Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Types of fish to choose Should I stock Walleye

Our 5 acre lake is done and structure is almost in. Our lake is 25-30 feet deep in two areas strictly due to the lay of the land and no other reason. I have read a lot about the thermocline and how it's useless to put structure below 10 feet because it will not be used. Does this apply to Walleye as well? Can they live in the less oxygenated water that most fish can't?

Basically all fish need oxygen; some need more that others to stay healthy. As a rule 3 parts per million (mg/L) is a basic minimum. Water below the thermocline gradually decreases in oxygen once the thermocline develops. Decrease starts first at the mud water interface and works its way up to the base of the thermocline. Generally for most of the mid to late summer the water layer below the thermocline has less than 1 ppm and often 0 DO.

IT ALL DEPENDS.
In a new pond such as yours often the layer below the thermocline may not develop a major loss of oxygen the first year because there is not a lot of productivity in the upper waters to die and "rain out" or settle through the thermocline. The dead organics that settle are decomposing and consuming oxygen as they desend. The more material that settles through the thermocline (mostly dead algae/phytoplankton)the greater the oxygen loss that occurs. Thus fertilized ponds have a very rapid loss of DO once stratification develops due to all the producivity that is droping out of the productive fertilized layer.

If your new pond has fairly clear water (vis 8-10 ft), complete DO loss in the depths may not occur until 3 to 5 years after the pond fills; but I doubt it. That would be an unusual pond. The only way you will know for sure how fast the oxygen loss is occurring in your pond is to measure it. But you can sort of guess by using water claity estimates.

FYI: Oxygen and Walleye. Petit reported in Ohio Biological Survey Bull that walleye gill movements increased when DO dropped to 5ppm DO, reduced feeding and slower activity occurred at 4ppm. AT 3ppm gasping and bleaching of color occurred. At 1.4ppm all died within 270 minutes.

If our pond is no different then any other, the likelihood of Walleye surviving is slim then. Is this statement true?

Doc, Survivability of your walleye may depend on several factors, but stratification and DO issues can be mitigated with proper aeration.

Hopefully you can open the following link. Good discussion on walleye stocking strategies.

http://www.pondboss.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=5;t=000257#000000

If link doesn't work, search Walleye in What fish to choose.

Alot of good information from that discussion. Thank you. It looks like the time, money and effort needed to keep the balance in check far outweighs the desire to be able to catch a few walleye each year.

I'm putting about 5-10 walleye, around 16" in length, into my 6-7 acre pond this spring.

I believe that they will survive just fine, however, I don't think they will ever spawn.

It will be a nice surprise to catch one, and if it's gut hooked....well.....time to fry one up.