Originally Posted By: Rainman
setternut, I might suggest 10 Hybrid Striped Bass and 300 Hybrid Bluegill, plus 50 Redear for snail control. You could also stock 50-60 Hybrid Black Crappie and 5 SMB plus one lone LMB (or 2 if known same sex) after a year. You'd have good variety to catch, but may need to add 5-10 pounds of Golden shiners for a sustainable forage.

You budget is the best indicator of what size of fish to stock, plus how little patience you have. Large fish cost more, but could get some fishing this fall. Small fish are considerably less money, but it may be 2 years before you'll have a "keeper".

Don't plan on FHM lasting very long in the pond...they are just too slow to avoid becoming lunch.

You could even put in up to 10 Channel Cats if not feeding pellets, and 30-40 if you like the table fare and consistently feed good quality pellets.

If cattle enter the pond. Id just stock HBG and CC. If possible, add a watering trough below the dam and fence out the cows for much better fishing.

You can clear the muddy water using Alum (unless cattle keep it muddy).

FWIW. I think that "50#" of fish, is per acre/foot, and predators. Good management with a typical LMB/BG pond needs about 50# of LMB to be harvested, per surface acre, annually to prevent/slow overpopulating. There is a lot more than 50# fish in an acre of water.


Thanks, I kind of like this plan. Putting in the HSB and HBG this season and evaluate what I see in the spring next year. Should I just go ahead and put in both FHM and the Golden Shiners now as well.