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Just stocked in April, 1 acre.

While messing around with my kiddo (he wanted to try a cast net like me, so he was using my little 3' net), we caught a 3" LMB.

I'm not totally adverse to just stocking a few largemouth and then altering how we ladder stock the HSB in the future, but how concerned would you be that there was enough LMB that I didn't find that can spawn?

If they're in there anyway, I'd rather them be CBLMB and I would then get 20-40 fingerlings for the pond.

Not what I was hoping to find for sure considering we were trying to do a HSB pond there though.

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I take it that you did not stock any LMB?

Did you kill off the pond before stocking? Was it newly dug?

Guess what I am saying is, you might want to give a little more info to your situation, goals, history.....

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Pond is newly dug and none of the drainage into pond is likely to have any fish.

We wanted to do a strictly HSB pond, though we realized we're a little south and do risk a die off (and thus potential overcrowded of the bluegill). So we are ready to turn it into a typical LMB/BG pond if the HSB were to ever have problems (just wasn't ready to do that while the HSB were still 4-6").

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Hmmmm, lots more folks here more qualified than me to give advice on this one. I think you don't have to worry about the HSB, there is George1 and others down there that have had great luck with HSB. Having added the BG, you probably will need to eventually have the LMB to keep them under control. Sounds like the LMB came from hitchhikers from the stockers? At least that is good because a whole spawn of LMB would be a lot worse. Perhaps you got lucky and caught the only one!!!! I am thinking that with LMB in there, future ladder stockings of the HSB will mean that you need larger stockers so they will not be food for the eventual larger bass. Possiblly an extra grow out pond? Are you wanting a trophy BG pond? that would keep the LMB size down in size, making it easier to ladder stock. I wonder about ectro-shocking the water in a year or so to take out the LMB and replacing then with CBLMB?

Just random thoughts, to get your wheels turning. Others will help out eventually, hopefully the Texas guys near you.

Edit--- also the LMB will hurt your forage base of FHM and shiners, but that may not be bad for your HSB if you plan to feed. Do you?

Last edited by fish n chips; 06/05/15 07:45 AM.
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yes, it will absolutely be a fed pond.

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Originally Posted By: taylor5877
Just stocked in April, 1 acre.
While messing around with my kiddo (he wanted to try a cast net like me, so he was using my little 3' net), we caught a 3" LMB.

I'm not totally adverse to just stocking a few largemouth and then altering how we ladder stock the HSB in the future, but how concerned would you be that there was enough LMB that I didn't find that can spawn?

If they're in there anyway, I'd rather them be CBLMB and I would then get 20-40 fingerlings for the pond.

Not what I was hoping to find for sure considering we were trying to do a HSB pond there though.


Originally Posted By: taylor5877
Pond is newly dug and none of the drainage into pond is likely to have any fish.

We wanted to do a strictly HSB pond, though we realized we're a little south and do risk a die off (and thus potential overcrowded of the bluegill). So we are ready to turn it into a typical LMB/BG pond if the HSB were to ever have problems (just wasn't ready to do that while the HSB were still 4-6").

Taylor, you are likely aware of my early HSB adventures if you have researched the archives, or maybe I should call them mis-adventures.
You may recall that as a reformed striped bass addict, my goal early on some 12 years ago was to have Hybrid Striped Bass in our 2 acre pond even though I was discourged by many to forget about it – but I never give up on an idea that I believe feasible to achieve.

Below are hi-lights of 12 years HSB experience in N.E. Texas 2 acre farm pond.

2002 – stocked 100 fingerling HSB in 2 acre pond with excisting LMB and BG – biggest feeding frenzy ever saw that I assumed wiped out entire HSB stockers.
Found out later when I did catch a few adult HSB survivors. Knew at the time I had to find or figure out how to obtain HSB stockers large enough to escape predation. Located a young TAMU grad fisheries biologist by the name of Todd Overton that was in the process of acquiring a fish farm in Buffalo who told me he would try to locate large HSB.

2004 – My son dug a 1/4 acre stock tank and stocked it heavily with FHM and CNBG – the following spring my forage was established.
Todd had his fish farm in operation and he ordered 100 fingerling HSB from Keo in Arkansas which we stocked into my now forage/grow out pond.
Six months later this was what I had grown out:
1st grow-out HSB:


When Todd saw this fish he immediately recognized a business opportunity and has become one of largest, if not the largest HSB dealer in this part of the country. Texas Parks and Wildlife now recommends stocking HSB in Texas farm ponds.
I now “ladder stock” main pond annually with Overton’s 10-12 inch “Glazener Hybrids” – Todd named them – not me... grin

Little Pond HSB:


If I had the opportunity to start from scratch with brand new virgin ponds as several of PB’er are now doing, this is what I would do:
Establish good forage base with FHM, RES and Overton pure genetics CNBG and following year stock fingerling CBLMB.
Following year stock 50, 8-10 inch HSB and replenish by ladders stocking numbers.
Hybrid Striped Bass are my favorites and sport fish!

