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#382029 07/12/14 04:38 AM
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Instead of the usual bluegill/bass mix... has anyone tried bluegill with rainbow trout as a predator specie instead of largemouth? As the 'bows won't spawn here I could maintain pretty good control of the number of predator fish in the new 1/4 acre pond. Plus... I like 'bows more than bass! Thanks in advance for your experience and opinions.


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Not that I have tried what you are proposing, but I have used RBT to try and control GSF early in my pond stocking. In short, I don't think it will work. They have worked on the GSF (and I also have bass), but not enough. Keep in my, I am always up for experiments, while others only want tried and true methods.

GSF don't spawn as often as BG, so BG will be more prolific.

You won't want to pellet feed. The RBT will eat that instead of the BG.

Don't have cover for the BG to hide in. I have way to much.

You are going to need some big RBT to eat BG over 3". If you can get the trout to live year round, that's possible. If the RBT die, then the BG will grow all summer and get ahead of the trout that will be stocked in the fall.

Now, you can combat all these problems in some way. Possibly have a selective predator that will take over eating the BG when the trout are done/gone. Lots of variables in your pond setting would dictate whether you even have a fighting chance with this idea. If it don't work out, are you willing to start over? Possibly you could add LMB later if the BG start getting out of control. If you can get trout to live year round, it might be a god idea to get them in, feed them a year to grow, then stock BG and stop feeding. Do you care if the BG get stunted? If not, then may be it would actually be good for a trout pond ?

Do you really want BG at all? If you just want trout, put FHM in and let them spawn till fall. Add trout in fall and let them go to town on the FHM till June(and feed pellets). Repeat process. Pretty easy pond to take care of IMO.

It will be interesting to see if others can come up with feasible possibilities for this scenario.

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I think it all depends on water temperature. RBT *might* survive if the water temps get to the mid 70's, but the O2 levels have to be at saturation. RBT do much better if the water temps barely kiss 70°F tops. BG need water in the low to mid 70's to spawn.

So, if you can keep water cool enough for RBT, BG spawning might be held to a minimum or not spawn at all.


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3/4 to 1 1/4 ac pond LMB, SMB, PS, BG, RES, CC, YP, Bardello BG, (RBT & Blue Tilapia - seasonal).
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That's interesting Esshup. Didn't know that about BG. In my pond this year, I definitely had BG spawning about a month before the trout disappeared. So there was an overlap of that schedule in my region. I Don't know if that would be on a regular basis, or just a weather related once-in-ten-year thing. My pond has a spring in it to, which might let the trout live a bit longer in cold pockets and yet warm enough in other areas.

Seems like Hollywood would need to be very up on that, as a change of spawning from one year to the next would dictate management direction and whether the stocking plan is successful or not.

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I had RBT alive with BG nesting, but I was trying something in the pond to allow the RBT to live longer into the summer. I've had RBT die off in my pond in early May all the way to the 2nd week in July. Water temp and resulting drop in O2 levels were the cause.


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3/4 to 1 1/4 ac pond LMB, SMB, PS, BG, RES, CC, YP, Bardello BG, (RBT & Blue Tilapia - seasonal).
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This pond is about 14 feet at the deepest. We hit an underground spring at about the 9'10 foot section. It is deepest by the dam and I left a large shallow area at the head of the pond(for warmer water) I haven't taken a temperature yet... but it was QUITE refreshing last night when I went for the first swim to get rid of the dirt & sweat after putting in the road. I moved 10 rainbows and a couple brookies to this pond this morning to see how they fare.


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At what depth would a guy want to temp the water to determine suitability for RBT?

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Originally Posted By: Hesperus
At what depth would a guy want to temp the water to determine suitability for RBT?


Temp alone isn't the limiting factor. It's the amount of dissolved O2 in the water. IIRC RBT need a minimum of 7 mg/l to survive for any length of time.

I've seen RBT alive in a 7' deep pond pond with water temps readings of 76 -77 degrees F. But, that pond had both bottom diffuser aeration and surface agitation aeration systems running at the same time.

Here's some reading for ya.

http://www.lakeaccess.org/russ/oxygen.htm


www.hoosierpondpros.com


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3/4 to 1 1/4 ac pond LMB, SMB, PS, BG, RES, CC, YP, Bardello BG, (RBT & Blue Tilapia - seasonal).
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I guess the simpler question is do you think I'd be wasting my money trying some?

Also what would you suggest for a thermometer setup to check temps? I'd like to poke around a bit and se if I can "temp out" a spring if there is one where I think it is.

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I have brook trout and pumpkinseed and the trout (char really) love the fry and will eat lots of it but there may still be overpopulation of BG


3 ponds mountains of NC. One 5 acre and two 1/4 acre ponds. SMB Redbreast sunfish LMB YP CC brook trout WE and warmouth perch
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And any trout caught should be kept as bows are sensitive and die of stress more often than not. I used to have a few but they don't spawn, however are cheap so you can keep what you catch without concern


3 ponds mountains of NC. One 5 acre and two 1/4 acre ponds. SMB Redbreast sunfish LMB YP CC brook trout WE and warmouth perch
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I have brook year round as the water here is cold and they live fine into the low 70s. I may stock a few rainbow trout this summer.


3 ponds mountains of NC. One 5 acre and two 1/4 acre ponds. SMB Redbreast sunfish LMB YP CC brook trout WE and warmouth perch

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