Thanks guys, I have to remember the shorter growing season of northern ponds and the challenge it presents, but continue to believe that a conservative approach is best and increase stocking rates as experience dictates.
Our first year tilapia stocking of 5 lbs./acre that Meadowlark recommended, and as I recall was not supported by Bob Lusk, was adequate for FA control.
We learned quickly that grass carp would have to be used in conjunction because of rapid bushy pondweed growth.
The following spring we had record breaking hot weather conditions and FA exploded as documented by above photos.
We stocked 7 grass carp in 2-acre pond and 20 lbs of tilapia and the results were astounding.
Within a week or so I observed "holes" appearing in FA and pond weed substrate, completely clearing within 3 or 4 weeks - excepting the slimy nasty stuff in photo.
It took a following hard rain to eliminate this condition.
My goal has been to manage a HSB/CNBG pond with an aggressive feeding program. Forage recruitment has not been a priority since LMB is not my favorite species, but necessary for BG control.
As mentioned in post above, we stock annually same sex tilapia in 1/4 pond to control FA without overcrowding.
If I were managing a northern pond I would approach tilapia stocking as a conservative experiment with minimal stocking of 20#'s/acre first year and observe results, and adjust numbers as results indicated.
At some point in time with high stocking rates, economics will play a feasability role.
I shudder at the cost of stocking 40-50lbs/ of tilapia/acre in our area but do not know costs of northern tilapia.
It is obvious that I am an advocate of tilapia stocking in private ponds and believe with conservative experimental approaches will be successful in northern ponds.
We went through the same learning process in our area before tilapia was accepted as a standard.
Good luck.
