Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Creating the food chain Stocking Minnows

Is it OK to stock Fathead and Shiners in your pond?

Dan, anytime you want to put them in my pond, you can!

When stocking FHM and Shiners, you should realize that FHM are slow moving, relate to cover, and will be eaten rather quickly by the predators. Shiners will last longer, partially because they are quicker, but it also could be because they tend to be a more open water fish.

Unless you get the minnows from a source that you trust, be aware that other unwanted fish can be included with the minnows. I think this is more of a problem with FHM than with GSH (shiners).

Thanks esshup. I have been told not to stock any fish this fall because they could be stressed but put in minnows now & wait till spring. What do yoy think? My minnows would come from a reputable fish hatchery.Thanks


http://i636.photobucket.com/albums/uu81/dantheman999/pond019.jpg

I would still hand sort all your minnows and shiners... Even when I full trust a place I still do.

How does everyone feel about stocking fish now in the Wisconsin Climate?

I'd still throw the minnows in. It shouldn't cost that much, and I don't think there will be a problem providing the water temps are tempered so the minnow water is close to the pond water temp.

One of the major reasons that many suggest or advise not stocking fish once the weather & water gets cold is because there is little to no growth that will occur on the fish being stocked. Plus, stocking in too cold water can be a stressor on fish.

My reasons for stocking semi-filled ponds and new ponds even when it's cold are the following:

1) Good feelings over the winter that you have fish in your pond.

2) Availability of fish. It's been my experience that you can't always get the fish you want when you want.

So for now, I'm not talking about doing the total initial stocking of fatheads, but instead am suggesting 10-20 dozen fatheads or more.

Minnows do fine in colder water.

If you have adequate weeds and cover, you call it "stocking minnows".

If you don't have adequate weeds and cover, you call it "feeding the fish".

Happy Veteran's Day!

Dan, can you refresh my memory? What fish are in the pond now, and how old is the pond? When you refurbished the pond, did you drain it and remove all the fish that were in there before? How big was it previously? IIRC, it's .6 or .7 ac now.

The pond is not that much bigger. It is deeper though. It was 6-8 ft deep.We almost totaly drained it and took out all the muck as well as sloping the shoreline.It now is 14-16 ft deep. With another major 12 ft area. A good amout of structure. There were only a few bass and blugill in it. Yesterday I saw a lot of small minows or fish along the whole shoreline.I also have a lot of tadpoles which I only have had in the summer not before winter.
I am going to stock 20lbs of fathead minnows next week. I can get 16 lbs for $32.00. I would also like to stock 50 4-6 inch LMB and 300-400 4-6inch Bluegill now if it's ok to do it in November. I have a Vertex Aeration System ready to go in. Here are the pictures of my work in progress that I put up yesterday.

That's a heck of a deal on the FHM! Since you have some critters in the pond now, and can get the fish this year, as long as you even out the temperature between the pond and the water that the fish are in, I'd say go for it. The water looks like it is about 3' clarity?

I am going to stock 20lbs of fathead minnows next week. Good idea just be sure to temper them.

I can get 16 lbs for $32.00. Great price - might want to double the order (see below)

I would also like to stock 50 4-6 inch LMB and 300-400 4-6inch Bluegill now if it's ok to do it in November. Yes it should be ok from a time of year perspective provided the fish are handled properly. But what are those LMB and BG going to eat? Your FHs. Might want to think about that aspect. The only thing those LMB will have to eat is the FHs until the BG yoy get big enough to eat.

I didn't realize there were already fish in the pond, so previous my comments might be wrong.

I would monitor water temperature very closely if I was contemplating the full stocking now, and by full stocking, I mean forage and predators.

If the pond is .7 acres and some larger bass are desired, I might cut the LMB back to (40). I can't comment on the bluegill numbers, and I wonder if they will have enough to eat over the winter. For the LMB, I would suggest way more fatheads as follows.

The price for a pound of fatheads sounds way, way low. If you can get that, more power to you. I pay about $10.00/lb. of fatheads, delivered.

If that was the price your were getting, I'd up the fathead stocking by about another $200.00.

ewest, I just saw your post. Word.

Like minds !

Thanks for all your thoughts everyone.I'm learning a lot