Pond Boss

Ok I have one pond left that I believe does not have any fish in it.

So I want to get some ideas from the experts as to if any of these would survive in an Oklahoma Pond and which ones may have a chance of spawning?

What else should be combined with them as far as predator and forage?

What type of water is recommended and depth?

Anyone know of a fish farm that carries these that are close by?

Thanks

I can't speak for the other species as I have no experience with them, but I believe the yellow perch would become stressed in a pond during your summers, and although they may not perish, they may not feed or grow much.

As you may have seen in some of my posts I have yellow perch in my ponds, and I'm concerned as they are off feed and I've had a few mortalities. We've had an unprecedented hot summer here, with not only high temps but over a long period of time.

If you decide to try YP then get stockers raised from a mid-south fish farm because they will be more heat tolerant. You will have a better change of this working if you are in northern OK. For young YP, 1-3yr olds, water in the mid to high 80F range is not a big problem. It is the older, larger YP (11"-14") that tend to become really stressed when temp is in the high 80's to low 90's. If no one in TN, KS, AK,or NC, raise and hatch YP then that should be a good indication YP will not do real well in your climate.

You might have to resort to SMB, a few WE, RES, GS and maybe some threadfin shad. To this mix or the WE-YP combo, I would not be afraid to add lake chubsuckers as an additional forage species from Todd Overton's.

I will check around and see, but I do not know of anyone around here that sells any of them.

I know of a few lakes that have some, but not sure how that works as far as trying to transfer them to a pond.

Have you checked out if any of the ones listed below have them?

SULPHUR FISH HATCHERY 580-622-5385
Rr 1 Box 238 238, Sulphur, Oklahoma Zip Code73086

DUNNS FISH FARM 580-777-2202
17774 County Road 1660, Fittstown, Oklahoma Zip Code74842

MOORES FISH FARM 918-341-4194
25353 S 4230 Rd, Inola, Oklahoma Zip Code74036

OK DEPT OF WILDLIFE FISH HATCH 580-529-2795
19333 State Highway 49, Lawton, Oklahoma Zip Code73507

HELLARDS 918-224-6709
Tulsa, Oklahoma Zip Code74101

MORROWS 918-476-7988
Rr 2, Locust Grove, Oklahoma Zip Code74352

How far are you from Kansas?

Would any of these work?

http://www.kansasaquaculture.org/DIRECTORY.html

If none of those work, call here:
http://www.ncrac.org/Info/StateImportRegs/oklahoma.htm

A half hour of your time calling will get your answer for you.

Yellow perch are all over Western NC where I live.

I catch the small ones on circle hooks and worms or crickets.

They seem to be a hardy fish.

For YP in northern & eastern OK check with Wallace Hartley Fish Farm in Cunningham, KS 67035.
Home (620) 298-3210
Cell (620) 770-1136
Fax (620) 298-2770
Email: wallysfishfarm@yahoo.com
You might be able to meet them close to you when they are making a delivery.
This is not the same Hartley Fish Farm in Kingman KS where several members here including Bob Lusk got their SMB.

Ask how big his YP breeders get, how well they tolerate the heat of summer and if he ever sells any that eat fish food - pellet trained. If his YP get to 10"-12" they should be a good fish for you with SMB, WE or HSB. Keep in mind that all these fish including the YP eat small fish and you will need a good forage fish base to keep 'em all growing well.