Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Corrective stocking Underestimating Lake Size for Stocking

Let's say someone thought they had a lake in the 10 acre range and ordered fish for it based upon it being around 9 acres. Then had it measured by a professional with a GPS system at about twice that size. It is too late to add fish to the original stocking request.

What is the biggest downside and what would you do?

Assuming that I understand your question correctly, most all hatcheries will allow additional fish to be placed on an order. The more advanced notice a hatchery can have the better the chances will be for the order to be completly filled. Some hatcheries may even give a slight discount for purchasing more fish than origially ordered, esp if the hatchery delivers the fish to you lake/pond.

Always get people to over estimate there pond size, but I NEVER get people to under estimate their size..

Fish provided through the state DNR for a grand total of $34. Deadline was August 31st.

Considering calling the hatchery direct and seeing if can work out an arrangement for more fish, but that could run into serious dollars as wouldn't be through DNR.

Interested in knowing downside of just stocking the fish that have been ordered and will arrive next week. Will the fish population get way out of balance or will it just mean that lake won't be at its carrying capacity as quickly?

I would think if the ratio is right you should be O.K. It just may take longer.

Thanks everyone for your replies. I should have been more clear in my origianl post. I was hoping to hear it may just take longer to reach critical mass, carrying capacity, or whatever and it sounds like that may be the case.

Probably my single biggest regret with this lake is that I didn't put a drain pipe through the bottom of the dam so I could better control the water level and purge the bad water. I know it would have been a risk, but... I need to do some more searching as I am still not sure I've seen a good solution for ponds where there is no electricity to keep pipes / valves from freezing/etc. If I see a solution to that, I'll try that route on my next pond.

6,300 bluegill, 3,700 redear, and 600 channel cats were stocked yesterday.

Don't really want any catfish in my pond long term, but figured would be good for fish fries in a few years, it sounds like they probably won't successfully reproduce once predator fish in there, and plan to catch them out without restocking anyway. On schedule to add bass and etc. next June.