Pond Boss Magazine
https://www.pondboss.com/images/userfiles/image/20130301193901_6_150by50orangewhyshouldsubscribejpeg.jpg
Advertisment
Newest Members
Shotgun01, Dan H, Stipker, LunkerHunt23, Jeanjules
18,451 Registered Users
Forum Statistics
Forums36
Topics40,902
Posts557,116
Members18,452
Most Online3,612
Jan 10th, 2023
Top Posters
esshup 28,420
ewest 21,475
Cecil Baird1 20,043
Bill Cody 15,112
Who's Online Now
4 members (anthropic, Brev, Dave Davidson1, jpsdad), 683 guests, and 208 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 24
N
OP Offline
N
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 24
We're going to add 300 CC and 250 LMB to our 5 acre pond. The average depth is 4-5'. Is it too hot this time of year to stock these fish now? Would they do better if we wait until the water cools down in a couple months?

We will probably go with the 4-6" fish due to the price.

Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 20,043
Likes: 1
Hall of Fame
Lunker
Offline
Hall of Fame
Lunker
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 20,043
Likes: 1
I think you can do it if you temper the fish. However personally I would plant fatheads, let them reproduce, and wait until the fall if you haven't already done it.

Patience really pays off when it comes to stocking a pond.


If pigs could fly bacon would be harder to come by and there would be a lot of damaged trees.






Joined: May 2013
Posts: 24
N
OP Offline
N
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 24
Originally Posted By: Cecil Baird1
I think you can do it if you temper the fish. However personally I would plant fatheads, let them reproduce, and wait until the fall if you haven't already done it.

Patience really pays off when it comes to stocking a pond.





Thank you for the response. Currently we have a ton of small bluegill, which is one reason for the choice in predators and also plan on feeding pellets. The pond is about 40 years old with quite a few bass in it already, but not many catfish other than the 200 CC we stocked about 2 months ago. I don't even have a guess as to the number of bass in there currently but it seems with the abundance of bluegill there should be plenty of food for everyone.

I may be way off on all this specualtion, which is why I'm asking all of you nice people!

ETA: Would it hurt anything to put a few thousand minnows in there at the same time? I'm hoping the new fish will help the existing fish target the small bluegill. confused

Last edited by NRAInstructor; 07/01/13 11:04 PM.
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 5,712
Likes: 3
Moderator
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Lunker
Offline
Moderator
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Lunker
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 5,712
Likes: 3
All I can add is -- ARE YOU SURE YOU WANT TO ADD THAT MANY CHANNEL CATFISH??

Five hundred catfish in a 5 acre pond can do a lot of damage if they are allowed to grow to maturity.

Maybe our old friend James Holt will see this, and give his opinion.

My ponds are quite a bit smaller, but from experience, I know what too many catfish can do. It ain't pretty. And, they sure are hard to fish out as they get hookshy, while they are digging big caves in the sides of your ponds and gobbling everything within sight, smell, and vibration.

As for temperature of stocking, and what to stock now, I agree fully with Cecil's suggestions.


Subscribe to Pond Boss Magazine

Peculiar Friends are Better than No Friends at All!
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 24
N
OP Offline
N
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 24
I'm pretty new to all this so I'm all ears.

I like catfish, and I know we would get some people to come out and get some once they get bigger so the numbers would start going down once they get up to a pound or more. Maybe a catfish tournament with a fish fry if they get to be out of control? I certainly don't want to create more problems in the pond.

I'm also assuming not all of them will survive, but will most? I have no idea what to expect as far as survival rate.

Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 686
J
Lunker
Offline
Lunker
J
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 686
I added fingerling bass to my pond several years ago this time of year. They were also overnighted to me in a bag and cooler, so they had plenty of chance to stress and die, but they took it all in stride. Plus I live in Oklahoma, I assume your water temp will be cooler in Ohio.

Last edited by jakeb; 07/02/13 12:16 AM.

Get out and fish.
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 888
H
Lunker
Offline
Lunker
H
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 888
Originally Posted By: catmandoo
All I can add is -- ARE YOU SURE YOU WANT TO ADD THAT MANY CHANNEL CATFISH??

Five hundred catfish in a 5 acre pond can do a lot of damage if they are allowed to grow to maturity.

Maybe our old friend James Holt will see this, and give his opinion.

My ponds are quite a bit smaller, but from experience, I know what too many catfish can do. It ain't pretty. And, they sure are hard to fish out as they get hookshy, while they are digging big caves in the sides of your ponds and gobbling everything within sight, smell, and vibration.

As for temperature of stocking, and what to stock now, I agree fully with Cecil's suggestions.


I agree with you catmandoo!!! CC's are serious predators. Hook-shy is exactly right after they've been caught a few times.

