Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Evaluating and adjusting fish populations Stocking advice needed

To my knowledge there are no good articles about using papershell crayfish in ponds for diversifying the forage base. If you use crayfish, rock piles are very beneficial and the larger the rock pile the better. Crayfish, minnows and small sport fish will use the rock piles heavily and constantly. Keep rock piles in water from the surface to 4 ft deep. Shallow water is the instinctive refuge for small fish. All kinks and sizes of rocks and broken concrete work well for shoreline rock piles. It is beneficial to have one whole side lined with larger rocks and broken piles of concrete.

Question was: "Will RES eat a significant # of YP?" I doubt REs will eat very many YP. YP fry after hatching move to open water. I don't think RES hang out in open water thus the two will not come in contact for long periods where adult RES would eat YP fry (1/4"-1/2"). What I do think is more likely to happen, is the YP will prey harder on the RES than the other way around. A few studies have reported adult YP eating BG 3/4"-1.2" long especially during winter. Since RES are more likely to be more sluggish in winter due to not being well adapted to cold, thus active YP could likely eat numerous small RES if they are available. But if soft rayed minnows are present and more abundant than RES, better chances are, the YP will eat minnows more than small RES.

I have frequently stocked everything except the larger predators in spring and then small predators in fall or next spring. YOu can easily grow a few large smallies (18"-19") in a 1/3 acre if you don't have too many mid-sized bass.

FHM and bluntnose grow well together. Both have very similar spawning habits. In all my years working with both species, I've never observed hybrids between those two species.

If you discover that you are having too many small fish you can always later stock a 2-4 WE. I doubt you will ever have too many small fish unless you over harvest the SMB. Most often ponds with SMB as main predator, have too FEW small fish esp in late spring before spawning starts.

Since you are not feeding fish pellets, numbers to initially stock should be fewer. But feeding the fish high protein pellets (1-3 cups) even just once or twice a week results in larger and better growing fish. Although it really helps a lot IF you start with pellet trained fish. See PartI of my YP article for how many YP 3"-6" to stock; maybe add 50 in spring and 50 in fall or the next spring. For RES in 1/3 acre new pond, I would stock 100-150 fingerlings (2"-4") in spring. Minnows 5-10 lbs all species since you will have some YP present. When you add smallies add 15-30 fingerlings; 16-25 is a good number for a 1/3 acre pond.

Keep us advised of your progress with this renovated pond.