Normally I prefer a spring stocking so newly introduced fish coincide with the production of the new crop of foods in the spring. Over the years I have found that sometimes certain species or sizes of fish were all sold out in fall and then not available in spring unless one traveled further distances to get a specific species or size. Bottom line do a little homework in advance, know your fish supplier, and the availability and size of the species you want to stock. Often scarse fish in the spring are SMB, RES, walleye, pike, musky, pumpkinseed, and larger(10"-12")HSB. Larger SMB (6"-8") are always scarse and demand a high price (usu 2X LMB $). During hard winters (heavy snow cover) in the north even some common species and sizes such as LMB fingerlings (or 4"-6") are sometimes scarse and hard to find especially at the smaller local fish farms.
