Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Creating the food chain When to stock the LMB into our pond

Last December we stock our pond with approximately 1 acre pond in SE Oklahoma with 750 Coppernose Bluegill, 200 Redear and 10 pounds of Fathead minnows. Before this there were no fish in this approximately 2 year old pond.

I have been advised by my fish supplier that I should wait until April or May before introducing the LMB into the pond to allow for Spring spawning. Makes sense to me . . .

But since the day after we put the fish into the pond, we haven't seen ANY sign of the fish at all.

Other than just allowing a reasonable length of time for the forage fish to get established, is there anything else that we should be looking for or expect to see that will tell us that yes, now is a good time to stock the LMB.

Thanks!

Martin

What size were the fish that you stocked, and what are the fish goals for the pond? Do you want large panfish, large LMB or ?

We are going for large LMB.

The bluegill and redear were probably in the 2 inch range.

Martin

If going for large LMB, then I'd stock another 1000 2" CNBG and 200 5"-7" CNBG this Spring. Don't stock more than 50 LMB. You could put the LMB in this Spring, but if you do, I'd stock them at no larger than 4"-5".

You want enough forage fish in the pond so the LMB can go to sleep with their mouth open and wake up with a full tummy.

If you wait until the Fall, I would consider giving Todd Overton at Overton Fisheries Inc. a shout and talk to him about the Camelot Bell Bass. He's listed in the Resources Guide.