Hi,
My new 1/4 acre pond in the midlands area of South Carolina has finally been full for a few weeks and I'm anxious to get the party started. I know spring is probably the recommended stocking time but I want to start doing some things now. I have a few ideas and I'm hoping to get some thoughts from the group as you guys seem very knowledgeable.
1) Bluegill: If I can find a supplier, would it be ok to stock bluegill now rather than wait until march/april when fish are readily available?
2) Bass: Should I give the bluegill/food chain a season before introducting bass? I know I can't have many of these in such a small pond but I figure if I jumpstart the foodchain now I could have 8 or 10 bass to keep things interesting.
3) Tadpoles: I have another tiny pond/mudhole that is absolutely loaded with bullfrog tadpoles. Would it be beneficial to net a bunch of these and move them over?
4) Crawfish: I have a crawfish trap being delivered today. Should I trap and stock the pond with as many crawfish as possible?
5) Golden Shiners: I've seen in my smaller mudhole that they reproduce rapidly. Should I also stock these? This is the standard bait fish in this area so I think I could get them easily/cheaply.
