMB 4 months ago at 5"....no way it was SMB. SMB wouldn't socialize like that...would they?

as far as growth potential it definitely could be smb....they can be really aggressive and i could easily see them cruising the new waters of yer pond in packs...

love the maturation process here...sunil said it first....it'l take hook & line bski......pics...we love pics....especially love fish pics

little jig head, bit o worm...crushed barb of course.....get after it my man....

Brettski,
I couldn't tell you one way or the other in regards to the schooling, but I stocked my SMB in late May @ 5-7", and right now they are between 11-12". So, the growth potential is definately possible.

I KNOW it's SMB! That's exactly their mo. They travel in loose wolf packs & mix with the RE in my pond with ease.

It seems so unlikely that it would be the smallies. We only stocked 50 of 'em this past spring. Accounting for a few casualties due to predation, how would 10 or 12 of them "find each other to hang out" in a 5 ac pond?

OK, how 'bout this angle (ooops; pun)
Based on shape and or physical body characteristics, what would be the major, notable differences between similarly sized YP and SMB?
(edit; I just flipped back and forth between a couple good on-line pics of SMB and YP. The fish I watched were in about 30" of very clear water, albeit shaded from the sun. I expect that I would have quickly noted the bars of a YP....I could not see anything like that. Based on the pics I just examined, every bit of what I saw says SMB. ...still can't believe it)

I've observed that when the SMB are smaller, say 5-8" long, they tend to form rat packs (granted this could be their disposition to singing and dancing on the silver screen).

Great report Brettsker!

I'm excited for you, Bski!

Also jealous and anxious to fast-forward a pond by a year or two.