Adding YP in your situation will not be a disadvantage. YP will definitely be consumed by the LMB. Maybe there will be too much consumption of YP. Hopefully some YP will survive predation long term since you do have the start of some good habitat of brush and submerged vegetation, although you may not have enough habitat for long term YP survival especially the offspring YP. Not a lot has been published on the amount of submerged habitat that is needed for YP to survive predation by LMB. The amount of habitat and LMB density of per acre and size structure will play a big rolls in YP survival. Dr Willis as SDSU did see survival of YP in LMbass waters, but I do not think the amount of vegetation in those ponds were ever quantified. More work needs to be done on this topic. There is published research of this for BG-LMB.
I suspect in the smaller pond situations (0.3-5ac) the LMB will learn to 'key in' on preying on the YP more than BG since YP-LMB both occupy a similar niche and YP are more fusiform compared to BG even though BG are will be more abundant than YP. I suspect the LMB will eat a larger percentage of YP than BG but remember this is based on the density of YP and BG. For example if we have a new year class of BG, bass are likely to consume 35% of the new BG. But if we have a new year class of BG and YP bass will eat 25%-30% of the new BG and 60%-65% of the new YP. Note - Having an extra forage fish (YP) in the pond may allow more bass YOY to survive and create a need to harvest more bass each year to maintain the same or a good predator - prey balance. As the submerged habitat increases expect the size structure of the fishery to change. Keeping good catch records each will show you if this is happening.
I suggest you thy this supplemental forage stocking and keep good catch records of the catch ratio of BG to YP and stomach contents of harvested bass. YP will not be nest robbers of other fish until the YP become over abundant and stunted. The sunfish will be much more likely to rob nests in your situation compared to the YP.
IMO to have good chances of YP survival of stocked perch initially they should be larger adults so they have a good chance of survival until the first spawn. Then survival of the first year class of YP will be dependent on habitat and bass density.
Last edited by Bill Cody; 12/07/14 08:24 PM.
