Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Corrective stocking Just thinking if this would work

After a year of watching my fish. I think if I ever started from scratch with no fish I would try something, not knowing if it would work I bet someone here tryed. My thought was in a pond with no fish I thought 2 species Hybrid stripped bass and Blue Gill, thats it. You would have to feed this pond regularly for a minimum of 3 years adding a few new stripers if after the 3 years is up and the sunfish population if it got to big or stunted just stop feeding the HSB they will have to eat BG and my guess is they would eat the hell out of them if there food was cut off. Anyway, I just thought this might make a really good fishery. Thinking more twards catching fish. I would think this pond would have to be fed all times except for the thinning part if it was needed.

I know in my pond I cant catch any largemouth, they are there but cant be caught, so I gave up on them they can overpopulat or whatever.

But my sunfish are getting interesting. I like sunfish. I like Hybrid stripers to. I like how they act in a pond, not to mention a bit easier to catch then the LMB.

An interesting concept. I'd want ABSOLUTELY NO (ZERO - THIS MEANS YOU ) structure for the BG to use escaping HSB predation; HSB effectiveness at controlling BG approaches LMB's only in structureless settings. Throw in somepalce for the BG to hide and the LMB are many times better BG predators.

Of course if you've still got (overpopulated & stunted) LMB in the pond, BG control would be much, much easier.

HSB + BG pond.

Been there--done that.

It works.

Theo's right. The less structure the better. Feed 'em lots and everything grows like crazy. Better yet, harvest all the female adult bluegill you can. You might end up with 8 pound HSB and 1 pound BG. Something anybody would be proud of.

I figured someone had to have done this. hopefully someday I will be able to try it to.

Joey, If I was starting over, which I'm not, and if my pond , which it isn't, that is exactly what I would do.

Only HSB and BG - no LMB or CC for sure in a small pond - too many problems with hook shy bass and overpopulation. Only addtional species would be tilapia for forage and FA control.

Agree - limit structure and maintain good aquatic weed control - works for me.

We stock limited numbers HSB annually to create a "ladder" of varying size and ages.

HSB and BG - my favorite pond fish.

What about tweeking george's plan by switching the BG to HBG, possibly GG's?

Also, I usually see people refer to stocking BG/RES. What might be the effect of stocking RES as the only lepomis?

DY,

I have that pond...GG's and HSB. I'm removing the HSB, however, as they don't fare well in my ponds here in the summer. I'm replacing them with F1 LMB. I don't care if the LMB do stunt and/or overpopulate in this small pond, although it isn't likely they will do either. As long as they do their predator job, I'm happy. The fishing for GG's is pure joy.

This pond also has Gambusia as the primary forage fish for the GG's. I encourage the growth of pond weed, to a point, in this pond as it enables Gambusia reproduction. You can walk up to the waters edge of this pond any day and it is absolutely teeming with Gambusia.

I use Pacu as my weed control agent...not sure yet how that will turn out, but caught a 1.5 pound Pacu just this morning on a Pheasant Tail nymph. Great fun, great pond!

Yes, if I stared over I agree no or hardly any cover with HSB and BG be it CNBG or common BG. The BG should provide plenty of food for the table which would also help to keep numbers down. The Tilapia is a good addition if there easy to get. Agreed stock a few HSB every year for a while to get a size differce going. Then I would surely only feed aquamax or better.
Someday......

Little or no worry about stunting, probably a little harder time catching sunfish with RES instead of BG (although Bruce always seems to be able to get a nice big catch of Redears). That's what I'm projecting for a RES/SMB (+ some Male-only BG) pond, anyway - check back after implementation. The Pudding is in the Proof.