My preferred method would be to dig a rectangular, constant ~8 ft depth and stock heavily with HSB fry and depend entirely on feed.
Maintain good water quality by enstalling a 12 volt Kasco surface aerator and grow out my HSB the same way that fish farmers do.
12 volt Kasco surface aerator: 12 volt Kasco surface aerator:

I would rely strictly on Todd Overton’s advice on all stocking and pond size/depth parameters.

Transfer numbers of adult size HSB to main pond and utilize pond for some of the best fly fishing ever.
This is the approach I would love to do – good luck with your program.
George



N.E. Texas 2 acre and 1/4 acre ponds
Original george #173 (22 June 2002)




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George, thanks for the time you spent on that post and the info you've posted prior. I've certainly read a lot of it.

Other than having a grow out pond, we kinda did what you outlined on the first pond.

For this pond, we were trying to see how HSB as the only predator would work, and they are our main focus of the pond (as in, I don't really care if bluegill aren't ideal because HSB don't eat enough since the HSB are feed trained).

My goal for giving them a shot without largemouth in there is that we wanted something different, and depending on what HSB were available when we ladder stock, we aren't forced to get overly large ones to survive predation without LMB in the pond.

The ultimate goal of the pond is have a pond full of 2-4 pound HSB (or larger, but not necessary for our goals) for the kids to catch (it's a big family place).

My worry about seeing the LMB is that we have enough to spawn, and the "back-up" plan of stocking LMB if for some reason things didn't work out may already be a reality if we have a handful of LMB already in there. And if that is the case that we already have enough LMB to spawn, I'd rather go ahead and stock known LMB and just go forward with a typical LMB/BG pond with the HSB as bonuses.

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Taylor, forgive my fuzzy brain - now recall previous posts... crazy
I'm with you all the way on a BG/ HSB pond - you can easily grow your HSB to 5 to 7 lbs in a one acre pond with a forage trained HSB program - 2 to 4 pounders are a blast - good fighters and easy to catch.

As you say, LMB can always be a back-up option if previously discussed management options fail.
Guess I am "preaching to the choir" around here talking about forage/growout ponds.

I sure like your thinking about major predator being only HSB!
Best,
George

Last edited by george1; 06/05/15 05:10 PM. Reason: typos


N.E. Texas 2 acre and 1/4 acre ponds
Original george #173 (22 June 2002)




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Well, we got bass. 45 mins of cast netting yielded:



that doesn't include the other one (for 7 total in a week) I caught yesterday.

Heck, now I'm just worried that we have too many bass for the forage...

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They sure are plump!

Any idea how they got in the pond?


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 put GSH(10 lbs) and some larger RES (100) and then used another outfit for the FHM, HSB, RES, and CNBG. (I wanted the RES to get a head start on the BG).

The GSH were mostly larger than the bass fingerlings and I picked those up. I looked the bags over well, and I'd have noticed 50-100 LMB. The RES from there were quite large (4-7").

The FHM (20 lbs) BG (750, 2-3") RES (250, 2-3") from the other outfit are the likely candidates in my mind. Those were delivered, and the size matches more with where the fingerlings are.

I don't think there's any way they drifted in as there are no creeks or ponds above ours in the watershed.

I'd just like to know how many and what the genetics are...

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so, the bass out count is up to 27 now.

There are definitely not as many FHM as you'd expect, bluegill have already had a spawn (from like 2" fish in april!), but all the fish I see look good. The HSB have grown from 5" to 8-10" already, so that's good, but those guys are feed trained.

Not knowing how many LMB are in there, what would you do with them? Keep trying to seine/castnet them out a little at a time as I'm doing or just leave them alone?

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Originally Posted By: taylor5877
Not knowing how many LMB are in there, what would you do with them? Keep trying to seine/castnet them out a little at a time as I'm doing or just leave them alone?

I doubt you're making much of a difference in the LMB population in a 1 acre pond with a cast net, though I can certainly empathize with wanting to do something rather than nothing about it.

You mentioned CBLMB....since you've got LMB in there now anyway, how about stocking some slightly larger CBLMB, with fin clips, so you can tell what's what, then aggressively cull all the nonclipped LMB over time? You could put a bounty on all nonCBLMB, get the kids involved.

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Originally Posted By: Yolk Sac
Originally Posted By: taylor5877
Not knowing how many LMB are in there, what would you do with them? Keep trying to seine/castnet them out a little at a time as I'm doing or just leave them alone?

I doubt you're making much of a difference in the LMB population in a 1 acre pond with a cast net, though I can certainly empathize with wanting to do something rather than nothing about it.

You mentioned CBLMB....since you've got LMB in there now anyway, how about stocking some slightly larger CBLMB, with fin clips, so you can tell what's what, then aggressively cull all the nonclipped LMB over time? You could put a bounty on all nonCBLMB, get the kids involved.

I agree, that is exactly what we have done, stocking 8, 1-2 lb and one 8 lb CBLMB with existing mature Florida LMB population, which we are agressively culling.

Immature single fin clipped CBLMB:


8 lb double fin clipped CBLMB:


Caught single fin clipped CBLMB in December 2012 - weighed in at ~2 lbs @ 15 inches - 8 months old!



Last edited by george1; 07/03/15 04:31 PM. Reason: Add photo


N.E. Texas 2 acre and 1/4 acre ponds
Original george #173 (22 June 2002)





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