Omaha, I would consider 500 BG, but what size (1-3 or 3-5"), and if you're going to stock channel cat AND bass in the same year, I would put 10-12 lbs of FHM with the BG in May to give you a good forage base. You'll need it for the CC and LMB if you stock them the same year. They will gobble up your BG spawn in no time. I would consider stocking the BG & FHM in May, and save the LMB till next spring/early summer, and then the CC in the fall. You should get 2-3 FHM spawns by then.
My NE Pond Management Handbook discourages stocking FHM.
Fathead Minnow
Fathead minnows are dull, silvery-colored
baitfish that grow to about 3 inches in length.
Fatheads feed on small invertebrates and plant
material. They are hardy and very prolific. Eggs
are deposited on the underside of submerged
tree branches, aquatic vegetation, or boards
placed in the water for that purpose. Since they
spawn several times throughout the summer,
they can produce very large numbers of young.
An overabundant population of fatheads can
remove most of the zooplankton and lead to
extensive algae blooms.
Fatheads should not be stocked in ponds to
accelerate initial bass growth. Extremely high
populations of minnows have been found to
directly compete with stocked fingerling largemouth
bass and bluegills, resulting in poor
survival of their offspring. Although the young
bass that survive to eat the minnows grow
well, they will be low in number. The bluegill
population may not be able to expand until the
fatheads are eliminated by disease and/or
predators. Although fatheads are excellent prey
for smaller bass, bluegills are a better suited prey
for adult bass. Fathead minnows can be used in
channel catfish-only ponds, see page 36 for details.
Thing I haven't read (or just missed it) is what do you want your pond to be? A great BG pond, a LMB pond, what? IMO you need to decide on one or the other as your predominate strategy, and stock accordingly.
Interested in making it primarily a LMB pond.
I have a 1A pond in Mo., and stocked it with 250 3-5" BG, 100 1-3" RES, and 15 lbs of FHM this fall. I'll stock about 20 5-7" LMB NEXT late summer/fall. Additionally, we caught and put in about 30 adult 7-9" BG/RES this past summer hoping it would jump start the breeding. Three weeks later we had fry swimming around some straw bales and root wads. The jump start on breeding must have worked or the adult BG still had eggs. My pond is geared to be a BG pond, with LMB as a bonus occasionally. No CC planned to date. That may change later. Just my .02. Good luck with your project. It will become your passion. Trust me!!!!
Oh, I don't have to trust you, I realize this already and I haven't even broken any ground yet.
