Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Types of fish to choose Stocking 1/2 acre pond

Ready to stock a 1/2 acre pond and with talking to hatchery this is what was come up with. Does it sound OK.

100 CNB
100 Native Bluegill
50 RES
125 CC
125 Blue Cat

Will be feeding. Was told the Blue Cat would control the BG population and by not using bass could restock more catfish at a later date.

That sure sounds like a lot of catfish for a 1/2 acre pond?? I think the cats may more like decimate your bg population then control it. I was thinking more around 50 cats total?

I think all you will have left is catfish. Unless thats what you want?

If your goal is to have catfish, those numbers are okay. But, they will need to be fed and you will need to harvest them when they get to 2 pounds, probably in the third year.
Bluegill numbers are probably okay.
The biggest issue you will have to deal with is the huge sizes blue cat become. Once your blue cat grow beyond 20 pounds, they become the dominant fish in the system. As predators, they will pretty much eradicate the other fish...at least those which fit into their mouths, especially sunfish.
If that's your goal...

CC should take care of all your overpopulation needs of your bg, I would not put blues in their, unless like stated above that you want a catfish pond.. I at one time had a 1acre pond with just channel cats in it had 100 of them I also had a great bg population with great size once the cats were added the bg dissapeared, and could only catch small ones now and then..

I will mostly be using the pond for kids to fish in a few times a year. It is exciting for them to catch big fish, so catfish is the choice. I have heard good/bad about the HBG, so was wanting to go with regular BG/CNB/RES. I planned on putting in LMB, I think they recommended 25-30, to control the BG and then CC. They then asked about the BC. I was told that they grow faster and would control the BG. I was told that CC would not control the BG population. I was also told that if I put LMB in the pond, that it would be very difficult to stock more CC at a later date. With BC in the pond, they would control the BG and I could also restock CC at a later date.

Does this info sound correct. If it does, would the BC be a good idea in just fewer numbers. What would be reccommended for what I am looking for.

Although the fish choice is for kids who fish a few times a year, it will be fished as much as needed to control populations of whatever is stocked. The pond is right next to the house. I will be feeding.

I think you would do fine with CC even with LMB in the pond. They can be stocked at larger sizes, pretty economically. The experience that I've had with catfish, if they are caught, they should NOT be released back into the pond. They will be a bear to catch again.