As J.Wetzel mentions,, what you are doing is likely illegal. Also there is very likely natural reproduction and needed habitat already occurring in your local stream fishing area. The balance of species and ecology in that stream determines the survival rate of fishes due to competition and space (habitat & food availability). So if more FH could survive they would survive in that stream. The nature of that stream and current fishery balance controls who survive in your favorite angling stream. You adding more juvenile FH would very likely not increase the natural numbers because of the natural ecology and fish balance that already occurs for flat heads. If more of them could survive they would survive. That is how natural populations work in natural habitats such as a river or stream.

I suspect that current predation and proper habitat of young juvenile catfish controls the number of adults in your favorite stream. Now if you were doing this in a controlled pond then your success will be a lot higher because YOU control and MANAGE the numbers in the CONTROLLED pond habitat and rely less on all of nature's influences on that stream. Feeding the fish is one good example of this self control. If you could feed the FH in the stream, add to their habitat, and reduce their competition then your chance of success of your plan would be much better.

IMO your time is much better spent and more successful doing something else that has a better use of your time. Doing your plan would give you fish raising experience that could get you a job at a fish farm that deals with catfish.

Last edited by Bill Cody; 04/04/19 09:49 AM.

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