Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Types of fish to choose Stocking my daughters half acre pond

For my daughters 42 birthday I just ordered 250 res, 50 6 to 8" HSB along with 15 lbs of fhm's for her half acre pond. All of them I will pick up this Saturday from Overton's. I wonder if she is thinking "fish" Really? Fish

You can even help her catch them when they grow up!

And for her next birthday, you can teach her to clean fish!

Tracy, there's nothing at all wrong with that gift. I bought my wife a shovel Christmas before last, but I'm a romantic.

So I am off this morning for a 7hr round trip to pick up the fish. I am not crazy about the drive but the quality of the fish and the packaging will work for me. It always has in the past and it's quite a bit cheaper than having the fish delivered, but I have done that many times also.

So, we got it done, new fish stocked. Daughter seemed really happy with her birthday gift. The only problem I had was after arriving at Overton's fishery was that I met a guy picking up some bulk Gypsum for his pond. And I said, I have to get some of that. $$$ I am a pond junkie! I really don't need it. But don't fish grow better in a high calcium environment? And as always Overton's did a good job on getting me fixed up

I hope she enjoys her fish Tracy.

I built a pond and stocked it for my daughter and SIL. They fished together and it was something they both could enjoy. Unfortunately my SIL was diagnosed with a fast cancer and died within a month or so after the pond was finished and before it was stocked.

My daughter no longer fishes, but she does enjoy the fish and goes out every so often and feeds them just as a recreational thing. So even though she no longer enjoys angling, she does still enjoy the pond and fish.

I hope your daughter enjoys her fish also.

John, I am sorry to hear about your SIL along with the grief that has followed the tragic event. As time moves on I hope and pry that your daughter will find comfort in life and the pond you built for them.

In my stocking decision I decided to buy smaller hsb(4 to 6") and the reasoning for doing that is I hoped she and my SIL would enjoy watching the fish grow up by hand feeding along with a large amount of fhms. 25lbs of them. Todd has some larger HSB in the 17" range and maybe some a little larger. The cost was about the same because 50 small fish is around the same for x number of larger sized and a half acre will only support a few larger sized hsb. Another reason for going this route was in smaller pond lmb tend to take over and stunt. Hopefully, the hsb will grow pretty fast but should not spawn and stunt (I hope)

Tracy, keep us in the loop on how your HSB are doing. I'm fighting the urge to get more myself. I've probably got less than 20 still motoring around, but they should be getting close to 4#'s by now. I'd have them If for no other reason than seeing the exposition they make when they hit a Purina Largemouth pellet.

We're heading down to Buffalo week after next for a few various swimmers. More Pinky and the Brain fun ensues.

Al, if you only knew how hard it was for me to be at Todd's place and not bring back some of his large hsb to add to what I already have in my pond. His larger sized do not travel well in boxes, they are just to big. Here is a question I have, maybe someone might come up with a solution or answer. I don't know how many hsb are in the pond. And because of that I always want more. lol My stocking hsb started 2 years ago with 20 10" hsb during the second spring at the pond. Followed up with 20 more that fall and then the next spring I added 20 more and then a couple of months later(late spring) I added 20 of his larger 17+" hsb. total was about 80 but I never see that many and when shocking the lake, we will find 10 or so. I think that is because they for the most part will hang in the deep water and may be more evasive when it come to shocking a lake. It is also hard to tell survival due to things like Cormorants, Otters and GBH. We do catch one every now and then. Last one caught last week using a cane pole and a crappie Jig while BG fishing. Fish was around 3 lbs or better an was in great shape. it could not have been any healthier. So would one just keep adding hsb until they look less than desired health? funny thing was the hsb was caught by a friend and on the way home he said his wrist hurt from fighting that fish