Thanks guys.

I am thinking, right or wrong, the YP I have now (5 to 7 inch in October) will be big enough to avoid predation thru the winter and at least next year. Any chance they will be big enough to spawn next spring? My primary goal is to have a pond with really nice YP so it is key to me to keep this first generation. Maybe harvest a few of the smaller ones next fall?

One of my secondary goals is to have some diversity so "you never know what you might catch." That's why I have those "novelty" 1 of a kind fish. I might drop in 1 BC.

I had some BG spawn last August so I am hoping a lot more are big enough to spawn this spring. I am also hoping some FHM make it thru the winter and manage to spawn in the spring. I estimate there were 6 to 7 thousand of them in there in October along with several hundred 1 inch BG. A lot of "ifs!" I am worried I will not have enough forage for the YP, SMB and others for next summer. If the BG and FHM don't have significant spawns, I think I might have a problem. If that happens, then what? Drop in more FHM or GSH to get thru the summer until the BG and PS come of age?

Any chance any of those 2 to 3 inch PS stocked in October will spawn next summer? I am hoping at least 30 of the original 100 will make it thru the winter without being a snack.

My hope is to someday have a pond with nice YP. I put the SMB in there to help control them and the BG and PS. That 1 LMB was kind of my way of putting in a "clean up hitter." Thinking it might handle a few more of the BG and PS recruits, if any, that are too big for the smallies and YP. My luck will be it will eat the smallies and YP and leave the BG/PS alone! So out he comes, if I ever catch it.

The CC are a put and take. We like them smaller so I will harvest all I can of what's in there this summer and restock 15 more 6 to 8 inchers in the fall.

Any chance the SMB and YP can keep the BG and PS from over populating without other predator help to keep everything kind of balanced? I am also hoping the YP help contol the SMB spawn and the SMB help contol the YP spawn. I of course, will also be doing my part by harvesting the middle size BG and PS. Maybe add WE someday to help control either YP or smallie spawns if they get out of control?

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