Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Types of fish to choose How to Make Fish a Regular, Consistent Food Source

A pond in a wooded area poses extra problems from lots of leaf (organic) inputs which cause decreased water quality. Periodic draining during high fish production would become a more important part of the managament. Design of the pond should be for easy seining and fish removal at a low water level during draining.

Hybrid bluegill (HBG) would be a good fish to consider. They eat pellets well, tolerate warm water, and grow fast to 0.5 to 0.7 lb. I would stock with two sizes of HBG to produce some fairly quick harvestable fish and some for the second year. Periodic draining (every two yr) would solve problem of controlling the offspring. A few predator fish would help reduce the offspring and provide harvestable larger fish at each draining.
Have you read this about hybrid bluegill?
http://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=256325#Post256325

A few trout added and fed during the fall, winter and early spring would provide some rapid growing fish and diversity of harvestable fish. Several tilapia added when the trout die would help with fish diversity and filamentous algae control if an algae bloom is not maintained.