Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Deciding on some goals. What do you guys think?

So I right now my dad and I own a 22 acre farm with about a .5 acre pond. Our goals so far are:
Grow decent sized LMB (up to 5LBs with some a little bigger). We plan to do this by having BG, FMH, frogs, insects, and crayfish as forage. But now I am on the fence on if I want HSB and LMB. Or introduce RKB (rock bass) or SMB. Will RKB act as GSF be mess with the growth of the bigger fish. So far my outline is
Red line marks existing pond. Thoughts are in green on the side.
What species would be fun for kids and when LMB fishing is slow? Are RKB suitable?

Rock bass would be fine, if you want to diversify. They have a pretty big mouth, so will compete in the food chain with your smaller bass. Or, you can focus on the bluegills, make them grow large, control their numbers with your predator fish. Bluegill aren't hard to catch and almost always bite when bass won't.

Specify your goals and then decide which fish you want. If you want high catch rates and aren't worried about size, the rock bass idea will work. So will bluegills.

Cool picture Nick. I love the little grow out minnow pond! I wish I had one of those! Be careful on the type of lilly pad you buy some will flat overtake a pond!


I did exactly what Bob said above and I focused on BG's. I put about 250 in my pond and 75 RES and I added 14 bass the next spring my pond is only 1 acre maybe a bit smaller. This was all done in 2010 and 2011. I started a feeding program in Spring of 2011 for the BG. I just supplement feed is all. Only 14 bass you may ask why? Well I didn't want to over do it. My bass were in that 10 to 12 inch range and I wanted them to have plenty to eat. Not to mention if they spawn at all your going to have more than enough bass trust me.. Course I just took my time I was in no big hurry. Fast forward to today and I now have BG up to 10 to 11 inches and bass up to 5 plus lbs. Even some HSB pushing 6 lbs. I can also tell you this. I've caught some rock bass in my time growing up in Wisconsin and a 10 inch BG will fight just as hard if not harder and like Bob said much easier to catch. And man they taste good!!! Just saying... My 2 boys love catching them BG and if they catch a bass it's fun too but those bass sure can be picky sometimes... and with kids the last thing you want is them sitting around to long without a fish bite! Here are a few of my fish I put in my pond in 2011, 2012 and 2013.

BG 2011 / LMB 2012 / HSB 2013/

Now I am not showing you these to show off but as to more so say Listen to what Bob and others here have to say cause as you can see by my pics it works!!! If done right your BG will grow they will feed your bass then your bass will grow and keep your smaller BG in check and all you got to do is fish baby fish!!! Good luck man looks like you got a great place!

RC

Thanks guys.