Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Corrective stocking Hartley's SMB Stocking

Good points, everyone.

I could wait for my existing adults [8] in the reproduction pond to spawn, but they might not. This is my first effort at this and I've been told SMB spawning is not automatic. I'm trying to temper my expectations.

If I do pull a spawn, then I'd have to hope enough YOY survive the summer...again, I've been told to expect predation from adult SMB on the YOY despite the large amounts of FHM and GSH I stocked as forage. [the minnows might nail my fry too!]

So, let's say I'm successful on both accounts above. Now I have many 2-6" fish and could stock them into the pond. However, bear in mind those 10-12" YP are now up to 14", the HSB are pushing 18-20", and BG and RES are 8+ too. Much more predation on SMB is likely.

With all those factors in mind, I think stocking SMB now, at a size safe from predation, is right. I will take 4 of the 9" adults from Hartley's and stock them into the repro pond making my population 12 adult fish. I'm leaving it at that. The other 6 9"ers and the 250 4-6"ers will make it to the main pond. This will be my first, and last, stocking of SMB from a hatchery other than my own. Too rich for my blood.