NRAInstructer,The minnows you add now will just be a real short time fix. I'd seriously doubt they would last a week with all the other predators in your pond.

What type of structure do you have in your pond? Just asking because structure will give a lot of smaller fish a chance to grow bigger.

Last edited by hang_loose; 07/02/13 12:35 AM.
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 24
N
OP Offline
N
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 24
For structure right now, aside from a couple stumps and dead trees under water, the pond is about 90% covered with coontail. I think that's the reason for the bluegill overpopulation. This is something we plan on dealing with early next year and will add cover/structures assuming the Fluridone treatment works.

Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 28,420
Likes: 794
Moderator
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Lunker
Offline
Moderator
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Lunker
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 28,420
Likes: 794
I have a couple of CC in my pond that were caught at least once, and the last time caught, they were tagged. They haven't been caught since being tagged, and I'll bet they are pushing 20# now.

I agree with Catmandoo's comments.


www.hoosierpondpros.com


http://www.pondboss.com/subscribe.asp?c=4
3/4 to 1 1/4 ac pond LMB, SMB, PS, BG, RES, CC, YP, Bardello BG, (RBT & Blue Tilapia - seasonal).
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 24
N
OP Offline
N
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 24
Maybe cut that back to 150 more then? That would be 350 stocked this year.

Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 888
H
Lunker
Offline
Lunker
H
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 888
350 may be reasonable for a while, but once they start hitting 14"-16", start harvesting them. Once the coontail is gone, the CC's are going to fatten up real quick...Then get skinny from no more food source.

Old Christmas trees make good and free structure after Christmas. Make sure there is no tinsel or other decorations on the trees before you put them in.

Since your pond is so old and shallow, have you thought about putting any muck reducer in it? It will help improve the depth.

Joined: May 2013
Posts: 24
N
OP Offline
N
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 24
Originally Posted By: hang_loose
350 may be reasonable for a while, but once they start hitting 14"-16", start harvesting them. Once the coontail is gone, the CC's are going to fatten up real quick...Then get skinny from no more food source.

Old Christmas trees make good and free structure after Christmas. Make sure there is no tinsel or other decorations on the trees before you put them in.

Since your pond is so old and shallow, have you thought about putting any muck reducer in it? It will help improve the depth.


I've heard of using Christmas trees and we probably will have to add some structure once the coontail is gone. I'll have to check into the much reducer. Thanks!

Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 153
M
Offline
M
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 153
If you start with less, you can always add more. I stocked to many LMB last year in my pond and am in the process of removing the small ones. To many slowed their first years growth.
Amazingly I couldn't find any local takers for free 6-7" LMB?



My momma never accused me of being to smart....
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 28,420
Likes: 794
Moderator
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Lunker
Offline
Moderator
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Lunker
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 28,420
Likes: 794
Mike:

Give Mike Carson a call. If you want his phone number LMK and I'll PM it to you.


www.hoosierpondpros.com


http://www.pondboss.com/subscribe.asp?c=4
3/4 to 1 1/4 ac pond LMB, SMB, PS, BG, RES, CC, YP, Bardello BG, (RBT & Blue Tilapia - seasonal).

Link Copied to Clipboard
Today's Birthdays
cro, HC1968
Recent Posts
Relative weight charts in Excel ? Calculations?
by esshup - 03/29/24 01:06 AM
pond experience needed
by esshup - 03/29/24 12:45 AM
New pond middle TN: establishing food chain?
by Bill Cody - 03/28/24 07:57 PM
Happy Birthday Bob Lusk!!
by FireIsHot - 03/28/24 07:33 PM
Working on a .5acre disaster, I mean pond.
by PRCS - 03/28/24 06:39 PM
Fungus infection on fish
by nvcdl - 03/28/24 06:07 PM
Can anyone ID these minnows?
by Dylanfrely - 03/28/24 05:43 PM
1 year after stocking question
by esshup - 03/28/24 04:48 PM
Yellow Perch Spawn 2024
by H20fwler - 03/28/24 04:29 PM
New 2 acre pond stocking plan
by LANGSTER - 03/28/24 03:49 PM
Paper-shell crayfish and Japanese snails
by esshup - 03/28/24 10:39 AM
Newly Uploaded Images
Eagles Over The Pond Yesterday
Eagles Over The Pond Yesterday
by Tbar, December 10
Deer at Theo's 2023
Deer at Theo's 2023
by Theo Gallus, November 13
Minnow identification
Minnow identification
by Mike Troyer, October 6
Sharing the Food
Sharing the Food
by FishinRod, September 9
Nice BGxRES
Nice BGxRES
by Theo Gallus, July 28
Snake Identification
Snake Identification
by Rangersedge, July 12

� 2014 POND BOSS INC. all rights reserved USA and Worldwide

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5