Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Types of fish to choose TJ's SMB Babies need a good home!

My neighbor behind me used to shoot them my way and I'd find them in my ponds. A couple of times they landed on my roof. Fortunately his kids are all grown up except one now, and he apparently isn't inclined to do it anymore.

I still do it!!!! Love the bottle rockets in water! Paaaluuuup

M-80's, rubberbands and stones.

Congrats TJ! Nice looking fish...

Wow, this is really tempting. I just started my forage base (FHM & GSH) this last spring and didn't plan on stocking predators until 2011. Will SMB stockers be available in the late spring or should I pull the trigger now?

SMB stockers can be very hard to find.

Meaning get 'em while you can!

Very true. They're next to impossible to locate.

Especially at the time you want them - like spring/summer.

I'm convinced. PM sent to TJ.

Thanks

jsec, I'm most likely getting Rex to deliver some fish for me, and probably some of TJ's smallies, so Rex will be in the "area."

Rex going to have any of these in the area of Central, OH on the way to Sunil's place in PA?

This looks like a whale of an opportunity!

Sunil,

That should work out well. If Rex takes the Turnpike to Somerset I'm only 15 min. from the New Stanton exit.

Thanks for the heads up.

Yes, I will have the SMB on board and possibly some CSBG as well.

The eastern run had to be delayed due to some ponds getting trout still being too warm to stock.

I will have HSB, BG, RES, Rainbow and Golden Trout (certified), large Shiners and can add most anything someone may need.

If needed, I'm sure I can find a couple places to use as central pick up points, but I will likely be going through along I-70 and north on I-75 toward Bill Cody's.

Rex,

Keep in touch once the dates firm up... I'm in Marion and right near St. Rt. 23. I've got a store located on St. Rt. 309 in Western Marion Co. which could be used as a pickup point possibly - or my house 5 miles away (with pond for something to keep busy on) while waiting... Just keep the .22 away from the PVC overflow pipe

Send me a PM with your prices if you will. I'm looking to add some things this fall and thinking about Trout and some shiners, etc...

Also - glad you are back up and feeling well.

Will do Rcooked!

.22's??? I use a .40 cal hollow point for added damage!!!

OK, so now I need some stocking advice. My pond is 3/4 acre already stocked with 5 lbs. FHM & 2 lbs. GSH back in April.

I'm thinking 40 of TJ's SMB, 2 lbs. more GSH and maybe 30 YP.

Does that sound reasonable?

jsec, the spawning has stopped. IMO the amount of forage, FH&GSH was WAY too low, especially if you stocked even a few BG with them. You may have darn little if any forage left.

Sunil or Bill Cody could advise you better than I on the SMB stocking rates, but I would suggest stocking at least another 25# of GSH with the SMB to hopefully overcome the winter predation and create a self-sustaining population next spring. Adding another 25# of FH wouldn't hurt either to help out the GSH.

You sure Rex? I transferred 8 dozen fatheads to my perch and bluegill pond a couple of years ago and by late summer had hundreds of thousands of them. Personally I've never seen perch and bluegill decimate them like bass.

Bill Lynch a big perch producer in Ohio keeps his brood yellow perch in a 1/3rd acre pond with fatheads and crayfish. He doesn't feed them pellets even though they are feed trained, as he says he gets better quality eggs from non pellet trained perch. Says they have very high condition factors.

I think jsec is on the right track. My motto is when the fish truck is here, the fish truck is here. Accordingly, I would probably put more than just 2 lbs. of GSH in just because Rex will have them, and at $9 bucks a pound or so, why not. I'd put in at least 10 lbs. And I do believe that jsec's pond is currently loaded with bait fish after his April stocking.

Regarding the YP and SMB, jsec's goals need to be stated, and then considerations for the size of each the YP and SMB stockers, to then determine optimal quantities of each.

I could be wrong on the baitfish stocking. I just can't see where a couple pounds of baitfish can produce the numbers or predator growth high stocking numbers will for the investment. But my philosophy is like Tim Allen's was....


Cecil, in a fed pond where the predators are acclimated to high protein for little effort, yes I could see that happening. In an unfed pond, I doubt 96 fatheads would last 96 seconds.

Maybe so but my bluegill and perch won't eliminate the fatheads, but once I added the smallies that all changed! Kind of wish I had a different pond for the smallies as it would be nice not to have to feed the perch and bluegills.

Cecil. my thoughts on stocking baitfish, is to always stock very heavy, and not because I sell them.

Fish such as YP, BG, PS, trout, etc, simply don't have the mouth gape to be as effective predators as CC, LMB, SMB and HSB. I could be way off on my reasoning here, but I think of baitfish as being like a flying birds. I also think of small gaped fish as being like sharpshooters with their gape akin to a rifle and large gaped fish like skeet shooters using a wide spread pattern shotgun.....it's a whole lot easier to hit a bird with a shotgun than it is with a rifle. Small gaped fish have to aim much more precisely than a wide gaped fish once the target is picked, plus heavy stocking provides a LOT more targets to choose from.

Small gaped fish have to be dead on chasing fish were large gaped fish only need to get close.

Sorry for the long winded thought....lol

Sunhill said...
"Regarding the YP and SMB, jsec's goals need to be stated, and then considerations for the size of each the YP and SMB stockers, to then determine optimal quantities of each."

My pond goals are habitat diversity, relaxation (read working around the pond) & aesthetics and occasional fishing for family and friends. Trophy fishing is not important.

Since this is a new pond there are no predators. The FHM population has exploded since the April stocking, thousands of minnows everywhere you look. I've only seen two of the shiners since stocking 120 (I screened them for undesirables). There are also hundreds of half dollar sized tadpoles that volunteered.

Hey all;

Glad to hear there are so many SMB brethren out there - terrific news. We need to unite and dominate this forum!

FYI - I have absolutely no clue if anyone has truly ordered any SMB or CSBG....I've been sending everyone to Rex as he's the one responsible for delivery. Just wanted everyone to know...I have no clue who is in or who isn't. With that in mind it might make sense to get to Rex asap and verify your orders.

I will be seining Sunday October 17th...that's all I know! Josh, tell me you're coming out to help?