Based on having stocked on the light side last fall (300 BG, 200 RES, 5lb FHM, I'm trying to figure my next move to finish stocking with LMB. It sounds like 100 is to many so I'm back down to around 50 for this 1.5 acre pond?
The FHM are spawning all over the place. I have not seen any BG spawn but I'm not sure I would know the difference. I do see a school of BG hanging out in the past couple weeks at the one corner of my dam. I would guess they are at least 3" if not bigger. I have not caught any to see. In the pictures above, its the corner in the bottom left with the lines of rocks. The water is up past the straw so I'd say the top of those lines are at least 3 feet under and not visible. My dog always walked in this corner and I have as well planting so there are all kinds of small round spots in the mud so I can't tell if they are nests. The BG dart all around and at each other in this corner. There are minnows closer to the shore from them. I couldn't decide if they were spawning or feeding.
I have been working on trying to establish lilies without a lot of luck so far (another post). I have had good luck getting iris, rushes, sedges, picklerweed, duck potato, swamp milkweed, and some other plants going in the back end but they aren't established well in the water yet for much cover. The back portion of the pond was kept between 1-3 feet for lots of vegetation. I have high hopes of for the view of all the plants and wildlife they attract and should provide good forage cover. That's my thinking anyway. The only other cover I have is the rock piles, lines and stumps in the pictures. I have some longer logs floating around as well. A little green heron loves the one.
Based on all this information in my rambling, should I stock LMB fingerlings this summer/fall or wait till next spring? I'm in no rush. I just want to make sure things stay somewhat in balance.
Thanks for all the input and thoughts. I don't know what I'd do without this forum!
