Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Types of fish to choose Small Pond stocking

Just built a small (I think it will be 35 yds by 35 yards it may be larger we will see) pond that is 12 ft deep. I've got a dozen cedars in the bottom and will be adding some hedge soon. Also made several rock piles. It will get alot of run off. Goal is having a pond the kids can catch fish in. My 4.5 and 7 yr old love to fish. Called the local fish farm and in a pond this small he recommended Hybrid bluegill due the high number of males leading to a low reproductive rate. His other suggestion was channel cat and maybe a hand full of bass to keep any hybrid reproduction down. Pond isn't full so he wants to wait to see what the clarity ends up being and the actual size before coming up with a clear cut plan. What do you guys think? I am concerned with overpopulation in a pond that small.

Learn all about hybrid BG(HBG) in this link from our archives. They have numerous pros and cons.
http://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=256325#Post256325

To start I would not add more than 10 CC and none if it were my pond (see below). Best and most catching of fishing will be with only HBG and LMB. Allow the LMB to get over crowded and stay smaller (8"-12") and fish catching will always be active and exciting for younger anglers. I would make sure and to buy pellet trained bass for the best bass growth and numbers. The kids will have as much fun feeding the fish as catching them. Feed The fish good quality 40% protein pellets for the best growth and health of your fish.
For the absolute most fun and excitement I would add 6-8 hybrid striped bass as bonus fish instead of any catfish. Keep in mind that the HBG and HSB will periodically need to be replaced to keep angling the best it can be. Feed the fish good quality pellets, bottom aerate the pond, and you will be impressed at to what 1/4 ac can produce.

Others will suggest numbers of fish to add for experienced opinions in addition to what the fish farm is suggesting.

I have no aeration planned. Will run an ice eater some for the waterfowl hunting.

Bill has advised me on my 1/4 acre pond (which mirrors yours in size and depth) from the first yr. Whoever comes and fishes say they can't believe the #s and size of fish in that small of a pond. It's surprising how many nice fish a small bow can produce if the fish are fed and the quality of water is kept good. I think aeration is absolutely necessary. Well worth the investment. Always heed Cody's advice.
Fish farms are in business to sell fish, the more the better. This forum is in existance to provide sound and free advice to fellow pond owners. Good luck.

Well I am going to say aeration is 100% not going to happen.

Without aeration the fish carrying capacity will be less, and the pond will age faster is all. Remember that harvest is an integral part of owning a pond. I mirror Bill's comments about Channel cats, if you aren't going to keep every one you catch (don't release one even a small one) then you don't need to stock them.

Without bottom aeration with 12 ft deep for 10,000 sqft(0.2ac) you will guaranteed to have thermal stratification which in Kansas will likely be at 5 to 6ft deep. Learn about it and all its affects on the deep unmixed water of the pond that will become anoxic in most of the summer period.

Are you talking to Wallace Fish Farm? He is probably in your neck of the woods. Charles did my initial stocking.

I have about 10 albino CC. When I accidentally catch one, I always release it, because I want the albinos to get hook shy. I don't want my albinos to be poached. I always keep and eat the regular gray CC.

Yes.

For new members here is a link from our Archives to lessons and discussions about thermal stratification.
http://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=92639#Post92639

I am flat telling you there will be no aeration. Stratification or not

I don't have aeration in either of my ponds. The key is not to overcrowd fish or over feed. I am guilty of both. I have taken over 72 pounds of 2 to 5 pound, two year old channel catfish out of my nearly two year old 1/4 acre pond so far this summer.

Charles is a good source.

A lot more ponds in Kansas don't have aeration than do. By about 999 to one. You likely will not have much problem as long as you do not push the carrying capacity excessively.

The one slight worry is that you have a deep pond (for this part of Kansas) with a lot of runoff. That could be a bad combination in that deep means a lot of anoxic water in the summer during stratification and large watershed means the potential for a "turn over" event after a heavy rain. That said I am unaware of any significant fish kill problems in this part of the world and I would not expect much problem unless you go to feeding heavily and upping the total fish carrying capacity. Keep it pretty naturally fed and you likely will be ok.

I have 3 ponds aereated, one not and another recently built one that will not be aereated.

We have had very little rain since the pond was built. Pond filled to maybe a third full after a 4” rain October 22. We have had no rain until last Thursday when we got 1/2”. Pond level lowered some and I am going to guess the very middle is 4 ft deep. Here in March do I stock FHM or is that required if I am going with mostly HBG?

We got rain. Called the fish farm today and talked to the owner. He gave me several options. He does like the hybrid striped bass. Going with fhm, hybrid bluegill, wipers, and channel cat. Water quality isn’t great anyway so the CC may do well. Pond size is closer to 1/3 of an acre. Probably picking the fish up next week.

Going to pick up fish tomorrow. He doesn't have any wipers in stock, and he doesn't know when he will get any. I've tried other suppliers within a couple hour drive.

Fun time! I picked up fish recently, only regret was I did not have to time to look around. I went in the office and told them what I wanted. While paying, the kids he had working jumped on filling bags. I barely have time to get up in the bed in the truck and they started handing me bags. I had an hour drive so no time to linger and gawk at the facility. Take some pictures for us!

150 hybrid bluegill and 4 lbs of fathead minnows went in today. Wasn’t much to look at. The guy, his wife, and son run it. It looks kinda run down but he sells more fish in this area than anyone else. He had second thoughts on channel cat and advised me to leave them out. I got 150 4-6” hybrid bluegill with some noticably larger. He will have wipers in mid May and I am on his list to receive them. I’ll add some pics in the next couple days. Also got some high protein fish food.

Always an exciting day when you get new fish. I think you will like catching the HBG. They will bite a hook when the BG get persnickety.

I like them. Here is a picture of one of my home raised hybrids from today's catch. Not sure if it is a CNBGxGSF or a RESxGSF as I have both. If I had to guess I would say this has RES parentage.

Feed them and they will grow fast. You could have this 8.5" size fish by summer 2019 or before.

Hook is 1/32 jig head with a Gulp Alive chartreuse waxie (John F's favorite BG bait).

A hearty thank you for all the helpful direction [based on decades of science and experience] that's been provided to this project.

The HBG have been growing good. They have taken to floating food. Also apparently the FHM spawned because there is fry all over in the shallows. The fish farm doesn’t think it is wise to add more fish and even advised against the HSB this year or adding more HBG. What do you think? Pond still hasn’t completely filled. We can’t buy a good rain.
On a side note I’ve let the kids fish it a couple times and the action is fast and furious.

Since you are dead set against aeration I would not add any more fish. Heavy stocking, feeding, and small water are a recipe for disaster without aeration.

The hybrid striped bass are awesome though. My favorite fish. They fight like crazy and grow fast.

He wants to add more fish just not this year. I am worried about predation for this year’s fry